Makeup Artist Gregory Arlt's Tips for Creating Michelle Trachtenberg's "Take Me Home Tonight" Premiere Look

If you thought Michelle Trachtenberg looked gorgeous at the premiere of Take Me Home Tonight last week, you're not alone. And the master behind her gorgeousness? None other than Gregory Arlt (for M.A.C. Cosmetics/Exclusive Artists Management)! Read on to find out how he created the look -- and how you can do it at home!

"My inspiration was her beautiful dress," Gregory says. "The grey with the metallic silver details made me instantly pull out my eyeshadow palette of greys, silvers, gunmetals and black. Also, Michelle's eyes are like a makeup artist's dream! So lovely and expressive, with lots of room to work."

All of the makeup Gregory used to create this look was by M.A.C.

SKIN:
"Michelle's skin is FLAWLESS and requires very little!" Gregory says. Here's what he used:
Prep+Prime Skin
Studio Sculpt Foundation mixed with a drop of Care Blends Essential Oil "to extend the foundation and make it go on more sheer/smooth," Gregory says. He applied it with a #190 brush.
Studio Careblends Powder in Light applied with a #150 brush. "This is my new favorite powder!" Gregory says. "It feels like silk going on and is actually conditioning to the skin."
Well Dressed Powder Blush on the cheeks

EYES:
Brows: Lingering pencil
Brow Highlight: Dazzlelight shadow applied with a #242 brush
Crease: Copperplate shadow applied with a #224 brush
Lids: Satin Taupe shadow applied with a #252 brush
Outer corners: Smut shadow applied with a #275 brush and blended with a #224 brush
Liner (upper): Blacktrack Fluidline with a #210 brush
Liner (inner eye): Feline pencil
Liner (lower lash line): Smut shadow applied with a #266 brush
Mascara: Haute & Naughty Lash ("My new favorite!" Gregory says.)

LIPS:
"Michelle's natural lip color is a gorgeous plum red shade, though too much color for the strong eyes," Gregory says. "I hated to cancel the color as its so amazing, but I toned it down with foundation and applied our new favorite Lipglass -- Emancipation from the M.A.C Wonder Woman collection. Michelle let out an excited squeal when I pulled it out of my kit!"

And if you're wondering how to create a smoky eye in under five minutes? Gregory has some foolproof tips for you!

"For a QUICK smoky eye at home, all you really need are two shadows and three brushes," Gregory says. Here's the formula for success:

One light eyeshadow (try M.A.C Shroom)
One dark eyeshadow (try M.A.C Smut)
Three shadow brushes (dense flat shadow brush like M.A.C #252, fluffy blending brush like M.A.C #224 and angled defining brush like M.A.C #266)

Gregory recommends beginning with the eyes, before your foundation -- "that way, if any falls from your brush to the skin, it's easier to clean it up [and] then apply the foundation and powder," he says. Put a small amount of the lighter color on one side of the #252 brush and use a small amount as a wash over the entire eye. Then apply the dark shadow with the #252 brush to your lids. "Unless you sleep for a living, you wear your makeup with your eyes open, so apply it that way!" Gregory says. "Tilt your head back slightly, lift your brows, look down into the mirror and begin to apply."

Depending on your eye shape, Gregory recommends applying a small amount just under and on the browbone, especially toward the outer corners of the eyes. "It may look a little harsh at first, but here's where your other brushes come in," he says. Put a small amount of the dark shadow on the tip of your #224 blending brush and blend through the crease with a back and forth motion -- "like a windshield wiper," he says. "This will blend it beautifully." Then, Gregory recommends adding the dark shadow to your angled #266 brush and lining the lower lashline. Apply mascara, "and voila!" he says.

And for even more drama? Gregory recommends applying black pencil to the inner waterline and upper lashes.