TVS Sexy: Sultry and Sexy Is the Only Way to Describe Angela Bassett's Latest Red Carpet Glam

The actress worked with CHANEL for the Critics’ Choice Association’s fifth Annual Celebration of Black Cinema and Television.

<p>Courtesy of Chanel Beauty</p> — *Courtesy of Chanel Beauty*

With over 30 years in the biz, Angela Bassett is one of the most decorated stars in Hollywood — and she's got a slew of NAACP awards and a Golden Globe under her belt to prove it.

So, when she was presented with the Career Achievement Award at the fifth annual Critics' Choice Celebration of Black Cinema & Television on Dec. 5, there was no one better than her go-to makeup artist D’Andre Michael to prep her for the night.

Using products from CHANEL Beauty, Michael created an effortlessly sexy look for the megastar that embodied both Old Hollywood glam and soft elegance.

Michael's work was inspired by Bassett's courageousness, nobility, and ambition, he says. With that said, he worked with the entire glam team to ensure a balanced finish.

"I take the hair and clothes into consideration so I have a clear-cut direction of the look I want to create — along with the color palette," he shares exclusively with InStyle, adding that he totally took the reins on makeup. "Believe it or not, [Angela] puts it all in our hands. She trusts us enough to allow us to do what we do."

While Bassett's whole look is show-stopping, there's something extra special about the eyes. The bold, yet subtle, smokiness, the fluttery lashes, the brown eyeshadow — it's a gorgeous take on the siren eye. And lucky for us, Michael let us in on how he created the sultry finish.

"Initially, I had planned to just do the CHANEL Ombre Première in 24 - Chocolate Brown, which I color wash across the entire lid with a fluff brush up to the crease line and blending it into the brow bone," he shares. "[But] I wanted a little more depth without adding top liner along the lash line and/or adding a deeper shadow in the crease. I played with the CHANEL Duo Lumière in 457 for a few days prior to that evening, so I trusted that layering the two products wasn't going to cause a problem, such as creasing or the formula overpowering the shadow and melting away."

Next, to create even more depth, he used CHANEL's Stylo Yeux Waterproof in 88 - Noire Intense along the upper and lower waterlines. "[I used slightly more] below the lower lash to smudge and blend out into the CHANEL Ombre Première in 24 - Chocolate Brown."

He finished off with two coats of mascara, using CHANEL Le Volume De Chanel in 10 - Noir on both the upper and lower lashes.

For those looking to recreate the stunning look at home, Michael's got a few hacks when it comes to working with a matte shadow and gloss.

"After applying your eyeshadow, when applying your eye gloss, the key is tapping and not wiping," he explains. "You can do this using your fingertips, as well, if you aren't comfortable with using a brush. As an alternative, you can use one of the shimmer shadows from the CHANEL Les 4 Ombres in 937 – Ombres de Lune and use it the same way [as the gloss]."

To make Bassett's lips pop, the makeup artist defined her pout with CHANEL Le Crayon Lèvres Longwear Lip Pencil in Rouge Noir, then followed up with CHANEL Rouge Allure Laque Ultrawear Shine Liquid Lip Colour in Rose Mystère for the stunning neutral finish.