Here's What Really Goes into the Southern Charm-ers' Glam and Dapper Interview Looks
Makeup artist and hairstylist Chelsea Shea reveals the process behind Leva, Craig, Kathryn, Shep, Austen, and Danni's interview looks.
Austen Kroll, Craig Conover, Danni Baird, Kathryn Dennis, Leva Bonaparte, and Shep Rose are all looking extra sharp and radiant for their Southern Charm Season 7 looks, and they have makeup artist and hairstylist Chelsea Shea to thank for it. Shea has been working with this Charleston crew since Season 4 after being introduced to the cast through Southern Charm alum Landon Clements — and she is responsible for many of the cast member’s and friend's interview hairdos and makeup looks this season.
Shea told BravoTV.com that the Charm-ers usually let her "take full control" in the glam room. However, each cast member has a unique style when it comes to their hair and makeup preferences.
Kathryn, for example, “always wants something bold and different,” Shea shared. But while every look is fresh for Kathryn, there are a few key products Shea doesn't stray from. "Her lashes are always Liberty Lashes. For foundation, she’s always in Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk. And powder: Laura Mercier," Shea said.
Of course, Kathryn sometimes adds an extra touch to her glam even if Shea disapproves. "Kathryn loves that self-tanner, though, and she’ll slop it on after I’ve done her makeup and it drives me insane. We get into arguments about it all the time," Shea quipped.
As for Kathryn’s mane, her hairstyle usually depends on whether or not she has extensions in, Shea explained. "In her most recent interview look, she has short hair and it looks really good — but the reason why we did the short hair is because [her daughter], Kensie, ended up cutting her hair. So, we didn’t have time to put in new extensions so we just rolled with what she had."
Leva is also very much a glam gal. "Leva loves big, bold [makeup], but not overdone," Shea explained. "She has beautiful, big features, so it’s more about just playing those up naturally."
For Leva’s debut cast photo, Shea played up Leva’s features with a soft and subtle makeup look paired with voluminous wavy hair to complement her pink dress. And for one of Leva’s recent interview looks, Shea really highlighted Leva’s love of bold makeup with a more dramatic approach. She gave Leva a Hollywood glam beat featuring bronzed-up cheekbones and a vibrant red lip using MAC Lipmix in Red.
Danni, by contrast, "Is more boho, artsy, natural," Shea shared. So for her interview looks this season, Shea gave her wavy hair paired with subtle makeup. “She doesn’t really like to go all out.”
And we can’t forget about the guys. Craig, Shep, and Austen get Shea’s take on "men’s glam," which consist of moisturizer, concealer, a tinted moisturizer, powder, bronzer, and chapstick. "And I’ll fill in any patches on their beards that are empty or they mess up with shaving and then, I’ll style their hair," she added.
"Every guy is different," Shea shared. "So Shep, I get maybe two minutes with him. He hates getting his hair and makeup done. And then Austen is probably in the middle and then Craig’s like full on — he lets me do whatever I want and he loves bronzer. There’s never enough bronzer on Craig in his opinion. He loves to be tan."
Want more Southern Charm? New episodes air Thursdays at 9/8c or catch up on the latest season through the Bravo app.