Ehlie Luna always wants to be on the cutting edge of every celebrity beauty trend, but she doesn’t want to go under the knife.
In December, she was in awe when she saw a photo of “Funny Girl” star Lea Michele with impressively sculpted cheeks. The image led many to speculate that Michele had achieved the look through liposuction surgery. Luna, a beauty and lifestyle content creator from Bushwick, wondered if she could have a similar effect with makeup.
“When I saw the picture of Lea Michele, I knew I wanted that really defined look, too,” she said, but “I never thought about getting liposuction or any kind of plastic surgery on my face.”
During liposuction, doctors extract a grape-sized collection of fatty tissue stored in the lower half of the cheek in an attempt to reduce swelling and slim the face. Like most surgical beauty treatments, the procedure comes with health risks, including infection, facial nerve damage, and numbness — not to mention a hefty price tag.
In New York, the hourly procedure, for which patients are usually awake, typically ranges from $4,000 to $7,500.
Luna and others turn to contour, concealer, and bronzer to get the minimal look. On TikTok, the hashtag #BuccalFatRemovalMakeup has over 1.9 million views. Luna’s detailed tutorial on creating the chic illusion has attracted nearly 25,000 fans alone.
Michele’s Dec. 12 Instagram post went viral, sparking speculation on social media that the “Glee” alum had undergone liposuction surgery.
In liposuction surgery, doctors remove a chunk of fat stored in the cheek, creating a sleek and hollow appearance.
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Many beauty influencers on TikTok are using Bella Hadid’s stunningly thin cheeks as inspiration for lip fat removal makeup tutorials.
On Instagram, Teigen openly admitted that she had her buccal fat surgically removed from her cheeks in 2021.
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“I always knew there were certain things I could do to change the shape of my face,” Luna said. “And I like to offer [my social media followers] the option to try out the look with make-up before making a decision [to get surgery].”
To achieve the look, Luna starts by applying the Fenty Match Stick ($28) in Espresso to the curve of her cheekbones. (Note for makeup newbies: Luna suggests using a contour two to three shades darker than your foundation).
“With this contour, you’ll create an L-shaped line from the bridge of the ear, across the cheekbone and down to the jawline,” she told The Post.
On TikTok, Luna carefully guides her followers through the step-by-step process of glam lip fat removal.
As an influencer, she follows several plastic surgeons on social media to keep up with the latest beauty trends and turn them into makeup hacks for her audience.
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Luna enjoys teaching her over 24,600 followers how to update their look with easy makeup tricks.
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Luna then uses the Real Techniques Soft Sculpting Contour Brush ($9.99) and gently sweeps it along the “L” shape to soften the line.
The makeup master then adds a few swipes of Kulfi Main Match Concealer ($26) both above and below the contour.
Luna uses her contour brush to blend the concealer into her skin before adding a touch of Danessa Myricks Yummy Skin Serum ($34) to create a seamless finish.
To further enhance the design, she embellishes the curves of her nose and forehead with Saie Beauty Sun Melt Bronzer ($32). A light dusting of Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder ($40) seals the deal.
And for fun, she marks the pencil with a red or nude lip liner in MAC Chestnut Lip Pencil ($21).
“Being able to create the look myself is a great feeling,” said Luna. “You must appear as your own masterpiece.”
Face paint fanatic Nikkia Joy, from Melbourne, Australia, was almost relieved by the results after she banished her lip fat with the contouring trick.
“Oh my god, it really worked,” exclaimed an impressed Hara to TikTok’s more than 561,600 devotees. “Look at the definition on that side of my face,” she added.
For Luna, using makeup as a quick, easy, and blade-free substitute for surgery is encouraging.
“Having the power to change whatever you want to change [about your face] at home and the ability to wash it off at the end of the night is the best,” he said. “You get the look without going to the extreme of permanently cutting your face.”
