The ‘Facelift’ That Doesn’t Require a Needle: Celebrity MUA Ash K. Holm’s Sculpting Secrets

When Hollywood’s elite—from Ariana Grande to Hailee Steinfeld to Lindsay Lohan—need a transformative makeup moment, they turn to one artist: Ash K. Holm. So it’s safe to say when it comes to all things beauty, she’s a visionary worth following.

Holm came by Breaking Beauty to discuss what she calls the “snatch-ural” look—a technique that creates a lifted “facelift” effect using only makeup. This coveted look mimics a sculpted appearance without any cosmetic procedures, emphasizing your natural glow while adding definition and dimension. She shared tips and tricks with hosts Jill Dunn and Carlene Higgins so you can recreate this red-carpet worthy lifted makeup look at home.

1. Start with a hydrating foundation and moisturizer.

“You always want to start off with a hydrated base because there’s a lot of layers involved in the technique,” says Holm. “Get a really hydrated base that works for your skin and then go in with a lightweight foundation.”

For optimal results, she recommends beginning with the Elemis Superfood Facial Oil: “It has a really soothing, relaxing smell, and it gets rid of any dry patches on the skin so you’re really going to get that smooth, even base before you put on the foundation.” Holm also recommends the Barrier Restore Cream from Rhode Skin for additional hydration.

2. Transform eye patches into multipurpose tools.

Eye patches are great for reducing puffiness, but Holm reveals another hidden use for them. You can put eye patches (like these ones from Summer Fridays) under your eyes while you apply your makeup to prep your skin. This dual-purpose technique both hydrates the delicate under-eye area and catches any eyeshadow fallout from your lids. The extra shadow will stick to the patches, preventing it from settling on your skin and ruining your base. 

Another secret hack? Eye patches, like these ones from Huda Beauty, can function like a ruler to guide your eyeliner or eyeshadow application. “Sometimes I don’t even do a wing liner, I will create that snatch with eyeshadow,” she says.

3. Move your face to assess where you should contour.

No makeup products needed for this tip—just a mirror and decent lighting. Holm suggests taking a minute to really examine how shadows fall on your face before beginning your contouring.

“When you turn to the side you can naturally see where the light hits your face,” she explains. “If you look at yourself and turn different directions you’re going to see where the shadows naturally fall. Then you could start your cooler contour tone in that shadowed area, and then you can bronze above it. That way it works for your face shape.”

A general rule of thumb for contouring is to hold the brush at the top of the ear and use that as a guide, but Holm says tips like that have their limits: “It works most of the time, but for some people, you really want to alter it to your natural bone structure. When you just find that natural shadow on your face, that’s the guide that’s best for you.”

4. Know the difference between contour and bronzer.

“Nowadays we’re seeing blush contour and bronzer meshed together,” says Holm. “But they are two separate things. Contouring is really when you’re creating shadows and shading on the face, and then when you’re bronzing, you’re adding warmth. You’re giving the skin a sun-kissed glow where the sun would naturally kiss your skin.”

Invest in a contour stick, which can make makeup application way easier. Holm recommends this one from Westman Atelier.

5. Invest in your tools to achieve the best look in the long-term.

Like any art form, makeup requires high-quality tools to achieve the best results. Holm assures us it’s worth it to splurge on brushes: “A lot of the time, we forget to invest in our tools. And your tools are what will last you a lifetime, if you take care of them and wash them.”

Softer brushes, especially for blending, are how you’re going to get the “seamless blend, celebrity makeup artist type of look,” says Holm. 

Brushes can be multipurpose, too. You can use a brush as a ruler to figure out where to place your bronzer or make sure you’re applying product in a straight line.

For her own kit, Holm loves this Concealer Brush from Morphe and Real Techniques’ Duo Brush. 

These are just a few of the tips that Holm revealed on Breaking Beauty. For more, listen to the full episode. Her full list of recommended products can be found here.