McKenna Grace’s Impossibly Glowy Skin Comes Courtesy Of This High-Tech Tool

McKenna Grace has been on a career-changing run. A Hollywood fixture for over a decade (to say she was a prolific child actor would be an understatement), the rising star’s upcoming film, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping — and its associated press tour — are taking her to new professional heights. Literally: “McKenna’s been pretty much living on planes this press tour, and you know how your skin feels after a few flights in a row,” Grace’s makeup artist, Melissa Hernandez, tells TZR. So, when it came time to glam the star for a Los Angeles fan event celebrating the hotly anticipated film, “I wanted to give her skin a little reset before... and let that gorgeous natural glow come through,” she says.

That meant taking a skin care-forward approach. “When the skin is happy and hydrated, everything you put on top just looks that much better,” says Hernandez. “McKenna has such beautiful skin, so we really just focused on hydration and letting her natural glow shine through.” She started the prep process with the CurrentBody Series 3 Mask; “I’ve had every version of this mask in my kit, and my favorite thing about this newest [one] is that I can customize the light settings based on what the skin needs in the moment.” (She opted for a mix of red, yellow, and green light settings.) To pump up the glow even further post-mask, Hernandez applied skin care products including a facial moisturizer and de-puffing eye serum from Obagi.

Makeup-wise, Hernandez drew inspiration from Grace’s custom Elisabetta Franchi gown, itself an homage to Katniss Everdeen’s feathered Victory Ball gown from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. “I was immediately drawn to the deep red feathers on McKenna’s dress and wanted that color to hit like a little spotlight in the center of her lids,” she explains. The artist applied a touch of Stila Cosmetics’ Liqua-Play Shadow in Figgy Matte to the center of the lids, then topped it with Petunia and Peony from the Pocket Play Berry Bouquet Shadow Palette. “I smoked out the inner and outer corners using Smokey from the Pocket Play Wild Flowers Shadow Palette and finished with rosy cheeks and a muted mauve lip,” she adds.

The shimmering makeup and glowing skin were complemented by a sleek, slicked-back knotted chignon (courtesy of hairstylist Glen Oropeza) and a medium-length nude mani with gold chrome stripes down the center of each nail. The final look was sparkling and high-shine — very fitting for an ascendant star.