Nuts for Coco
Marc Jacobs Beauty makes its Philippine debut with its nutrient-packed Coconut Collection.
When I think of my fondest summer memories, I think of coconuts: drinking coconut water straight from the shell, making my all-natural hydrator float with me in the middle of the glistening sea. The soothing scent of its cold-pressed oil takes me back to when I’ve been a little careless. Coconut oil is my natural insect repellant and after-sun care. I lather it all over my bright red sunburns and tresses fried to a damaged crisp. I dab it on the inevitable sand fly bites, and in the event that I feel a bit of malaise, I swish it for as long as I can and I wake up feeling revived the next day.
Of course coconut working its holistic beauty magic is no big secret reveal. Fashion designer Marc Jacobs himself — a fitspiration to many — is a big fan of coconut water so it was only a matter of time until he delved deeper into how its benefits can be worked into the body from the outside.
His cosmetics line Marc Jacobs Beauty was an easy hit because he integrated bold makeup looks to his runway collections; it was a matter of creating formulas that could give a high-concept finish and that he did. For instance, his super pigmented matte gel eye crayon Highliners in every color of the rainbow (well, 26 to be exact) became the essential tool for the new cat eye of summer. His bright pink Air Blush (made of gauze-like Japanese air powder) applied on the hollows of the face, replacing the tawny-taupe powders usually used for contour (as seen on Rihanna in the Met Gala), saw the rebirth of a blush look called draping.
Now his newest drop, a five-piece glow-giving complexion-perfecting line isn’t as colorful but it is in no way less high-tech in exaggerating healthy, sun-kissed, warmed-up skin with all of coconut’s skincare benefits.
Under(cover) perfecting coconut primer is the star product. Its coconut water-derived polysaccharide complex makes the formula work just like the synthetic priming ingredients (a.k.a. ‘cones) that make predecessors of the category so popular minus the tacky and pore-clogging finish. On the skin, it feels more like a moisturizer and leaves skin supple while doing what is expected of it: working overtime in keeping your makeup in place, longer.
O!mega Bronze is a supersized compact with micro-fine, jet-milled powder with the silkiest texture meant to fake the most natural-looking, perfect golden tan (in two shades). The finish is “radiant-matte” — not shiny. When applied with the extra-wide, feather soft limited bronzer brush, it makes the face and body look flawless. I recommend a coral-tinged Tantastic for the apples of your cheeks, over the bridge of your nose, chin, and forehead, and the deeper golden Tantric (not shown) to contour the body.
Full disclosure: I come from the school of high-performance makeup minimalism so I’ve usually deemed mists as an unnecessary indulgence — until this mist. The Re(cover) perfecting coconut setting mist is meant to lock in makeup with a dewy finish with coconut alkanes for lasting wear and skin-conditioning coconut polysaccharides, but it’s the coconut milk (for deep hydration) and coconut water (for refreshing electrolytes) that makes it a multi-tasking skincare essential to consider. For a more targeted glow — not shimmer — dab Dew Drops coconut gel highlighter. It’s in a universally flattering and youthful golden peach hue. The secret to its luminosity is not in glitters but pro-vitamin B5, a humectant which improves elasticity long term. Great for those enlarged pores.
As to when a brick and mortar Sephora store will finally open, no date and location has been announced, but we’re not missing out on beauty exclusives and they’re delivered straight to our doorstep.
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Shop Marc Jacobs Beauty at www.sephora.ph.
