Behind Quinta Brunson’s Fluttery Lashes and Sparkling French Mani at the Golden Globes

@quintab/Instagram

While the 2024 Golden Globes were absolutely full of amazing beauty moments (awards’ season glam is back, baby!), I didn’t note any collective freak-outs quite like what occurred when Quinta Brunson first appeared on the red carpet. Call it a first-nomination glow or natural beauty, it doesn’t matter: the girl was positively shining.

Brunson walked the red carpet on January 7 wearing custom Balmain. According to her makeup artist, Kasha Lassien, the shimmering champagne-gold gown gave her feelings of “optimism, opulence, class, and a sexiness at the same time.” And when that happens, what do you do? Focus on the (doe-y, in the Abbott Elementary creator’s case) eyes, of course.

“I thought smoky, utilizing the placement and faux mink volume of [the lashes] to really help tie that in while still incorporating some of that shine we see on the gown onto the eyes,” Lassien, who chose a monochromatic, mauve makeup look for Brunson, tells Byrdie exclusively. “Because this look was all about the eyes, my key products were my KISS Lash Couture Lashes in Little Black Dress ($6) and imPRESS Falsies in Voluminous ($17).”

@kashalassien/Instagram

To make the lash magic happen, the artist had Brunson look down without closing her eyes. Once the writer was in position, Lassien placed the pre-bonded, no-glue-necessary imPRESS clusters underneath her natural lash line in sections that started at the outer corners.

“I then used KISS Lash Couture Super Strong Lash Adhesive ($6) and applied the Lash Couture Little Black Dress strip lash across the whole of the lash line for added dimension and volume,” she adds. “These faux mink eyelashes have a gorgeous curl and are ultra-fine and tapered like real mink. I love applying false lashes this way because I feel like the combination of the clusters and strip lash deliver a truly natural lash look but with added volume.”

For her complexion, Lassien bumped up the dewiness on the high points of Brunson’s face, playing off the glittering gown and bringing an overall cohesion to the look. “We also wanted to keep that dewy/hydrated feel to the skin, which we know is a classic winter trend,” adds the artist, who made it all happen with Danessa Myricks Beauty products.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Another winter trend the artist tackled? The ombré lip.

“Although it is a natural lip, I used three different lip colors from Danessa Myricks Beauty in the same tonal range, keeping the mouth darker closer to the edges and diffusing the color as it moves toward the center of the lips,” shares Lassien. To make sure everything stayed in place through the night’s events, she used her “number one setting powder:” Evolution Powder ($25).

For Brunson’s manicure, celebrity nail artist Temeka Jackson took a similarly Balmain-inspired, golden approach. Filed into a medium-short stiletto shape, the pinkish-nude nails featured delightful gold detailing and some specially placed (aka close to the cuticle) gems.

"I Instantly knew the warm champagne-gold tone would pair lovely with a simply bold and classy sparkly V-French slay," Jackson tells Byrdie.

Temeka Jackson

Even if you don't have an award show appearance coming up, Jackson promises that the look is easy to create at home.

“Follow the KISS Salon X-Tend LED Soft Gel System ($23) instructions for adhering your nail extensions, in this case I used ‘Lux,'” she says. “To create the V-French nail art, I recommend using a stripper brush with gel paint or regular nail polish. I also encourage getting a nail stand and putty to pre-paint the nails before applying designs. KISS has made it super easy to paint on the tip of the extensions.”

As Abbott Elementary viewers know, Brunson is a great teacher. And so is her glam team! Another day, another lesson learned.