Martha Stewart's Makeup Artist of Over 15 Years Shares Her Biggest Tips

Martha Stewart's icon status has many people waiting with bated breath to learn the ins and outs of her entire life, from her skin-care secrets to the recipe of her morning green juice and the makeup products in her daily routine.

No one knows Stewart's signature look better than her longtime makeup artist Daisy Nicole Toye (except maybe Stewart herself, of course). Toye has been working with the star for more than 15 years and has had a hand in helping Stewart's look evolve over that time. More so than ever before, Toye tells PS, "She's definitely down to try new things now." From countless red carpet events to her historic Sports Illustrated cover last month, Toye has been with her through it all — and she has some knowledge to share.

From Stewart's personal dos and don'ts with makeup to plenty of drugstore product recommendations, Toye is spilling her best tips ahead.

Start With Your Skin Care

Stewart's dermatologists shared a slew of tips to follow for looking good today and decades from now, but Toye stresses the importance of good skin care for makeup, too. "[Martha] always has her creams, lotions, and potions on right before she sits down with me," Toye says. A little exfoliation and hydration go a long way in making sure your makeup goes on smoothly, which is why she loves to use the Biologique Recherche P50 to prep.

Still, it's not enough just to apply your skin-care regimen before doing your makeup — you also want to make sure you give it enough time to absorb. "You have to wait for your skin care to dry and settle in," she says. "I always say, wait like 15 minutes."

Pick Glow-Boosting Base Makeup

Toye is a big fan of a radiant base over matte skin. "If you want a more youthful glow, stay away from the matte foundation; it's so drying," she says. "I rarely use powder on Martha — she hates it, and she doesn't need it." Her secret weapon for glowy skin is the L'Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Glotion Natural Glow Enhancer ($14). "It's better than anything," Toye says. "I use it as a primer, and it looks good on everyone."

With the Lumi Glotion as the primer, Toye likes to double up on radiance by using a foundation with a similar finish. For the last 15 years — the entire time they've worked together — they've reached for one in particular. "We always use the Clé de Peau Radiant Cream Foundation ($138)," she says. It offers natural-looking, medium coverage with a dewy finish and is packed with skin-care ingredients.

Mix and Match the Perfect Lip Shade

A key component of Stewart's signature look is her nude lip. "She doesn't want any color; even though she looks amazing in reds and berries, she just loves a nude lip," Toye says. The number one question the makeup artist gets asked all of the time is what exactly she uses. In full transparency, she's has been mixing "a million things" together for years to get the color just right. Lately, it's been the Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Wink Pink ($6) and the MAC Cosmetics Lipglass Lip Gloss in Prrr ($24).

Finish With Setting Spray

Let's be real: celebrities always look so fresh and photo ready because they're constantly being touched up by their glam teams. That said, Toye does have one key product she uses day in and day out to lock everything in: the Hourglass Veil Setting Spray ($50). "I use it on all my brides [and] on Martha," she says.

Ultimately, knowing what works best for you, your skin type, and your skin tone is the key to looking your best. Toye's parting piece of advice: don't be afraid to "play with it."

Jessica Harrington (she/her) is the senior editor of PS Beauty, where she oversees coverage around makeup, skin care, hair, tattoos, and more. With more than eight years of industry experience, she has interviewed countless celebrities, reported on hundreds of beauty trends, and swatched more lipsticks than she can count. Prior to PS, Jessica worked for publications such as Makeup.com, Skincare.com, and The Zoe Report.