Michelle Obama's Makeup Artist Opens Up About Her Inauguration Look

Michelle Obama—fashion icon, beauty inspiration, and all-around hero to all—shone during the 2021 inauguration, thanks to her bouncy curls, gorgeous purple outfit,  (opens in new tab)and chic smokey eye. To get an inside look at the former First Lady's beauty routine, look no further than her makeup artist, Carl Ray (opens in new tab). Below, he breaks down the products he used on Obama, as well as his inspiration for her look.

MC: How was Michelle's skin prepped prior to the makeup?

CR: The former First Lady already has amazing skin and takes care of it, so it's easy and not much prep on my end. She is ready to go and I start directly with makeup application, which makes my job a lot easier!

MC: What was the inspiration for the makeup look for the inauguration?

CR: My inspiration was one of strength and confidence. Yesterday was a moment in history not only for America, but for women everywhere. I really wanted to honor that in the look I gave her, but also celebrate the day. I wanted an impactful smoky eye for the event. I was going for a dramatic glam eye that would really play well to the camera. For TV, we really need to make things a little more dramatic so her eyes shine.

MC: How do face masks affect the makeup look you did for Michelle?

CR: The mask allowed me to get creative with this look and really play up the features that I knew were going to be visible. I really focused on making her brows, eyes, and lashes pop. For underneath the mask, I recommend a stain or matte lip so it wont smudge. 

Shop Michelle's Inauguration Beauty Look