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When Love Story<\/em>\u2019s Sarah Pidgeon stepped onto the Actor Awards red carpet last night, her skin told a story: luminous and impossibly seamless, yet still unmistakably skin<\/em>. The secret behind the glow? Celebrity makeup artist Emily Cheng relied on precise technique\u2014and a $20 sponge that\u2019s earned its place in beauty history.<\/p>\n Below, Cheng shares exactly how she created Pidgeon\u2019s polished, dimensional finish\u2014and why the right tool makes all the difference.<\/p>\n Cheng\u2019s hero for the night was the Beautyblender Original<\/strong>, the cult-favorite $20 sponge that revolutionized makeup application and now sits in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian Institution.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I love about using Beautyblender for a red-carpet finish is that it layers cream and liquid products effortlessly,\u201d says Cheng. \u201cIt keeps everything cohesive, skinlike and camera-ready while preserving the natural luminosity of the foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n For Cheng, the magic starts before any makeup touches the skin. She fully saturates the sponge with water, then squeezes out the excess so it\u2019s damp, not dripping. When properly prepped, the sponge expands and delivers that soft, airbrushed finish without absorbing too much product.<\/p>\n For foundation, Cheng uses the rounded base of the sponge to bounce and press product into the skin rather than swipe.<\/p>\n \u201cPressing it in helps it melt into the complexion and keeps the glow intact while building coverage exactly where I want it,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n The technique diffuses edges beautifully, creating perfected skin that still looks like skin, just smoother, more even and lit-from-within. Under flash photography and high-definition cameras, that pressed-in approach keeps everything seamless instead of streaky or overworked, she adds.<\/p>\n To contour and bronze without disturbing the luminous base, Cheng switches to the sponge\u2019s precise tip.<\/p>\n She blends along the cheekbones and jawline using a press-and-roll motion upward, maintaining lift and structure while instantly softening harsh lines. The upward blending keeps the face looking sculpted yet fresh\u2014never muddy or flat.<\/p>\n Blush can easily turn patchy under bright red carpet lighting, so Cheng returns to the rounded side of the sponge to lightly bounce color onto the apples of the cheeks, then blends upward toward the temples.<\/p>\n \u201cThis keeps the color seamless and fresh,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s less about adding more product and more about pressing everything together so the complexion reads polished, dimensional and seamless from every angle.\u201d<\/p>\n For longevity, Cheng sent Pidgeon off with the smaller Beautyblender Power Pocket Puff ($18), loading the sponge side with a bit of concealer and the fabric side with powder. The dual-sided tool makes discreet touch-ups easy throughout the evening\u2014blot, perfect and go.<\/p>\n The takeaway from Pidgeon\u2019s awards-night glow: Radiance isn\u2019t about piling on shimmer or layering endless products. Sometimes it\u2019s about mastering technique and trusting a $20 beauty staple so iconic it\u2019s museum-worthy.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nThe $20 Icon Behind the Glow<\/h2>\n
Press, Don\u2019t Swipe<\/h2>\n
Sculpted, But Soft<\/h2>\n
Blush That Stays Fresh Under Lights<\/h2>\n
The Red Carpet Touch-Up Plan<\/h2>\n