Influencer and entrepreneur Emma Pritchard offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at her game-day preparation, chronicling her detailed beauty routine ahead of the high-stakes Knicks vs. Celtics basketball rivalry. Pritchard’s approach to game-day glam is characterized by a balance of high-performance skincare and long-wear makeup, designed to look flawless under arena lights and last through the excitement of a live sporting event. Her routine is less about trend chasing and more about achieving a luminous, effortless finish that allows her natural features to shine. Through her photo diary, Pritchard demonstrated how strategic product choices, from moisturizing prep to setting sprays, are essential for creating a flawless, long-lasting look under pressure.
Skincare Prep: The Foundation of Game-Day Glow
Pritchard emphasized that achieving a flawless makeup look begins hours before application, focusing on intensive hydration and skin prep.
Her routine starts with a focus on plumping and moisturizing the skin to create a smooth canvas for makeup. She highlighted the use of a hydrating sheet mask, specifically choosing one with Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides, to immediately reduce puffiness and infuse the skin with moisture. This pre-game ritual ensures the skin is supple and minimizes the appearance of dryness that can cause makeup to settle into fine lines under harsh lights. She finishes her prep with a lightweight, broad-spectrum SPF and a soothing eye cream, tapping the product gently to reduce dark circles and ensure maximum light reflection.
The Base: Long-Wear and Light-Catching
For a high-energy event like a major NBA game, Pritchard chose base products formulated for longevity without sacrificing a natural, radiant finish.
She opted for a light-to-medium coverage foundation that is both humidity-resistant and non-comedogenic, applied sparingly to even out skin tone. Instead of heavy contouring, she utilizes a cream bronzer to lightly sculpt the cheeks and jawline, focusing on warmth rather than stark definition. The key to her look is the strategic use of highlighter: she applies a liquid formula to the high points of her face—cheekbones, brow bone, and cupid’s bow—to catch the dramatic arena lighting, giving her a healthy, three-dimensional glow that remains visible from a distance.
Eyes and Lips: Understated Focus and Pop of Color
Pritchard’s eye and lip looks are kept relatively simple to maintain an overall look of easy glamour that doesn’t distract from the event itself.
For the eyes, her routine includes a subtle definition: a waterproof brown eyeliner used for a soft wing, followed by a coat of volumizing, long-wear mascara. She often favors neutral eyeshadow shades—soft taupes or warm browns—to add depth without drawing too much attention. The lip choice is typically a comfortable, hydrating product. For the Knicks game, she selected a deep berry or rich nude lip oil, providing high shine and a sheer wash of color that is easy to reapply during breaks without needing a mirror or meticulous precision.
The Finishing Touches: Security and Duration
The final and most crucial steps in Pritchard’s game-day routine are designed to lock her makeup in place and ensure it withstands hours of cheering, lights, and heat.
She relies heavily on a high-quality setting powder, applied strategically only to the T-zone and under the eyes, ensuring the rest of her face maintains its radiant finish. This prevents unwanted shine in flash photography. The look is then sealed with a heavy-duty setting spray, misted generously over the entire face. This final step not only extends the wear time of all her products but also helps to merge the powders and creams, giving the makeup a more natural, skin-like finish that stays put from the tip-off through the final buzzer.
