By Julianna Perkins
A lot of us crawl out of bed bleary-eyed 10 minutes before class, sprinting out the door in a frantic rush, forgetting our eyebrows, our textbooks and sometimes our brain power at home. Gabby Montesano is not one of those people.
Montesano, a 20-year old in her third year of the Ryerson journalism program, has big dreams, a perfected morning routine, and is strictly fueled by Tim Hortons’ orange pekoe tea. Beauty is her thing, and she’s here to tell you how you can steal her look. You’re welcome.
“On a day where I want to look put together, I wake up, shower, put a bunch of curly hair products in my hair and then use a blow dryer and diffuser to dry my hair. Then, I can start my makeup,” said Montesano.
First step? A CeraVe moisturizer and then an organic face serum. “I get dressed while I wait for the serum to soak in my face,” she said, proving that even the most put-together of us are still college multitaskers at heart..
Next, she applies Huda Beauty primer and then either Huda Beauty or Fenty Beauty foundation with a brush, topping it off with Nars’ Creamy Concealer for blemishes and under eyes.
“I probably couldn’t live without the Nars Creamy Concealer,” said Montesano. “It gets rid of any imperfections on my face and makes my skin look flawless.”
After blending, she fills in her brows with Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow and sets them with eyebrow gel. Pro tip: If you don’t have time for a full face of makeup but want to look a little more put together, just doing your brows can make a big difference, since they frame the face.
(Photo courtesy of Gabby Montesano)
The last few steps in her routine are eyeshadow (she loves the Modern Renaissance pallette and so should you), mascara, highlighting and blush.
The most critical step, however? Finding a lipliner and lipstick for the day. Montesano said her beauty motto in this department comes from Coco Chanel: “If you’re sad, add more lipstick and attack.” Scroll to the bottom for a step-by-step tutorial on how to work a bold lip.
But if that all sounds a little too complicated for you, don’t worry. Montesano admits that even she has some trouble mastering the basics.
“I love the whole dark, smokey eye look,” she said, “but every time I try, it almost looks like I got punched in the eye.”
When she’s not busy getting glammed up, Montesano serves as the vice-president of corporate relations for RyeBeauty, a Ryerson-based beauty community that focuses on celebrating beauty and promoting confidence.
In the future, Montesano wants to put her skills toward public relations focused on fashion, makeup and beauty, eventually starting her own firm.
In the meantime, you can catch her watching Netflix in her pajamas. We don’t all have to be glamorous all the time.
And even though Montesano loves makeup, she believes it’s important to remember that beauty is everywhere and can mean something different to everyone.
“Beauty is happiness, whether it involves makeup or just doing something that makes you smile,” said Montesano.
How to Prep for a Bold Lip
(Photos courtesy of Gabby Montesano)
Step 1: Remove excess foundation from the lips with a makeup wipe.
Step 2: Use a moisturizer or an oil elixir to prep the lips. Let dry before continuing.
Step 3: Use a lip liner and trace the outline of your lips.
Step 4: Begin applying a small amount of lipstick on the lips and blend.
Step 5: Apply lipstick all over the lips and you’re finished!