Transforming Keira Knightley into the title character in Anna Karenina was no small feat, according to make-up and hair designer Ivana Primorac. “The look of Anna Karenina in the movie was challenging because we were creating a look pleasing to the modern aesthetic that is also true to the period, just as the clothing design was inspired by ’50s Dior couture, but was also of the period,” Primorac said. “Make-up, hair and clothing design had to complement and follow that design thread. We changed Keira’s coloring, hair color, hairline [and] eyebrow shape—a lot!”

Keira Knightly may be a natural beauty but, when it came to playing the role in Anna Karenina, she left her make-up in the hands of Chanel.

“I was delighted with the make-up on Anna Karenina… we used Chanel and were able to create a palette that both contrasted with and complemented the Russian backdrop,” Knightley told us. “It helped to make me feel like a Russian aristocrat, and at the same time a modern woman to whom we can all relate.”

Knightley’s make-up artist, Ivana Primorac, started by mixing Chanel’s Vitalumiere foundations to create a darker shade for the star, who needed to appear more olive-skinned for the film.

“We changed most skin colours of the actors in Anna Karenina for different reasons, so we had to find bases in many shades that were also very sheer and light-reflecting, which is a look [director] Joe Wright particularly wanted.” Primorac said. “We used Vitalumiere Aqua and Vitalumiere Creme which offer great coverage and a smooth texture, but also have strong light reflecting pigments. I used a lick of Le Blanc de Chanel on every character – it was the final veil of the make-up.”