Dakota Johnson Channeled '90s Supermodel For Her Madame Web Premiere Glam

Dakota Johnson is one of those celebrities who always seems to have an otherworldly glow. At the Los Angeles premiere of her new Marvel film, Madame Web, Johnson stunned in a floor-length Gucci crystal mesh dress resembling a web (because we love a theme), perfectly complemented by her trademark bangs, mile-long lashes, and radiant skin. Sure, we can chalk that red carpet glow up to good genetics and great lighting, but there’s no argument that her makeup and skin care game is always on point, thanks to her longtime makeup artist, Georgie Eisdell.

Eisdell has been working with Johnson since 2019 when the actor was promoting The Friend. “That was my first day with her, and we really hit it off,” Eisdell tells Bustle. “She’s one of the kindest people I know — I would work with her forever.” If you’ve seen the same hairstylist or makeup artist for years, a deep connection forms. They know what you like and what you don’t, which is exactly how Eisdell and Johnson work together. “She sits back and lets me kind of do my thing. It’s really nice to have a client who trusts you,” says Eisdell. There are definite “Dakota signatures” that Eisdell uses to enhance the star’s natural beauty, such as neutral eyeshadows that are reminiscent of a ‘90s supermodel. “Doesn’t everybody want to look like them?” Eisdell asks. “We just try to do a Cindy Crawford look every time.”

The Skin

Another thing that helps make things a little easier for Eisdell is Johnson’s “insane skin,” which she focuses on for the actor’s red-carpet appearances, doing what she can to enhance her glow. “The skin is the most important thing for me as a makeup artist because it sets the tone for what comes next,” she says. “If the prep is done, then the rest of my job is really easy.” For Madame Web’s premiere, Eisdell prepped Johnson’s skin by having her relax for 10 minutes under the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask, a go-to treatment she’s used throughout the film’s press tour (including before her SNL performance). “It really calms the skin down when you've been on airplanes and in hotel rooms with air conditioning, and putting makeup on and taking it off every day,” explains Eisdell. “We’ve been all over the world — London, New York, Brazil, and Mexico tomorrow. Travel takes its toll on the skin, so I use it for its calming properties, but also to depuff and get rid of any redness. It also gets rid of inflammation and helps product move further into the skin. I really have relied on it with all of this travel. It’s been my magic wand.”

The Makeup

After skin prep, it’s time for makeup. According to Eisdell, the theme for Johnson’s looks throughout the press tour for Johnson has been “cool, sexy, and strong,” which captures the essence of the film. That vibe continued for the Los Angeles premiere. “The Gucci number she wore was insane, and the crystals were next level, so Mark [Townsend], who does her hair, and I were inspired by what she wears. I really wanted to lean into that,” she says.

Eisdell used all Armani Beauty products for Johnson’s look, starting with the Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Hydrating Primer and the Luminous Silk Perfect Glow Foundation #2, one of her all-time favorites. Eisdell then used two different eye tints: the Armani Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in #56S, a burgundy shade, mixed with Armani Eye Tint Liquid Eyeshadow in #2S, a champagne hue. The combination was part of a color wheel-influenced strategy to help Johnson’s blue eyes pop. She finished the look with Armani’s Eyes To Kill Mascara in Black for a dramatic lash, a Georgie Eisdell trademark. “Mascara is a huge part of my life, and anyone I work with knows there’s going to be lots of mascara,” she says. Eisdell’s trick consists of pushing the mascara into the root of the flash and then wiggling the brush up to make it fluffy. She extended Johnson’s brows slightly with the Armani High Precision Brow Pencil #3. “I find extending the brow really kind of opens up the eye,” she says.

Eisdell says Johnson likes blush, so she always gives her a beautiful flushed cheek. For the premiere, she used Luminous Silk Glow Blush #11 (a warm nude) with #61 (a raspberry) on top and then added something new — Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer #2 on the cheekbone and on the bridge of her nose. “It’s subtle — a very, very fine sheen that’s not sparkling but just a really pretty glow,” she says. “What we always try to achieve and strive for is that beautiful, healthy glow.”

Eisdell says Johnson likes to do her own lips, but they usually pick the colors together. After testing four shades, the winning one ended up being a pinkish nude, Lip Power Satin #102, lined with Smooth Silk Lip Pencil #4 (now discontinued). And if you never noticed Johnson in a bold lip, there’s a reason. “She's not a huge fan of dark or red lips, so we always play with the eyes,” says Eisdell. “Every now and again, we love a stain on the lip, but a lot of the time, it's lip liner and a lip balm.” For touch-ups throughout the night, Eisdell left Johnson with the lipstick, liner, a mirror, and a beauty sponge with a bit of base on it.

Overall, Eisdell said she didn’t want Johnson’s makeup to dominate the entire look. “The focus for me was the eyes and really making those pop,” says Eisdell. “I just wanted the makeup to coexist with the dress, Kate Young's beautiful custom Gucci. We always try to work together and complement each other. I never want it to be all about the makeup. I just want it to be like, ‘Wow, she looks amazing; the makeup on her looks gorgeous.’”