The architecture of glamour
MANILA, Philippines - Makeup always kicks its shimmer quotient up several notches during the holidays, but wearing it gracefully is still a gift only a few people can pull off. How much shimmer is too much? Can I use shimmer if I tend to get oily? How do I pull off the look for daytime? Despite all these questions, there are too many pretty pots of gold, copper, silver and other precious metals calling out to us from beauty counters to resist.
Art Deco, Germany’s no. 1 couture makeup brand, announced its entry in the Philippines and its holiday collection last Nov. 22 at R Space in Makati, with a demonstration by makeup artist Paolo Maranan and an exhibit of the brand’s campaigns over years. Art Deco’s Glam Deluxe features pearly, shimmery eye shadows, blush, glitter eyeliners, intense lip shines and shimmer creams. Paolo demonstrated the look for day and night, transitioning by increasing pigment and wattage –– defining the eyes with Art Deco’s soft eyeliner in sparkling Black, lining the lids the eyes with Glam Stars Liquid Eyeliner 9 in silvered teak, and highlighting the face with Glam Stars Shimmer Cream. Model Vanessa Matsunaga sold the look, but what about the rest of us?
My conversation with Paolo started off with a question that’s been bugging me for quite a while now: How do you keep liquid liner from staining the top of the eyelids? “I get what you mean!” he said. “That’s the most frustrating thing. You’re done with the eye makeup and you put the liner last, then it smudges against the skin over the eyeballs and you have to do the thing all over again!” He said it’s best to keep the eyes closed for a while or until the liquid liner dries, or use a better liquid liner. “I bought tons of this generic liquid liner I discovered in Bangkok and I use it all the time on my clients.” Art Deco’s Soft Eyeliner is also a no-frills solution, as its soft, cream pencil consistency is easy to apply and does not need drying.
He said, “The cat eye is making a come back this season. It’s the easiest way to add glamour to your look because you use minimal effort but it really enhances the eyes. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake –– Q-tips are your friend. But don’t use the side that’s already dirty.” He adds that color with shimmer is a big holiday makeup trend, particularly aqua to copper tones, silver and bronze.
On wearing shimmery makeup for daytime events, Paolo advises to combine matte elements, like a natural brown, as a base, and then create a gradiation of color. “Put the matte shadow where you’re putting the glitter,” he said. “For the lips, deposit the shimmer just in the middle of the lips then blend outwards so you don’t look like you just ate lechon. For the eyes, just put glitter in the inner corners.”
Paolo’s favorite from Art Deco’s Glam Deluxe collection? “I love the Mineral Beauty Box because it lets me customize. You can combine eye and cheek colors to create a palette. Another thing I like about Art Deco is how pigmented its powders, shimmers and creams are. What you see on the palette is exactly what you get when you apply to color. Even with high-acidity skin, the pigment stays on, so you use less product and your makeup lasts longer. Art Deco Magic fix is also a must-have. It seals lipstick for longer-lasting wear.”
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Art Deco is now available at all Beauty Bar branches.
