American makeup artist Pati Dubroff is the woman behind the scenes enhancing the faces of beautiful actresses like Margot Robbie, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kirsten Dunst, Dakota Johnson and Natalie Portman. The bicoastal artist is beloved by photographers such as Peter Lindbergh, Tom Munro and Annie Leibovitz and is a Chanel celebrity makeup artist. She got her start working at a department store makeup counter and on music videos before going on to assist artist and entrepreneur François Nars. “Education was hard to come by then,” Dubroff explains. “I hustled and freelanced and said yes to everything, whether it was paid or not. I was hungry for education and experience. I’m so grateful for all of the people I’ve met and the opportunities I was afforded from being François’ assistant, not to mention all that I learned about the craft of makeup and set etiquette.” One thing Dubroff always needs—whether she’s working or not—is good light. “Where you do your makeup is just as important as, if not more important than, the makeup itself,” she explains. “Good lighting is key to everything.”
So what’s the best tip she’s learned along the way? “Leave your eyebrows alone (as in don’t pluck a lot of hair out) and make sure to fill in as needed, as brows really are key to framing the face. Curling lashes is also really important for opening the eyes. If I do anything, I will always curl my lash and do a quick brow fill in. Especially with wearing masks, it’s important to bring attention to the eye area!”
Here’s how Pati Dubroff spent the Sunday of the Academy Awards, getting Robbie glammed up for the red carpet and ceremony.
6:00 a.m. I am an early bird and cherish the quiet mornings for time to meditate and reflect on what the day will bring. For many years, I have practiced oil pulling (which is an ayurvedic cleansing ritual), so the first half-hour I am awake, I am swishing oil in my mouth.
7:00 a.m. I check emails and make my daily list. Lists help me get organized and prioritize to best utilize my time. My husband makes me chai along with a bowl of berries and Greek yogurt.
8:00 a.m. I do a virtual workout with my Pilates teacher, Kiera Obst. We have never met in person, as she lives on the East Coast. Kiera is one of the gifts of quarantine: I discovered her when looking for online Pilates training, and she is a true master and has helped me gain more strength and confidence.
9:30 a.m. I double-check that my makeup kit is fully stocked and that I have everything I could possibly need for the big day.
10:30 a.m. Take a rapid COVID-19 test (my fourth COVID test this week), and I am very grateful that we test so often. This is part of our new normal for working safely, and I am here for it.
11:15 a.m. Quick meeting with Margot Robbie’s team, her stylist Kate Young, hairdresser Bryce Scarlett and manicurist Tom Bachik to finalize our plan for Margot’s red carpet look and check in to see if there are any last minute changes.
11:30 a.m. I set up my makeup and grab some photos of the beautiful products I plan to use on Margot today.
12:00 p.m. Glam time!
2:00 p.m. We do photos and last-minute touch-ups on Margot. It’s so nice to have time built into the schedule for photos, as these photos can capture the true essence of the look.
2:45 p.m. Order some room service at the hotel, pack up and watch the preshow.
6:30 p.m. Head home to watch the rest of the show and decompress from the day with my family.
8:15 p.m. My husband serves dinner and I take a pause from thinking about Oscars and the red carpet and reconnect with my husband and daughter.
9:00 p.m. The pause is over, and I scroll and scroll looking at all the beautiful looks created by my peers. Hollywood glamour makes me so happy!
10:30 p.m. Bath time! I end every day by taking a bath. It helps me release the tension of the day and gets me ready for a good night’s sleep.
11:15 p.m. Lights out.
