Punkee Tries: ‘Heartbreak High’ Beauty By The Show’s Makeup Artist

Here at Punkee we’re massive fans of Heartbreak High. And we’re clearly not alone, as Netflix’s runaway local hit has become so popular the show’s hashtag on TikTok has been viewed over 770 million times. 

So, when Samsung offered me the opportunity to try out a Heartbreak High ‘look’ courtesy of the show’s makeup artist, Camilla Leary, I jumped at the chance. 

Camilla was kind enough to have a chat with me about all things beauty, including what products are her go-to, a tip that she wishes everybody knew and the biggest mistake that many of us are guilty of. 

The Heartbreak High makeup looks are iconic and unique, so I opted to get statement purple eyeshadow, reminiscent of Quinni’s quirky style. Pinpoint highlighting was also used, with highlighter added to the high points of my face, including above the brow, on the nose, and my chin. 

The cast of Heartbreak High. Image credit: Netflix, Heartbreak High

Here’s everything I learned from meeting Heartbreak High’s makeup artist Camilla Leary. 

@itspunkee Come with me to get #HeartbreakHigh makeup with the show’s m/up artist Camilla Leary thanks to #samsung! #makeupartist #quinni #boldeyeshadow ♬ Bejeweled – Taylor Swift

Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

What’s the makeup tip you wish everybody knew? 

Camilla: You don’t want to look sweaty, you want to look glowy. The glowy trend is so big at the moment, and the glass trend as well. I love it, but when you’re on camera you can look really sweaty very quickly. 

I would say having a little powder in your bag can really help to diffuse any harshness on your face and make the glow pop in the areas you want it to. My favourite powder is definitely from Charlotte Tilbury – I like all the colours but I use number one for myself. 

Camilla’s favourite powder: Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish Powder, $73 from Charlotte Tilbury.

Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish Powder, $73 from Charlotte Tilbury.

Punkee: What products do you use on shows like Heartbreak High and The Voice? 

Camilla: The beautiful gems by Embellish by Rowi, She’s an amazing Australian makeup artist and content creator. I love the way that her gems catch the light. They’re very sparkly, so they’re great for working under all different types of lighting states which is really important as a makeup artist. 

Camilla’s favourite makeup accessories: Embellish By Rowi’s Reflect Rhinestone Pack, $25 from Sephora.

Embellish By Rowi’s Reflect Rhinestone Pack, $25 from Sephora.

Punkee: What’s the biggest makeup mistake that everybody makes?

Camilla: Doing eyeliner with your eyes closed. You might do a really sharp line, but as soon as you open your eye it can look a bit squiggly or it doesn’t suit your eye shape. The best tip for applying eyeliner is to put your elbow on the desk in front of you, look directly into the mirror with your eyes open, draw the line, then you can close it and connect it to the rest of your lid. If you give it a try it’ll change the game. 

Punkee’s eyeliner pick: INIKA Organic Liquid Eyeliner, $45 from Adore Beauty.

INIKA Organic Liquid Eyeliner, $45 from Adore Beauty.

Punkee: Any tips on how to look good in the dreaded selfie? 

Camilla: When you’re taking a selfie, especially on the new Samsung, you need to try and find your light. So instead of going into a dark corner, try and find a window. I like to do pinpoint highlighting, where you put highlighters on the high points of the face – maybe in a little C shape above the brow, on your nose and a tiny bit on the chin. That way, when you move your head around, you can catch the light and look amazing in selfies. 

I love Rare Beauty highlighters, I think they’re amazing. All of the colours are incredible. It gives that really high-shine wet look but you can also diffuse it out. Another one I like is the Dior Highlighting Quad, it’s an absolute iconic staple in any kit. 

Camilla’s favourite highlighters: Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter, $44 from Sephora and Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette, $86 from Adore Beauty.

Rare Beauty Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter from Sephora and Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette from Adore Beauty.

Punkee: How do you come up with bold and unique makeup looks? 

Camilla: I honestly find a lot of inspiration from film and TV shows. I watch Euphoria, I take inspiration from other makeup artists and also I like going to art galleries to find inspiration in art. Finding inspiration in colour and colour combinations, that kind of thing.

Punkee’s eyeshadow palette pick: NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Palette – Paradise Shock, $41.99 from Adore Beauty.

NYX Professional Makeup Ultimate Palette – Paradise Shock, $41.99 from Adore Beauty.

Punkee: What do you really think about celebrity beauty brands? 

Camila: If you’d asked me this question a couple years ago I probably wouldn’t have said that I didn’t like a lot of celebrity makeup brands, but I think the ones that are big at the moment – like Fenty, Rare Beauty and GXVE Beauty – are really high performing brands and products. These celebrities understand what they need and they’re constantly on camera, constantly talking all the time. 

They’ve created products that have longevity and they’re keeping the industry in mind. So I actually really like celebrity brands nowadays. 

Camilla’s favourite celebrity brands: Fenty Beauty, Rare Beauty and GXVE Beauty, all from Sephora. 

Selena Gomez, Gwen Stefani and Rihanna for their beauty brands.

Punkee: When you’re working on Heartbreak High, is there a cast member you like working on the most? 

Camilla: I would say everyone was my favourite! I know that’s a bit of a cop-out, but truly the entire cast were all angels and I was lucky enough to work on all of them. I’ve also worked on some of them outside of the show who remain close and they’re all incredible. 

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Image credits: Netflix, Heartbreak High