Nathalie Emmanuel Knows the Power of a Good Red Lipstick

There are a few key traits that make a great beauty brand ambassador. First and foremost, the person should give off good energy and be able to impart beauty wisdom to the masses—they’re an ambassador after all. Also… they should love getting glam. It’s just part of the gig.

Last month, Armani Beauty announced Nathalie Emmanuel as its newest Global Make Up Ambassador. To kick off their partnership, the 35-year-old is set to star in the brand’s January campaign for Luminous Silk Foundation, but really, she’s been in the mode much longer. In August, she attended the 81st Venice International Film Festival with the brand, where she “felt like every part the movie star.” And her love of makeup has always been there.

“I used to sit at home and do a full face of makeup, before makeup influencing was a thing,” the Megalopolis star says. “And I think that I definitely still have that creative play with makeup, but I think now, it’s about being subtle, adding to what is already there.”

Ahead, Emmanuel shares her thoughts on the new partnership and her ideal lipstick.

On Being The Brand’s Newest Face

“It’s a huge compliment that they would want to work with me. It’s a brand with so much elegance and beauty, so for them to feel that we are aligned in that is really a huge compliment and very exciting. [It’s] an honor.

“There’s a classicness to [the brand] that will always be there. But they also have been able to be very current and push boundaries, too. You get to have the classic and have trends that people enjoy. And I’ve especially enjoyed that before with Armani.”

What the Armani Woman Means to Her

“An Armani woman is someone who knows what she wants, someone who’s not afraid to show up as herself and be fabulous while doing so. She knows what’s going on, she knows what the plan is, she knows where she’s going.”

Her Beauty Essentials

“My foundation base, Luminous Silk Foundation, and Luminous Silk Concealer. When I’m wearing it, I don’t feel like I’m wearing it. And what’s wonderful is that it is inclusive in terms of skin tone. It feels very dewy and fresh, it feels like skin. And it’s not covering you in a way that feels unnatural. But if you want to do a stronger look you can build it up.  

“I do like a fusing pigmented liquid blush like Luminous Silk Cheek Tint, a good black mascara, and some kind of lip gloss like Prisma Glass, tinted or plain. It’s like a glassy lip gloss. There are the tinted ones too, if you want a slightly rosier look that’s a sort of suggestion of a color but isn’t too overbearing or too strong.

“They’re my essentials, because you can do a pretty simple, everyday makeup look.”

The Makeup Look That Makes Her Feel Conifdent

“It’s quite a classic look, but I’m a big fan of a very natural face and then a red lip, whether it be a bright red lip with Lip Power 400 or a red wine with Lip Power 404. There’s something about that that feels really classic but really strong. It’s very feminine, but it can feel really strong and empower, too. There’s a defiance to it.”

On the Power of Makeup

“I think [makeup is a tool of transformation and expression.] There are times when you need to bring a certain energy to a space or a situation, or just to feel it within yourself. And sometimes if you make yourself look a certain way, the inside of you—that might be tentative, or nervous, or shy—can catch up. It can help be a catalyst for that.

“When I’m [working with] fashion and hair and all of the wonderful ways we get to influence how we want to be seen by the world, it’s almost like creating a character. And so sometimes the clothing will dictate the makeup, and sometimes the hair will dictate the makeup.”

Her Upcoming Projects

“It’s been a really exciting year, and it’s been nice to stop for a moment and celebrate the achievements that I’ve had, to see those projects get released into the world. I made a decision towards the beginning of this year, where I wanted to be really intentional about what comes next. Sometimes the most exciting thing is just seeing what comes and being open to it.

“[And] I have Die Hart 3 which is a fun comedy that I do with Kevin Hart, we have their third season coming out in December on Roku.”