Author: Beauty Gazette

Tasteful makeup

Published by

As the queen of tasteful make-up Bobbi Brown says: “Confidence is everything, but a little makeup can’t hurt.” But to some, it seems that “Make-up is everything, but a little confidence can’t hurt.” Like all art forms, makeup is a form of expression. It expresses a woman’s aspirations (like red lipstick for an extra dose of sophistication); and the way she wants to portray herself (say, bold and arched brows to channel confidence).  At the same time, a woman’s make-up highlights her fears and insecurities. I can always tell when a woman uses makeup as a crutch. She erases her natural features and transforms her face into something completely different.  There is nothing wrong with going to the extremes with make-up.  But there is something not quite right when everyday, a woman’s visage looks like a caricature. Her eyes seem too large with copious amount of liner, lashes and mascara; while her nose bridge and cheekbones look painted-on. (Granted, in some cases, the OTT make-up is unintentional; they just need better make-up skills) It is one …

Spring Summer 2016 backstage trends: MAC

Published by

MAC’s looks on the Spring Summer 2016 runways… #The not-so-classic red lip    At Kenzo, a glossy red lip is accented with gold pigment powder.     Over at Oscar de la Renta, a powdery matte pink and red ombre lip.     Zac Posen’s neon red lip and clean face with a hint of blush. — #2 Fresh-faced ingenue    Blush and highlighter that mimic a sexy sunburn (if there is such a thing) at Alberta Ferretti.  Marsala and gold eyeshadow with  plenty of mascara completes the look.   Clean face, pearlescent lids at Lea Peckre.  Prabal Gurung: A hint of mascara, blush and lilac-rose lipstick. —  #3 Colour shock    Veronique Leroy’s violet and lilac-lined eyes with rosebud lips.  Gorgeous navy liner, blush across the cheeks and nose, and clean gloss at Moschino.    Smudged electric blue liner and a clean face at Jonathan Saunders.  Lilac shadow, silver sparkles and pastel violet lips at Delpozo. Picture source: MAC

Shiseido Synchro Skin Lasting Liquid Foundation

Published by

Touted as a smart foundation (like smart cars, smart homes, smart cities etc. 😁), this formula is ultra-lightweight. Yet, just one pump of the watery foundation was enough for my entire face. It is also easy to apply with warm fingertips. Coverage is light to medium but buildable to an almost full concealment of flaws. With the foundation’s satin-glow finish, my skin looks naturally healthy and even in tone.  The oil-free foundation lasted all day too. I only had to touch-up a little before dinner.  Other plus points: SPF 20 for extra sun protection, and skincare ingredients like St John’s wort and thyme extract to help keep skin healthy.

How to wear scents

Published by

Spritz and go? A no-brainer right? Not really.     There is an art and science to wearing scents. Especially in humid weather.  Here’s what to note: 💦 Slathering on unscented body lotions first to help a perfume “stick” is one way. But in this hot and humid weather, body creams might be the last thing you want to wear.  An alternative is to let the scent “cling” elsewhere, such as your clothes and hair.  I find that scents hardly last all day on my skin – unless it is super duper expensive such as Frederic Malle’s potions.  A point to note though: spritz scents onto clothes from an arm’s length away. So only tiny droplets settle on your dress or blouse, not a direct spray that leaves behind a splotch that is inpossible to remove (from silks especially). 💦 Imagine the warm spots of your skin as “diffusers”. They are keep the scent molecules wafting towards your nose and others’. 💦 Sprtiz, dab, press; but don’t rub on perfumes. The scent molecules should settle on …

An anatomy of a makeup bag

Published by

There is no need to lug around a heavy cosmetics pouch – even if you think your life depends on it – if you stick to this check list (provided you already have a full face of make-up on before you leave the house). 1) Cushion foundation For touch-ups throughout the day. Usually lightweight with light to medium coverage, they’re perfect for smoothing over liquid foundation that becomes patchy by mid-day. Plus, most give skin an added glow, so you can also blend the cushion foundation on strategic areas (nose bridge, cheek bones) to highlight them.  And if you do not have much blemishes to hide, the cushion compact works as a concealer too. 2) Blush/ bronzer compact Blush comes off easily, so touching up is essential. To keep your face looking sculpted all day, get a blush/bronzer duo for convenience.  3) Black liquid eyeliner A wing-tipped liner adds drama when you need it. And if you already have black liner on, you could always do with another layer before heading out to dinner and …

Guerlain Shalimar Parfum Initial L’eau 

Published by

Guerlain: “Fresh Amber. Delicate, enveloping, crystalline. Shalimar Parfum Initial L’Eau highlights an unexpected concentration of citrus notes, bergamot and neroli. Jasmine blends with the fresh top notes and leaves a delicate, sensual and luminous trail. The vanilla and tonka bean base adds a gourmand almond facet, the very essence of Shalimar. For Shalimar Parfum Initial L’Eau, the Guerlain Perfumer composed a unique jasmine absolute. Jasmine is used in a communelle, a blend of different natural essences. It combines grandiflora jasmine from Grasse, India and Egypt to give a subtle and evanescent character to the fragrance.” My notes: This reinterpretation of the 1925 classic by Jacque Guerlain is a light floral, with hints of the gourmand accord. Although much fresher than the original, it still maintains that old-world glamour character. 

Skin Inc Optimizer Voyage Tri-Light 

Published by

Hand-held beauty gadgets are one of the best inventions around for beauty junkies.  Facial sessions get increasingly rare as one’s working hours become longer, or when  work-travel is a monthly affair.    A handy beauty gizmo makes up for all the missed sessions with the facialist, late nights and stressed days. The plethora of gadgets out there include the supersonic vibrating brushes for deep-cleansing; those with mild infra-red energy to lift skin; and rollers with micro-currents to firm skin while reducing water retention. Skin Inc’s Optimizer Voyage Tri-light is a multi-purpose tool. It emits three types of therapeutic light to heal skin (inspired by NASA technology to heal astronaut’s broken skin in space), as well as low frequency therapy stimulation to boost the penetration of skincare, and sculpt the face.  Red LED repairs and firms; blue LED calms and clarifies; yellow LED adds a glow.  To use: Apply a watery serum, such as any of Skin Inc’s encapsulated Skin Supplement serums.     Then apply a thick layer of gel mask (like my fave Skin …