Yesterday I met the CEO of Apple at a Secret Chinese Government Event.. Here’s how I did my Makeup

Okay obviously, makeup is not the important part of this piece. Let me get that out of the way first.

I rarely do personal posts anymore, but yesterday I was invited to attend a truly spectacular event and since you all have been here throughout my entire journey, I thought I’d share.

For those of you who have been on this journey with me for the past 3.5 years, you know that I spend a lot of my year in Shenzhen, China. It is difficult–if not impossible–to integrate in China (or at least Shenzhen, given that it’s a fairly new city), so I was very excited and honored to be invited to the Global Entrepreneurial Leaders Forum. For me, it was validation that I am indeed carving out my own place in the Chinese entrepreneurial ecosystem.

You also probably know by now, that makeup is my life. So yes, I documented not only my experience at the forum, but I also documented my makeup throughout the day. This is, after all, a beauty blog.

So I’ll go through how to do your makeup for an extremely stressful event (like meeting Tim Cook), so that it will stay all day and you will look and feel your best–and look good in photos, too!

Just be patient; I’ll cover everything.

Here we go:

About the Event: Global Entrepreneurial Leaders Forum

About a week before the event, I received an invitation. I was told to send all of my information for a background check, first, before they could formally extend the invitation.

A few days later, I received a text message from a representative, saying that the “Chinese National Development and Reform Commission and the General Office of the State Council..invite you to attend the 12th Global Leaders Forum, held in Shenzhen”.

That’s all I got, along with a note to come get my smart entry pass the day before the event.

I was a little sketched out, but this is China after all. Nothing goes the same way that it does in the US.

I really knew nothing about the event except that I was invited, but a friend of a friend told me 2 days before that Tim Cook was confirmed to attend, as well as the CEO of Foxconn (the factory that makes Apple’s Iphones). She said there were only ~30 foreigners on the guest list. Whoa.

Whatever this was, I knew that I needed to take it seriously.

Beauty Prep: How I Prepared my Makeup to Meet Tim Cook

Given the small nature of the event, I knew that I would meet Tim Cook, Jack Ma or some very high-level official of the Chinese Government; I wanted to make a professional impression.

Here’s my bare face, for those wondering what I had to work with, then about 10 minutes later:

Something I’ve learned over the years is that when you have a big event:

1. Don’t try new makeup. Use what you’re familiar with.
2. Prime, prime, prime – you will sweat
3. Set, set, set! – you will sweat
4. Don’t neglect your hair – you will sweat – and it will get flat
5. Underdone is always better than overdone

Even though every picture you see of celebrities at events has then with a full face+, you are not a celebrity. If you walk in with a full face during a day-time event you will look silly.

Even though you will be taking photos, and generally a full face looks better in photos than light makeup, you will primarily be talking to other people. Other people notice when you have way too much make-up on and they will judge you for it, whether you like it or not. For me, that meant a true full face was a no-go.

I tend to find comfort in having my makeup done perfectly and often get carried away. I really had to stop myself today.

If you keep up with the blog, you’re probably tired of my “5 products to die for” and “5 min + go face”-type blog posts, because they’re usually filled with the same products. That’s for good reason: those products never let me down. They are my rock. So today, they were coming with me: figuratively and literally. I also packed them in my purse when I left.

Here’s what products I used and why, in order:

1. Hair: Primed hair with Vidal Sassoon dry shampoo (I’m out of Drybar and they don’t sell it here); used fingers to comb the product through my hair. This dry shampoo is actually very light and leaves hair glossy–instead of powdery–so it’s different. Not sure if I would’ve chosen it over Drybar, given the choice.
2. Prime: Primed my face with Stila’s Stay All Day Primer, followed by Murad’s Blurring Primer on my cheeks and jawline (to make sure the areas that were likely for me to touch/be exposed to the elements were really heavily primed). Primed my eyes and brows with Too Faced’s Shadow Insurance Primer (the best).
3. Conceal: Fully covered any blemishes with Glossier’s Stretch Concealer in Light 10 and a concealer brush.
4. Cover: Lightly dabbed on Dior’s Diorskin Forever Skin Compact (in 022) over my entire face; Rubbing the sponge across my face might cause streaking, so dabbing is preferred. Dab down through the jaw and 1/2 way down the neck, to prevent a line.
5. Brows: Outlined brows with ABH Brow Wiz in Medium Brown. Combed Glossier’s Boy Brow (in Brown) through my brows, starting from the inner sprouts and working outward, to give brows a more natural, tousled look.
6. Eyes: Curled lashes using Bobbi Brown’s gentle lash curler. Curled them again. Drew a 1/2 cat eye with the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liner (in Black). Followed with Better Than Sex Mascara – 2 coats.
7. Seal: I set my makeup with Urban Decay’s All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray (it’s THE best, I just rarely use it because I try to avoid using too many products/chemicals on my face at once).
8. Lips: I brought Josie Maran’s Argan Lip Sting Pluming Butter with me and used it throughout the day. It’s clear-colored, hydrating and deliciously flavored. It helps naturally plump your lips as you go, so you feel 110% confident throughout the day.

I actually did use a fall palette for my eyes, but decided to take off the eyeshadow. It was just too much for a day-time event. As is, I had a half cat-eye, so I was really pushing the boundaries on “day-time business event chic”.

Off I went into the muggy, 80 degree Shenzhen weather.

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