The Truth About Translucent Powder and Why Angelina Jolie's Face Looked Weird Last Night
Last night, philanthropist/actress/lady-with-leg Angelina Jolie attended the premiere of The Normal Heart to support producer Brad Pitt. According to the Daily Mail, she suffered from an "unfortunate make-up fail."
Last night, philanthropist/actress/lady-with-leg Angelina Jolie attended the premiere of The Normal Heart to support producer Brad Pitt. According to the Daily Mail, she suffered from an "unfortunate make-up fail." As you can see, it does look like she got flour — or, I don't know, something — all over her face:
Yikes! Angelina Jolie suffered a major makeup malfunction on the red carpet: http://t.co/GpBeDYf9VL pic.twitter.com/nleqtWqXXl
— E! News (@ENews) May 13, 2014
Some members of The Wire staff were absolutely perplexed by this image, but as a former women's magazine beauty intern, I knew what was going on here immediately. Translucent powder. Celebrity make-up artists love using the stuff because it mattifies the skin without adding color. Unfortunately, translucent powder is really better for photo shoots, where the lighting is controlled. On the red carpet, a bunch of cameras go off at once, making huge flashes forever and ever until, like, Farrah Abraham shows up. Silica, one of the main ingredients in translucent powder, reflects light. That's why it looks white on Jolie in the photos, even though it didn't when she left the house.
Jolie is not the only one to commit this "fail." The Daily Mail, god bless it, has recorded multiple unfortunate run-ins with translucent powder over the past couple years.
Miley's make-up malfunction! Miss Cyrus has a white powder disaster as she celebr… #MailOnline http://t.co/jL0SMTery2 pic.twitter.com/9yiUDNWBeA
— Mikey Phillips (@MakeupbyMikey) May 16, 2013
Melissa Joan Hart is mortified after really embarrassing makeup fail http://t.co/1cpsv24ypS pic.twitter.com/c9mRSAF0Sx
— Daily Mail Celebrity (@DailyMailCeleb) November 21, 2013
If you feel so inclined to use translucent powder, go ahead! It really does control shine, and you're unlikely to be bombarded with photographers on a red carpet anytime soon. (Sorry.)