Last month, R.e.m Beauty released the limited-edition Thank U, Next collection, curated by singer-songwriter Ariana Grande. The collection included an eye-catching eyeshadow palette, flutter-worthy jeweled lashes, a 48-hour eyeliner marker, and a jumbo size of the brand’s popular plumping lip gloss.
As a fan of Ariana Grande’s makeup looks, which typically include soft matte skin, sleek black eyeliner, and pink eyeshadow, I was eager to get my hands on the collection in hopes of creating a romantic makeup look ahead of Valentine’s Day.
In time for the collection’s debut, the brand also released a video tutorial featuring Grande’s makeup artist, Daniel Chinchilla, explaining how to recreate the bright lid and stylish cat-eye seen in the “Thank U, Next” music video.
Although I didn’t replicate the step-by-step look inspired by the 2001 film “Legally Blonde,” I used Chinchilla’s tutorial as inspiration to create my own unique makeup look.
Create a fun and flirty look
Since Valentine’s Day is less than a week away, I reasoned that it might be the perfect time to experiment with creating a flirty makeup look that would be perfect for a night on the town with someone special.
Before trying the collection, I started with my skin prep, which included Keys Soulcare’s Truly Becoming Multi-benefit Peptide Serum, Olay’s Niacinamide Moisturizer, and Milani Cosmetics Glow Drops because skin prep is just as important as the makeup routine.
After completing my skincare routine, I primed my eyelids with Milani Cosmetic’s Eyeshadow Primer, concealed any redness with the Keep Me Covered Concealer from Essence Cosmetics, and filled my brows with Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Fiber Eyebrow Pencil.
As a girl who loves pink, I was immediately drawn to the array of pink hues featured in the palette, which ranged from a beautiful pale pink to a metallic hot pink. After a few minutes of brainstorming, I used the shade Bubbly, a pale pink, as my base for Needy, the hot pink shade. I also used Love, a shimmery gold pink, in the inner corner of my eyes as a highlight. The combination of the shades made my eyes pop vibrantly.
Next, I created a barely there wing using the shade Grateful, a light brown that added warmth to my look in the outer corner of my eyes. To give the look a nice finish, I created a small, winged liner with the At The Borderline Eyeliner Marker.
I topped the look with the jeweled lashes from the collection and Danger Danc’r from Fenty Beauty’s newest shade in the Fenty Icon The Fill Semi-Matte Refillable Lipstick collection, which is the perfect cool-toned red that easily complements any skin tone.
Boost your look with fragrance
I finished the look with a spritz or two of the Mod Blush from Ariana Grande Fragrances. The scent, featuring rose and passion fruit, was flirty and sweet to fit the romantic and cozy aesthetic I was going for.
Overall, I was pleased with my glam. I feel the collection will be a go-to for people who want to create fun and flirty looks for date nights or girls’ nights out. The collection can also be worn daily, minus the bejeweled lashes — unless that’s your glam level.
Where to shop the collection
If you’re looking for a palette to create a romantic look for Valentine’s Day, I highly suggest getting your hands on the limited-edition Thank U, Next Collection, which is available at Rembeauty.com and Ulta.com.
