Brigitte Macron’s Makeup: How the French First Lady Channels ’60s Glamour Into Her Signature Look

When it comes to makeup, Brigitte Macron is taking notes from Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve.

The first lady of France, who’s married to French President Emmanuel Macron, has recently become regarded for her signature, above-the-shoulders hairstyle, with her blow-dried bob, wispy bangs, hollowed eye shadow, microbladed brows and all.

“Her aesthetic is classic French sophistication with a contemporary edge,” Laura Kay, founder of the eponymous permanent makeup brand in London, told WWD. “She wears what suits her face and what matches her attire. It’s polished and intentional, yet never heavy-handed.”

If you ask former celebrity makeup artist Rachel Weingarten, she’ll tell you it also settles somewhere between the 1975 film, “Stepford Wives,” and Sharon Tate in “Valley of the Dolls.”

On any given day, no matter the public outing, Macron will dress her eyes in a muted brown, blue or charcoal liner. The placement, Kay said, is usually just along the upper lash line, but it’s not harsh; it’s “diffused.” Though her lashes can disappear in the fog of shadow on her lids, they’re always curled and coated in mascara. Her lips, on the other hand, bear lighter hues.

“The lips are usually in a soft nude or rose tone, with a satin or balm-like finish. Nothing matte, nothing glossy — a classic and understated look,” Kay said. Weingarten said the lip color choice was “surprising” for a blonde.

A major focal point in her countenance is her eyebrows. Weingarten and Kay agreed that her brows are prominent, overtly colored-in, but still natural-looking. Indeed, the medium brown shade draws a stark contrast to her muddy blond hair, but they don’t take away from the rest of her features. “They’re softly arched, subtly defined and always groomed,” Kay said.

When it comes to her base, Kay guessed she keeps the products to a minimum, lightweight foundation or tinted moisturizer only. Weingarten disagreed, arguing, “I’m willing to wager that she’s wearing quite a bit of foundation or BB or CC cream and cover up.”

Although if Macron were to be using a tinted moisturizer, it would most likely be a “state of the art” formula and applied by the hands of an expert, Weingarten said.

“She also favors some blush to give her color, but not necessarily to enhance her bone structure,” Weingarten continued. In full, Macron’s makeup doesn’t transform her face, rather enhances it. Yet, it’s not the model “clean girl” and doesn’t fall under the “no-makeup makeup” trend per se. In fact, her look isn’t mod or trendy at all for that matter. The aesthetic, like that of many ’60s and ’70s starlets, is front-facing, meaning it’s designed to stick out against perennial camera flashes.

“There’s a definite nod to the ’60s; the elegance of French cinema and the soft glamour of Bardot and Deneuve. But it’s not retro in any way. Brigitte takes that influence and refines it for today,” Kay explained. “I’d say, overall, she uses a blended, tonal and flattering approach to her makeup. Yes, there are some subtle hints (to beauty trends belonging to decades past), but her look is always authentic to her.”