How to Recreate Zendaya's Glowing Makeup From “The Odyssey” Premiere

Zendaya's “The Odyssey” Premiere Makeup, Explained

Casillas used a number of CHARLOTTE TILBURY products to get this unique look. “I wanted to give Zendaya a bronzed, sun-kissed, and radiant complexion worthy of a glowing Greek goddess,” Casillas said of his makeup inspiration in a press release. “Charlotte’s new Unreal Highlighter in Glazed Goddess added a beautiful glossy, glazed finish to Zendaya’s complexion to emulate this. For the eyes, I created light, mesmerizing eyes to echo the ethereal elegance of the dress.”

To prep the skin, he used CHARLOTTE TILBURY’S Magic Cream and for those stand-out eyes, used three different shades of the Exagger-Eyes Easy Eyeshadow Stick, in Nude Sculpt, Mink Sculpt, and Satin Diamonds, to be exact. 

If you want to recreate this look at home, you don’t need to grab the full CHARLOTTE TILBURY lineup, although we love that for you if you want to! Here are some tips from Lobell on how to recreate the look at home. 

Start With Glowing, Natural-Looking Skin

Anytime you see a celeb with absolutely glowing skin on the red carpet, Lobell says there’s a good chance they’re skipping the heavy foundation. “Make sure it's well moisturized, then keep your complexion light; you don't want to mask it with too much foundation,” she says. “The most beautiful glow comes from letting real skin show through and adding light only where you want to catch the eye.”

For this, we love a BB cream, like DR. JART+’s Premium Korean BB Cream Tinted Moisturizer. Remember, you can always mix in a few drops of your favorite face oil or liquid highlighter to get even more of a glow. We’re huge fans of the CHICA BEAUTY Liquid Highlighter for this. 

How to Apply Highlighter Like Zendaya

The placement of products on Zendaya was just as important as the product choices themselves. It’s helpful to remember that less is more. “I like to press a cream highlighter onto the tops of the cheekbones, the brow bone, the bridge of the nose, and just a touch on the Cupid's bow,” explains Lobell. “If you want that soft, ethereal effect Zendaya has, tap a tiny bit on the inner corners of the eyes and right in the center of the lids.”

Lobell recommends a versatile cream highlighter for this, like NEEN's Pretty Shiny Cream Highlighter that comes in an easy-to-use tube for on-the-go touchups.

The Secret to Zendaya's Soft, Glowing Eye Makeup

Lobell says the trick to Zendaya’s striking eyes isn’t something that’s glitter-heavy to catch every single paparazzi flash; it’s placement. “Keep the eye makeup soft and let one area catch the light,” she says. “I like to press a little cream highlighter into the center of the lid with my fingertip, then blend the edges so there's no hard line. It gives you that beautiful reflective quality without looking overdone.” 

The Biggest Highlighter Mistakes to Avoid

Although this look is super ethereal and glowy, if you put highlighter and shimmer all over your face you’re going to miss your desired effect. “When everything is glowing, nothing stands out,” explains Lobell. “Pick a few places where light would naturally hit the face and stop there. It always looks fresher and much more modern.”

The Bottom Line

Zendaya has delivered no shortage of unforgettable beauty moments over the years, but her glowing makeup at The Odyssey premiere might be one of our favorites yet. Created by makeup artist Ernesto Casillas using CHARLOTTE TILBURY products, the bronzed, ethereal look perfectly complemented her Grecian-inspired gown. The best part? You don't need the exact products to recreate it. We tapped makeup artist and NEEN founder Jeanine Lobell for her expert tips on getting Zendaya's radiant red carpet glow at home.