Behind the Scenes at Riverdays: 6 Years of Pageant Glam 👑

There are some traditions that become such a special part of who we are, and Riverdays is one of those for us!

This year marked our sixth year as the backstage makeup team for the Riverdays Pageant, and saying that we’re grateful doesn’t quite cover it. Year after year, we have the privilege of being a small part of such a big night for these young women—and it’s something we never take for granted.

Pageant night is exciting, fast-paced, a little chaotic (in the best way), and filled with so many special moments. Behind the scenes, our job goes beyond creating beautiful makeup. We’re there through the outfit changes, the touch-ups, the nerves, the excitement and all of those last-minute “Can you check my lipstick?” moments before stepping on stage.

To the Riverdays Committee, the contestants, their families and everyone who continues to trust our team: thank you. Six years of Riverdays memories is pretty special. 🤍

But Let's Talk About the Makeup...

Pageant makeup has a BIG job.

It has to look beautiful up close, photograph well, withstand bright stage lights and cameras, and stay put through hours of activity. And because we work backstage throughout the evening, we get to see firsthand which products truly perform. Some products become staples in our kits for exactly that reason. And while we love them for pageant night, they're definitely not just for the stage.

If you have a wedding, homecoming, prom, family photos, holiday party or another special event coming up, these are a few of the products we reach for when we want makeup to look just as beautiful hours later as it did when it was first applied.

RMS ReEvolve Natural Finish Liquid Foundation

Good event makeup starts with good skin—and this foundation is one of our favorites.

RMS ReEvolve Natural Finish Liquid Foundation gives us the beautiful coverage we need for an event while still allowing the skin to look like skin. But one of the biggest reasons we love using it for pageant makeup? No dreaded flashback.

If you've ever loved the way your foundation looked in the mirror only to see a photo later where your face suddenly had a white cast, you know exactly what we're talking about. 😅 Bright lights and flash photography can reveal things that aren't always noticeable in everyday lighting.

ReEvolve gives us beautiful, natural-looking coverage that holds up throughout the evening and photographs beautifully—which makes it one of our favorites for any event where you know the cameras will be out.

Sigma Beauty Soft Focus Setting Powder

Setting powder can make or break event makeup.

We want powder to actually set the complexion, not create a heavy layer that looks like it's sitting on top of the skin. That's exactly why Sigma Beauty Soft Focus Setting Powder has earned a spot in our kit. It's incredibly fine, helps everything stay in place and leaves the complexion looking smooth and polished without taking away that healthy skin finish.And, just like our foundation, it performs beautifully around cameras and bright lights without giving us the flashback we work so hard to avoid.

The result? Makeup that looks flawless when you leave the chair—and hours later when you're still taking pictures.

RMS LipLights Cream Lip Gloss

This one deserves a little extra love.

It takes a lot for a lip product to become something we reach for over and over and over again, but RMS LipLights does it for us every time. There's a fine line when creating an event lip. Too matte and the lips can start looking dry as the night goes on. Too glossy and suddenly the lip is competing with the rest of the makeup—especially under stage lighting.

RMS LipLights Cream Lip Gloss hits that sweet spot.

It gives the lips a beautiful, healthy sheen without looking overly glossy, along with just the right amount of color. On stage, it creates that polished, healthy-looking lip we love without overpowering the rest of the look. And off stage? It's just as pretty. This is one of those products you can throw in your bag and reach for whether you're headed to an event or simply want your everyday makeup to look a little more finished.

Smashbox Photo Finish Endurance Breathable Setting Spray

Four words:

It. Does. Not. Move.

If we're doing makeup that needs to survive an entire evening, Smashbox Photo Finish Endurance Breathable Setting Spray is one we trust to finish the job. After all of the foundation, powder, blush, brows, eyes and lips are exactly where we want them, setting spray is that final step that brings everything together and helps keep it there. This has become one of our absolute favorite setting sprays because when we need makeup to LAST, it delivers.

Pageant night? Yes.

Wedding? Absolutely.

Outdoor event? Yep.

A night when you don't want to think about whether your makeup is still where you left it? This is the one.

Kelley Baker Brows Brow Pencil + Brow Gel

We can't finish a pageant look without talking about brows.

Kelley Baker Brows Brow Pencil + Brow Gel are a match made in heaven.

The pencil allows us to fill and define the brows beautifully without making them feel overly drawn on. Then the brow gel is the finishing touch that brings everything together, helping create that polished, lifted look that makes such a difference in the finished makeup. Brows frame the entire face, and especially when we're creating makeup for the stage, that little bit of extra definition goes a long way.

It's a simple two-product combination that can make just as much of a difference in your everyday makeup routine as it does backstage.

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The Products We Trust When It Matters

One of our favorite parts of doing makeup professionally is getting to really put products to the test.

It's easy to love something when you've worn it for an hour. It's another thing entirely to watch it perform through bright lights, cameras, outfit changes, a full evening of events and countless touch-ups backstage.

That's why we love being able to share the products that continually earn a place in our kits.

If you have a special event coming up—or you're simply looking to upgrade your everyday makeup bag—stop by Amelia Gray and let us help you find the products that make sense for your skin, features and routine Because you may not be walking onto the Riverdays stage anytime soon, but that doesn't mean your makeup can't perform like you are. ✨

Six Years & So Much Gratitude ❤️

As we wrap up another Riverdays pageant, we can't help but look back at the last six years and feel incredibly thankful.

Thank you to everyone who allows our team to be a part of this tradition. Thank you to the contestants for trusting us with your looks on such an important night. Thank you to the families cheering them on. And thank you to the Riverdays Committee for continuing to welcome Amelia Gray backstage year after year.

We love the makeup. We love the transformation. We love finding the perfect lip color and making sure every last brow hair is in place.

But more than anything, we love getting to be part of the moment.

Here's to six years of Riverdays glam 🤍👑