Celeb Beauty: The Price Behind Lupita Nyong'o's Radiant Summer Look

Summer beauty tends to lean luminous…and, more importantly, minimal.
So, this less-is-more trend means a budget-friendly trip to Sephora, right? Well, not exactly. You may not have to spend your paycheck on a dramatic cat-eye and red bold lip this season, but attaining that subtle-yet-striking summer glow can actually cost a pretty penny too…for the celebs at least.

We asked makeup artist Nick Barose, the man behind some of Brie Larson, Amy Poehler and Gugu Mbatha-Raw's best beauty moments, to recreate a fresh summer look recently worn on the radiant Lupita Nyong'o. Not only did we get his expert tips ("Powder is your friend but use it just on the T-zone"), but we tallied up the cost of his go-to products along the way (the pro has a major penchant for Lancôme).
Watch below and be wowed.

Of course, you can use more affordable products to get a similar glow, but it's always fun to know what industry experts—and by extension, their celeb clients—spend on their beauty products. We already know replacing the average makeup bag costs about $400, but what about the price of items used for just a red-carpet makeup look? This one look in particular costs about $608 (not including artist's fees)—luckily, a makeup enthusiast gets major mileage out of what's in his or her kit.
Funny enough, the most expensive thing about this look is one you can't see but makes the difference between melted makeup and a red carpet-ready look: prepped skin! Nick used Lancôme Advanced Génifique Serum ($78) to create a moisturized base that won't turn into an oily canvas as the sun sets.  

It should be noted that celebs oftentimes get their makeup done for free, either paid for by a beauty brand promoting their products, by a studio promoting their movie or a sponsor benefiting from a celeb's appearance. You may not have that much pull, but take solace in wearing this $608-valued look all summer long.
Hey, it averages out.