By Amy Lawrenson

Rita Ora is busy over the pond and we spied her at the ELLE Women in Music Event in New York earlier this week looking suitably glamorous. She was rocking her signature red lip and big blonde curls to perfection. We spoke to her make-up artist Lucky Smyler and hairstylist Cynthia Alvarez to get the lowdown on recreating the red carpet-worthy look.

Rita's Make-up

'Rita Ora's look for the Elle Women in Music Event was all about channelling a 'holiday in the South of France' look. Pure couture' Smyler told us.

Skin

'I started by toning Rita's skin with Koh Gen Do's Spa Water, then priming it with Dior Skin Perfect Pore Refining Perfecting Moisturizer. Then with a Stila foundation brush (#33) I painted the entire surface of her skin with Tom Ford traceless foundation (Pale Dune),' said Smyler.
I've been using this foundation for weeks, it comes in a stick and leaves your complexion looking completely perfected but without feeling like you have any make-up on.

Base
'Under the eyes I dabbed YSL touche eclait (#2) with my finger. I wanted to keep the glow and luminosity to her skin by lightly pressing Laura Mercier
mineral pressed powder (warm beige) only in the t-zone with a Makeup Forever powder puff. This process set and held the canvas in place with out creating an
over done effect. With a Cozzette angled powder brush, Smashbox fusion soft lights (baked star dust) was then applied on the temples, cheeks, and jaw line.
This technique creates warmth and shape while emphasising Rita's beautiful bone structure. For even more luster, Josie Maran's Argan Illuminizer was layered
on to the high points of the cheeks simply using an index finger (sometimes it's just that easy).'

Eyes
'The eye shadow treatment was a vision of nude on nude. The goal was to enhance her beautifully almond shaped eyes in a very polished and natural way.
Priming the eyelid with Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion was the first step. Using MAC Rice Paper eye shadow under the brow, followed by Illamasqua Eye
Pigment in Ombre on the lid of the eye and swept into the crease. The lashes were curled with Preo Japanese Lash curler followed by four rich and generous
coats of Dior Show Black Out Mascara.'

Brows
'It's important to hold the brows in place while keeping them perfectly defined, so Anastasia brow gel did the trick enabling me to fill them in precisely
with Shiseido dark brow duo (using Smashbox angled brow brush #12).'

Lips
'Rita's signature red lip was created by getting the lips supple with Diptique lip balm, and lining the edges with MAC Redd lip pencil. For a classic red
lip with staying power, I prefer a formula that has very rich pigments. My formula for the look was MAC Red Lipstick with MAC Lip Pigment in Crimson to
create her beautiful Hollywood lips. For longevity and rich dimension, I always apply the first coat, Rita blots with a tissue, and then I reapply the
final coat of the mixture for a worry free evening with no retouching needed. Perfect red Hollywood glamour lip!'

Rita's Hair How-to

Prep
'Rita's bleach blonde hair is chemically treated and heat styled on a consistent basis so its important to proceed with caution. To help combat dryness and
breakage, I washed and conditioned with Carols Daughter Monoi Shampoo and Conditioner for ultimate moisture. I then followed with Ojon Rare Blend Oil
Treatment because t penetrates the cuticle. For optimal absorption I prefer to use it on damp hair.'

Style
'We wanted to achieve an effortless style as well as keeping true to Rita's signature curls. We came to a medium and decided to wave her newly cropped hair
in a more disheveled chic way. To achieve the look, I parted her hair in four sections and applied Tigi Catwalk Session Series Styling Creme which is great
for adding texture without the sticky feel, as a styling base. This helped me achieve the look without the use of too many products. I curled her tresses
with a 1" curling iron by Gold 'N Hot being sure to leave the ends out. A trick I like to do is stretch the curl while its still warm, this ensures the not
so perfect look we're going for. Once the whole head is done, I run a 10p sized of the same styling cream while her head is flipped. I rake my fingers
through the curls to add volume and help break the waves up some more.'

Finish
'I back combed the crown area of Rita's hair to give it some shape. I also teased some of the curls to separate them and add even more volume to the sides
of her hair. Once the desired shape was achieved, I set her hair with Oribe Superfine hairspray which has great hold, yet stays flexible. Spraying pretty
liberally yet still making sure her hair has movement.'