The Scoop On Katy Perry’s 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show Beauty Look
Three subjects dominated the conversation on February 2nd here in New York City: the insane amount of snow covering the city (more than most boroughs saw during the Juno blizzard the prior week), groundhog Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow and thereby predicting another 6 weeks of winter (groan), and every detail of the previous day’s Super Bowl game. Those watching for the buffalo wings and nachos, or tuning in for the epic commercials and the always-elaborate Halftime Show, had plenty to say about Katy Perry’s electrifying performance, which involved a wealth of costume changes, cheeky props, and intricate technicolor sets.
Katy Perry was the perfect choice for the Super Bowl Halftime Show since, in addition to having vocal talent, a quirky look, and a fun-loving spirit, she’s a family-friendly act. While other pop tarts prance around flashing their nips or donning flesh-colored undies and little else, sticking out their tongues provocatively and twerking furiously, Perry smiles happily and sings about girl power, about being a firework and showing all your beautiful colors, about allowing the world to hear you roar. Sure, she had that whole I-kissed-a-girl jam, but even that song contained relatively tame lyrics, its shock value resulting mainly from its title. As opposed to Rihanna or Miley, then, Katy is the kind of pop star parents want their little girls to admire and emulate. And she manages to do so while still maintaining her relevance within the adult market, without being dismissed as another kiddy act. It’s a hard balance to strike, and she does so with aplomb.
Last night’s performance was full of the type of kitschy theatrics that make audiences smile. There was her big entrance atop a giant animatronic lion, singing “Roar” while clutching a rope meant to resemble the wild feline’s reins with one hand, the other holding an ombré yellow-and-orange microphone, her posture and ensemble (a flame-adorned, metallic gold top with 3/4-length sleeves and a matching mini skirt) commanding attention. Then there was the futuristic, chessboard-inspired look of the stage as she sang “Dark Horse,” her back-up dancers dressed in elaborate silver costumes that made them each resemble varying chess pieces. The theme then took an all-American turn during her surf-inspired “Teenage Dream”and “California Gurls” set, for which she wore a halter bra top and high-waisted skater skirt in the very same colors of the dancing beach balls behind her. And, of course, there was the stunning silver gown she wore while belting the lyrics to “Firework” while strapped into a harness and soaring above the audience at the stadium, fireworks going off behind her. Now that’s a show!
Given the many costume changes in her performance and the pace at which she had to slip from one outfit to the next, it only made sense to go for a beauty look that was simple and versatile yet striking. And, in the context of the Super Bowl, it helps to make sporty glam! To that end, celebrity hair stylist Clyde Haygood worked Katy’s mane into a bouncy ponytail.
To create the desired length, Haygood used extensions — specifically, a human hair Velcro ponytail with strands in various lengths sewn onto the inside and outside for greater weight. To make the ponytail stay in place and blend in with Katy’s hair, Haygood sewed an elastic band to the base of the pony and included a toggle closure so that the ponytail could open and close around Katy’s own hair.
Next, to set the ponytail, he divided it into five 3″ sections, spritzing each with the heat-activated KMS California Freeshape 2-in-1 Styling + Finishing Spray, then using a 2″ curling iron to create an S-shaped wave. To slick back Katy’s own hair and give it both a glass-like shine and plenty of hold, he applied the KMS California Hairstay Styling Gel. Next, he attached the faux ponytail securely and, rubbing a tiny amount of the KMS California Hairplay Gel Wax in between his palms, he gently pressed his hands against the pony and the sides of Katy’s head to tame any fly-aways without making the hair appear stiff.
Katy’s fierce makeup look, meanwhile, was created by celebrity makeup artist Jake Bailey for Covergirl cosmetics. Since the makeup had to work with every single costume within the performance, Bailey opted on a look that felt classic but glamorous: elongated cat eyes, gold and glitter accents along the eyes, and a powerful red lip.
First, to give Katy’s visage some coverage without making it look too heavy, he buffed a dime-sized amount of the Covergirl Outlast 3-in-1 Foundation in Natural Beige all over her face and neck.
To give her eyes a hint of natural-looking color and greater definition, Bailey relied on the Covergirl Eye Shadow Quads in Blooming Blushes, sweeping the No. 4 shade along the crease and the outer corners of the eyes and dabbing the No. 1 color along the lids as a highlight. To give the look a feline feel, Bailey then smoothed on the Covergirl Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner in Black Onyx, adding a flick along the outer corners for that cat-eye look. Next, using a tiny eyeliner brush, he painted a glitter adhesive just above the liner and placed a mix of gold and silver glitter atop the adhesive, pressing down gently to ensure it was locked in place. To complete the pin-up worthy eye look, Bailey curled Katy’s lashes and applied two coats of the new Covergirl Full Lash Bloom by LashBlast Mascara in Very Black and filled in her brows with the Covergirl Pow-der Brow + Liner in Dark Brow.
To give Katy a healthy-looking glow, Bailey used the Covergirl Clean Glow Blush in Roses, applying the lighter shades to the apples of the cheeks and brushing the darker shade into the hollows of the cheeks. He then added the Covergirl truMagic Luminizer to her cheekbones to complete the subtle face contouring.
For a perky lip, Bailey lined and shaped Katy’s pout using the Covergirl Lip Perfection Lip Liner in Hot. He then applied the Covergirl Colorlicious Lipstick in Seduce Scarlet, a classic red hue with a creamy texture. To give her lips a bit more shine, Bailey topped off the lipstick with a tiny dollop of the Covergirl Lip Lava in Mauve Lava, a glitter-packed, fiery red.
Her look was perfect for the occasion and reflected her energy as a performer: spunky, girly, sporty, and dynamic.
