Actress Paula Patton is one lucky lady. First of all, just look at her. Second, she's starred in major films alongside Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Common and depending on your definition of lucky, Tom Cruise. Then, at the end of the day she gets to go home to her R&B singer husband Robin Thicke, who according to all lyrics, interviews, photos and eyewitness accounts, adores her. And after recently chatting with the 36-year-old Los Angeles-native, I realized that she's also incredibly sweet and down-to-earth.
Patton is the newest CoverGirl Queen Collection brand ambassador, and the role couldn't be any more fitting for the naturally gorgeous star whose first makeup purchase was from the brand. "I wasn't allowed to wear makeup until I was about 14 or 15," said Patton. "I remember being at the store and my mom saying, 'Get a lipstick and you can wear it to school.' I thought, 'Oh, this is amazing!' I remember it very vividly. It was a lipstick in a wine color that was popular at the time and I thought I was quite an adult."
And since becoming a CoverGirl, Patton has picked up quite a few tricks that help to make the new mom look her best even when she hasn't had eight hours of sleep. "Sometimes you have to run out the door with nothing on, but I try to do a little something to put myself together," she said. "I'll just use concealer wherever I need it, but especially under my eyes because I'm tired a lot."
She adds, "I love fake eyelashes but I can't put them on myself, but the Lash Fanatic is remarkable. And when I curl my lashes and put a bit of that mascara on, it just makes me look so much more awake then when I started."
Patton also revealed that she is a huge fan of cream-based blush and that is how she creates that "natural, lit-from-within look." Powderpuff Pink Lipstick is her new favorite to wear at day or night. "I tend to eat the lipstick right off my lips, so it's good to know I have something there that gives me a little color."
The fresh-faced beauty, who credits Macro Greens, clay masks and good old water for her flawless complexion, has also mastered the art of sculpting. "Sometimes you get scared because you don't want to look crazy, but if you take a foundation or bronzer that is a shade darker than your skin tone, and just suck your cheeks in while contouring, it makes a big difference. I also like to take a matte powder and press it into my hairline so I don't get that mask look. And whenever I'm wearing a part in my hair, I just dab a bit of product in to make it look more natural."
Another pro trick she's incorporated into her beauty regimen: using clean makeup brushes. "Ashunta [Sheriff] taught me that when you first open your mascara it's great, but a few weeks later it feels thick and heavy. If you just wash the wand with a little warm water and put it back in, it's like brand new. Also, I always used my hands before when applying makeup. However, she also taught me that fresh sponges and brushes help with better coverage and cleaner overall look."
Having all of the beauty basics down, Patton is anxious to shake up her daily routine. "I'm always afraid to do bright colors on my eyelids I tend to be a bit more conservative with brown, black or a shimmering pearl," she said. "Ashunta tried Vivid Impact Eyeliner in Jade on me and when I stood back in the mirror and saw how the green grabbed the brown in my eyes, I loved it. I'm learning that makeup is like painting. You have to take risks."
Find out how Paula Patton shaped up for "Mission: Impossible" and click through the slideshow below for 15 of our favorite beauty looks of the actress.
