“Saltburn” makeup artist shares the secret to Rosamund Pike’s on-screen makeup
The matriarch of quiet luxury glam
It’s no secret that the stomach-churning psychological thriller, Saltburn, has become a pop culture hit. The movie, set in the mid-2000s, revolves around aristocratic English society, starring Rosamund Pike as matriarch Lady Elspeth Catton. Elspeth, as lady of the Saltburn estate, plays a crucial role in the film's narrative, which explores themes of class, obsession, and manipulation.
As with any dramatic production, physicality and aesthetics play a crucial role in the story’s progression. For Elspeth, this meant embracing elegance and timeless appeal.
Her look, which was conceived by makeup artist Siân Miller echoes this. Elspeth’s muted, natural look was inspired by Sienna Miller and Laura Bailey, and was intended to be distinct from the younger characters in the film, she told New Beauty.
“Elspeth spent her youth modelling, and as such a canvas for other peoples’ creations—but now she’s filthy rich, incredibly beautiful and seemingly has everything she needs, with no desire to mask her natural allure. Ultimately, the key to capturing the look of the British ruling class is the less dressed up, the richer one is,” Miller said.
This subtle approach was in stark contrast to the lavish backdrop of Saltburn and the grandeur of the character's attire.
With such a simple look, each of the character’s beauty looks consisted of the same products:
To shift into the character of Elspeth, Rosamund Pike was painted with Dior’s Backstage Foundation ($79 at Adore Beauty) and Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer ($58 at MECCA).
On her cheeks, she wore the Rare Beauty Stay Vulnerable Melting Blush ($39 at Sephora) and Glossier Cloud Paint ($37 at Glossier), while her lashes were extended with a combo of Sweed’s No Lash Lash ($39.60 at Cult Beauty) and a coat of Lancôme’s Hypnôse Doll Eyes Mascara ($69 at Adore Beauty).
To tie the look together, Miller used the Typology Tinted Lip Oil (approximately $32 AUD at Typology) Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask ($31 at Adore Beauty).
A true purveyor of the quiet luxury look (disregard that Valentino gown), Elspeth’s subtle glam is a look we’d die to recreate.
Main image credit: Amazon Prime Videos
For a full breakdown of all the Saltburn beauty looks, check out this article here…
Olga is BEAUTYcrew's Content Producer. When she's not writing about beauty, she's probably watching endless TikTok videos about the topic. Her extra one per cent of brain space is reserved for her two poodles. She can be easily bribed with a good blush or lip tint (take notes, please).
