Nicole Scherzinger has set the beauty stakes high on this season of The X Factor, flooring fans with her glamorous hair and make-up looks. Determined to find out her backstage beauty secrets, HELLO! Online caught up exclusively with the star’s make-up artist Emma Osborne…

Emma creates Nicole Scherzinger’s striking X Factor beauty looks

How do you choose the beauty looks for Nicole?

“Nicole will have a fitting a few days before and this will help dictate the direction for hair and make-up. She is very open to ideas and loves to see a mood board or references so we can navigate our direction, that way we can decide if it’s a classic, fun or demure vibe. I like to be creative and explore all options for Nicole, so presenting her with some mood boards helps us stay on the same page!”

How long does she usually spend in the make-up chair before a live show?

We aim for two hours, but when it’s live you never know! An hour and half is normally ok for us, but we’ve got to have time to catch up about the look too.

She revealed Nicole can spend up to two hours in the make-up chair

Can you give us a step-by-step guide on how to create Nicole’s look?

“A light dewy foundation is her preferred choice. I usually go for EX1 Invisiwear Liquid Foundation as this is amazing for olive, yellow based skin tones – its pigments are really rich yet creamy for a gorgeous smooth finish. While this is still dewy I use a sheer fluid along the contours and blend this seamlessly so there are no visible lines!

“Next a blush – usually something peachy and soft to add a pop of colour and freshness. EX1 have some perfect blush shades, so we try to alternate. No look is ever the same!

“I’ll fix with some airbrush powder by Charlotte Tilbury and sculpt and shade using her Film Star contour powder. The eyes are usually Nicole’s favourite feature to play up – we try to create a sultrier eye using warm tones to complement her skin. The lips are usually filled with a pencil to add strength and longevity and softened off with a moist lipstick to add a glossy fuller lip. The past few weeks we’ve gone to our trusty MAC for perfect colours.”

Nicole continually wows fans with her gorgeous hair and make-up

What lipsticks do you use for her favoured statement lips?

“She loves liquid matte lip shades from MAC and Giorgio Armani. These have amazing pigments and staying power for live TV!”

Have she ever had a last-minute beauty mishap you’ve had to fix right before a live show?

“Someone kissed her and got red lipstick on her cheek, which is not great just before going live! It’s all about the layers and it takes time as an artist to build and create a look. You can’t just wipe it off and fill it in quickly.”

Emma uses liquid lipsticks for Nicole’s eye-catching statement lips

Because of how emotional the show can be, have you had to adapt her mascara and eye make-up in case the contestants make her cry?

“[Laughs] Yes! Once I forgot, but luckily I had tissues to hand – Lancôme do the best waterproof mascara…”

If you had to describe Nicole’s beauty looks on The X Factor in one word, what would it be?

“Timeless.”