If you’re walking a red carpet, call Nina Park

When it comes to fame, seldom do make-up artists achieve virality outside of their clients – bar the Pat McGraths and Charlotte Tilburys of the world, of course.

For Nina Park though, her time has come. Steadily building a roster of A‑list clients that seek out her polished and luminous style, images of the beauty looks she creates often go viral: think Emma Stone in a softly smoked out eye for the Governors Awards or Greta Lee in a Dior gown and blurred lip at the Academy Gala. For those looking for the ultimate ​“me, but better” effect, Nina’s your gal.

In recent months, a swathe of Nina Park tutorials from creators have even popped up on social media, all promising to have cracked the code of Nina’s elusive signature lip look.

Though she’s now based in LA, Nina grew up in Chicago, where – in her teens – ​“tanning beds, very thin over-plucked brows, and a lot of frosted eyeshadow and MAC Lipglass” ruled.

But it was watching the women of her family get ready that got Nina into make-up, the smell of her grandmother’s Estée Lauder foundation and the rhythmic patting of Coty Airspun powder on her face. ​“And my mom always wore blue kohl around her eyes and a bright pomegranate red lipstick that I thought was the most glamorous thing in the world,” she says. ​“Watching her get ready was mesmerizing. It felt like a ritual, and that definitely stayed with me. Outside of family, I was always drawn to make-up that felt real and unfussy. Even as a teenager, I responded more to quiet beauty.”

Eventually, Nina would go on to study makeup artistry in Paris at the L’école de Maquillage Fleurimon. ​“I kept doing make-up for friends, studying faces, noticing textures and skin finishes, and getting drawn to the small nuances you can create with the same product. When I moved to New York [in 2021], it finally clicked that this could be a real career.” After signing with an agency, Nina never looked back.

Hi Nina! As a fixture at red carpet events, could you talk us through your process behind a night like the Academy awards?

Usually, it starts with understanding the kind of event someone is getting ready for. Is it indoors or outdoors? Will she be in the sun, under harsh lights, or in a covered space? I always look at past carpets to see how skin photographed and what the lighting was doing.

Once I know the environment, the stylist will send fitting photos or a sketch of the dress with shoes and jewelry. From there, the team usually starts a group chat to share ideas and references for hair, makeup, and nails.For me, the priority is always letting the person shine as the best version of themselves before you notice anything else.

What’s the most nerve-wracking moment for you in the process?

The moment that always gets me is waiting for that first Getty image to load. I always hold my breath as it opens and hope everything translates the way the whole team envisioned.

It feels like your looks with Zoë in particular seem to be especially popular, why do you think that is?

Zoë and I really speak the same language when it comes to beauty. Working with her never feels like I’m just applying make-up. It feels more like creating a mood or a feeling, and I think people connect with that. She has such a clear sense of self, and I think that makes the looks resonate in a different way.

Do you ever watch Nina Park makeup tutorials?

My friends and clients keep sending them to me. I’m honestly so taken by them. The content creators are so talented, and I’m always impressed by their skills and their interpretation of what they think my aesthetic is. They are incredible.

What does your own everyday makeup routine consist of?

I’m very simple when it comes to my own makeup. Lately I’ve been using the Jung Saem Mool Essential Skin Nuder Cushion to even out my complexion, and the Makeup by Mario SoftSculpt Skin Enhancer for a little warmth. I’ve been reaching for the RMS Revitalize Hydra Concealer and I always curl my lashes and finish with the Addiction Primer Curl Fixer mascara. For cheeks, I’ve been loving MAC Glow Play in So Natural. On my lips, I rotate between Wonderskin 360 Contour Lip Liner in Saddle or Nutmeg with Merit Lipgloss in Biarritz.

How would you describe your make-up style in three words?

I feel weird describing my own style but I did ask a good friend to describe it for me and she said refined, restrained, and intentional.

What’s on your playlist when you’re working with a client?

Lately we’ve been listening to a playlist called ​“middle school dance,” which has so many gems from the late ​’90s. We’ve also been putting on the ​“Now That’s What I Call” series on Spotify, starting with 2000 and working our way up. We just let each album play through while we do glam and pick up where we left off.

What’s the secret to your lip look?

Lots of layers and lots of blending.

What are your go-to lip liners?

So many. If you looked in my kit, the ratio of lip liners to everything else would probably concern most people. They’re all just a tiny bit different, and I love that. Some of my mainstays and new obsessions are Victoria Beckham 02, MAC Plum and Redd, Makeup Forever Wherever Walnut, Lisa Eldridge 1N, and Dior Brown Fig. And honestly, there are many more.

Skin prep?

For my personal skin prep, I use a lot of iS Clinical, Biologique Recherche, and Environ. In my kit, I reach for Retrouvé, Augustinus Bader, Caudalie, La Roche-Posay, and Avène.

Biggest beauty hack?

If you want your eyes to pop with real dimension, try using eyeliner first, then set it with a dark brown powder to diffuse it, and finally stamp the lash line with a liquid liner. This builds depth in thin layers, so the eyes look defined and bright but still soft and never harsh.

What’s a do and a don’t in your chair?

Do be on time. Please don’t be glued to your phone.

I remember feeling really inspired by Emma’s natural freckles and wanted to warm her up while adding a few more to enhance the natural warmth in her skin. I used a mix of brow pen, brow powder, and brow pencils to create different tones, washes, and sizes so the freckles felt believable and dimensional.

This was one of those rare moments where every element lined up. The colour of the backdrop of the poster, the ​’90s inspired updo, the way we layered tones to echo the dress and bring that same depth into the eyes. There are videos from that night where she is being photographed on the carpet and the sash of the dress is blowing in the wind. It felt so glamorous and almost surreal in the moment.

I loved this look so much. It felt raw and a little undone while still feeling sensual and grounded. There was a femme fatale mood, but in a real, lived-in way. We kept the under eyes more natural to let the skin feel real. I placed highlights only on specific high points so that whenever Zoë turned, certain parts of her face would catch the light. After nine years of working together, we always try to keep things feeling fresh but still very her at the core.