The Latest in Make-up

Now that you have the season’s latest shoes and bags, it’s time to get make-up’s must-haves. Make-up has come a long way. In the past, big cosmetic companies dominated women’s preoccupation with make-up. But lately, even designer labels and make-up artists are taking a piece of the pie. Based on a British Vogue article entitled "Having it All" by Kathy Phillips, it all started when François Nars launched his graphically packed line in 1994. At that time, no one believed that a make-up artist and a relative unknown to the large population would be able to endure a demand for a range only carrying his name. With the help of fashion magazines, make- up artists and hair stylists started to establish names for themselves. They became superstars in their own right. Nars began to unleash new potential in cosmetics. Later, MAC, Stila, Laura Mercier, Trish McEvoy, Bobbi Brown, Ruby & Millie, Diego Della Palma, Vincent Longo, Smashbox, Tony & Tina and Paula Dorf followed suit and started competing with cosmetic giants like Estée Lauder, Chanel and Christian Dior. Not content with reaping in money from apparel, Versace, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Anna Sui and Giorgio Armani also launched make up collections for their respective fashion houses. "Make-up is an inexpensive way of keeping up with the latest fashion labels," says Terry de Gunzberg, the pioneering cosmetics queen who invented Yves Saint Laurent’s translucent concealer wand, Touche Éclat.

To help you update your look, here are the season’s key trends. Like fashion, make-up now is all about individuality. There is a look for every person. What is current is the way each person interprets the latest trend and makes it her own.

Strong eyes stormed the runways. At Marc Jacobs, make-up artist Dick Page was inspired by the Pretenders in 1979 and applied a greasy black eye shadow on the models. Then he smudged the liner beneath the lashes with a cotton swab. "It’s a bit of a throwback to the mod, the punk," he said in the September 2001 American Vogue’s, Beauty Health and Fitness Section by Elizabeth Schatz. The models at Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Anna Sui, Narciso Rodriguez, Badgley and Mischka, Michael Kors, Valentino, Missoni, Alberta Ferretti, Jil Sander, Krizia Top, Givenchy Couture, Richard Tyler Couture and Versace Couture strutted the runways with smoky, smoldering eyes. The season’s smoky eyes are not confined to jet-black. Hot chocolate browns and bitter plums also match the season’s wardrobe. To match the dark, intense and heavy eyes, it is essential to have barely there lips. Achieve this nude look with a wide array of choices from lip-glosses, to lip tints, lip shimmers and pale lipsticks.

Strong eyes weren’t just about smoky eyes. Lush lashes from faux to loads of mascara also ruled the catwalk. Jillian Demsey of Delux Beauty provided tips on faux lashes in the August 2001 American Bazaar. "To make it look like it belongs to you, leave the lashes longest toward the outside of the eye, beginning a quarter of the way, to draw the eye upward." My secret to the season’s lush lashes is applying not one, not two but layers of mascara to curled lashes. Slowly work the wand from roots to ends. Allow each layer to dry before applying the next so the weight won’t straighten your lashes. Wipe the wand with tissue before applying mascara to the lower lashes to prevent clumping. If clumping still occurs, remove with a lash comb. Bare eyes look great with dark, defined lips.

Strong eyes weren’t just about lush lashes. Sharply defined drawn-in eyebrows like the models at Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Narciso Rodriguez and Chanel Couture also made a mark. It does not mean thinly plucked eyebrows. Thick, naturally arched brows which frames the face are a must to the season’s current look.

Not to be overshadowed, cheeks are also contoured. Models at Dolce & Gabbana, Céline and Emanuel Ungaro were blushing. Just smile to spot the right place on your face for cheek color. New and improved forms from gels to powders, tints and creams make applying blush fun and foolproof. So how do you know which one to use? The most prominent color effect is still achieved with powder. It is the most opaque form of cheek color. Creams, on the other hand, add color to your face yet allow more of your skin to shine through. It creates a dewy healthy look. Gels are easier to apply than creams. It has the sheerness but does not stain like tints. Use gels to create glowing skin. Tint is the most natural of the four. It is sheer and gives an inner glow to skin. Blend immediately since it has a tendency to dry fast. This looks great on bare skin.

Manila’s favorite make-up artist

Patrick Rosas says that for this season, "Think pink!" Who would’ve thought that the season’s color palette of berries from intense plums to lavender, baby-pinks and their shockingly bright cousins would look good on Asians? The vast array of shades gives more dimensions to make-up. He played with hues of mauve to create five new looks. For the season’s barely there make-up, Patrick warmed the cheeks with pinkish powder blush. He then swiped sheer cream shadow on the eyes and pale natural lipstick on the mouth. The next look was dewy and what he calls, "pale smoky." He burnished the model’s face with Smashbox’s Smashlight Artificial Light in Smashing Glare. This new trend in cosmetics use new "optical" materials — microscopic prisms and holograms — to manipulate light, obscuring blemishes and making your skin appear flawless. This is the new technology in make-up. With the new skin illuminators, perfect skin is not far away. Then he smudged cream blush to create a glow and left the lips natural and glossy. For his "pale smoky" eyes, he dabbed mauve cream shadow around the eyes and defined them with an olive eye pencil. Smoky doesn’t have to be dark and heavy. You can play with the concept using lighter shades of color. The third look is Patrick’s version of the latest sultry, heavier eyes. This time, he used plum instead of the usual black. Of course, with strong, emphasized eyes, he left the lips pale to complement the look. The next was about full, dramatic lips. Lashes took center stage when he applied layers of mascara. This all-lashes look will suit everyone. Finally, defined eyebrows created an impact with pouty glossy lips in hot pink for his last look.

Remember: This season is about having your own style. Don’t follow the dictates of fashion. Just use it as a guide and create your own distinct look. Be unpredictable. That’s what makes fashion so refreshing.

* * *

Send queries and suggestions to joyceo@netvigator.com

* * *

Patrick Rosas is launching his first book on beauty, Patrick Rosas Images published by Grand C Graphics on October 10 at the RCBC Galleria and Banquet Hall.