When it comes to beauty that kind of makes us weak at the knees, Lana Del Rey is pretty much boss. After all, we’ve basically been obsessed with her particular brand of retro-flavored, hyperreal grit since “Video Games” went viral. We also like to credit Del Rey with making black liquid liner and the cat eye part of our regular beauty routine (and guys, just saying, but we actually think we’re getting pretty good). While the “Summertime Sadness” singer might already have her signature look down pat, it’s all with serious thanks to her longtime makeup artist Pamela Cochrane. And given that when it comes to the cat eye, there’s always room for improvement (not to mention Del Rey’s seriously desirable lip and cheekbone action—the more you know, kids), we thought we might as well quiz Cochrane on exactly how it all goes down. You’re welcome.

On the one secret to those lips… “I prep Lana's lip with an exfoliator, this plumps them up nicely and leaves a smooth canvas to work on. Then, add a touch of balm for moisture before lining the lips with pencil and adding color. To finish, I always go ‘round the lip with a slightly lighter shade of concealer, to give more definition. The Sarah Happ Red Velvet Lip Exfoliant is great, along with a Kiehl’s lip balm. I use various lipsticks and pencils, but Yves Saint Laurent lipsticks especially.”

When trying the Lana lip out at home… “Be precise with the lip liner, keep it sharp and draw along the edge, not inside the natural line. This keeps your lip looking well defined, bold and full.”

Oh, and about that signature cat eye… “A black gel liner and a long fine eyeliner brush are the most important tools for creating this look, along with a steady hand! It's important to keep the line along the lash sharp and precise and not too thick. Pointy Q-tips are great for the finishing touches to the flick. A slightly darker shadow, finely drawn in the socket line adds that bit of sultry smokiness to the eye. It’s completed with fluffy lashes, which fits with Lana's look.”