Having first appeared alongside Tim Allen in 'Last Man Standing', Kaitlyn Dever has since gone on to steal the show in two of 2019's most memorable on-screen appearances, Booksmart and Unbelievable, nabbed a BAFTA EE Rising Star nomination and acquired a crew of celeb pals that casually includes the entire cast of The Politician. So, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Kaitlyn Dever might be easing comfortably into her well-earned place in Hollywood. But, you'd be wrong.
'The fact that Cynthia Erivo is even talking to me is quite the shock! She really blows me away,' disclosed Dever as ELLE caught up with the Arizona-born actress ahead of her first ever BAFTA appearance over the weekend. At just 23-years-old, it's unsurprising that the red carpet still presents as much trepidation as it does excitement. The solution to Dever's nerves? A getting ready routine worthy of her Booksmart alter ego Amy, which involves surrounding herself with the people she loves and incandescent compliments.
'It makes me feel really good to have people around me helping me get ready – just good, nice and kind people make the experience very relaxing,' she explained.
With just two days to go before the BAFTA awards, we chatted to the new darling of Hollywood about beauty tutorials from actress Beanie Feldstein, why confidence is the key to beauty and channelling the iconic Audrey Hepburn.
It's your first ever BAFTA awards. Is the getting ready process all part of the fun?
'It’s a bit of both - there’s always this element of not really knowing what to do with all the awards stuff because it comes really fast and then it’s over within the blink of an eye, so I'm always trying to take it step by step. On Sunday, I'm just going to relax and take my time. It's when I'm in the car and on my way to these types of things, especially the BAFTAs because I’ve never been before...that’s the moment I get nervous. Having my hair and make-up done gives me a chance to chill for a second and make the nerves go away a little.'
How do you decide on your beauty look for each event?
'I’m really inspired by my friends, my fellow actors and the make-up looks they bring out into the world. I’m always seeing things on Instagram and wanting to try new things. Recently, I’ve been really into doing a little bit of something on the eye and keeping my skin very clean, glowy and young. I don’t ever want to look older than I am, I want to look my age!
'For BAFTA, I'm going for a very simple and elegant look. Audrey Hepburn is the inspiration.'
Growing up, what was your first experience of beauty?
'My mum is constantly helping me with everything. One thing she always told me was to never pluck my eyebrows, ever, ever, ever. I don’t do anything to my eyebrows now so I’m grateful for that advice! That and wearing sunscreen - I’ve been wearing sunscreen everyday since I was 15 years old.'
What part of your beauty routine have you perfected?
'I get dressed up so often, so on the days I don’t have to I'm most likely wearing super baggy clothes, tennis shoes and not a lot of make-up. I’m still trying to to get a smokey eye down, but, if I'm going out with my friends I do winged eyeliner – I've actually got really good at it! I've mastered using a felt tip pen liquid liner.
'Beanie (Feldstein) is a pro at it - hers always looks amazing. She was giving me her tips and she said, "You just have to go for it", and I think that’s a little bit true. She told me: "You go for it, and then you fix it after". I always felt like fixing isn't the best way to do it but actually it means that you can really perfect it.'
Any disasters?
'I remember going to my first one of these big events when I was 13. I got dressed up and there was a red carpet and everything. I decided to do my own hair and make-up. It must have been the time I told my mum "no mum, I've got this". I curled my hair into ringlets and sprayed them with so much hairspray that they just hung there – just these horrible hard as a rock ringlets.
'I didn’t wear any make-up back then but I thought, "Oh, I'm going out so I should put on make-up" so I put on a little bit of mascara – barely any mascara – and concealer and that’s it. But I decided to apply the concealer pen directly on my pimples. I found a picture recently and I have these dots of concealer all over my face from where I tried to cover the pimples – it’s so funny!'
Kaitlyn's Beauty Evolution
August, 2017
May, 2019
May, 2019
November, 2019
January, 2020
You had a seriously big 2019. Have you felt the pressure of Hollywood's beauty standards?
'I'm not conscious of it at all actually. I don’t feel any sort of pressure to look a certain way ever. I feel that’s partly because of the way my parents raised me. They always brought me up to just be myself and constantly remind me when they notice that I'm slipping away from myself a little bit. But it’s hard at times being in this industry and being around so many people. We’ve got so much in the palm of our hand with Instagram and social media that it can be very scary and intimidating, so it’s important to surround yourself with people that love you for you.'
Who do you feel sums up 'beauty' in Hollywood?
'Olivia Wilde. I think she’s just beautiful inside and out and she’s so inspiring to me. I love it when women are confident – I think you can sense confidence immediately and that’s so powerful and I notice when I’m my most confident I feel my most beautiful.
'I love Cynthia Erivo as well - she’s just so beautiful. She’s so fierce but at the same time very elegant – I’m in awe of her every time I see her. Whenever I’m at these big events she’s always the one who comes up to me and reminds me to breathe, which is something we all forget to do in times of nervousness.'
Get Kaitlyn's English Rose Monochrome Make-Up Look
'We created an English Rose look for Kaitlyn,' says make-up artist Emma White Turle. 'We kept Kaitlyn’s gorgeous natural skin and added the same flushes of rose on eyes, cheeks and lips.'
Shop Kaitlyn's BAFTA Beauty Look
Lancôme are the Official Beauty Partner of BAFTA
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
