Summer makeup: Light, sheer and easy
Makeup maestro
Francois Nars has it right when he says that summer is all about sheer makeup. After all, who wants a mask that slides off in the season’s heat? Another requirement is ease: you want creamy products you can swipe on with a finger, and not be fussing with brushes to attain that precision line. But then again, for evening you want the option of being able to build it up for more drama. With these four Rustan’s-exclusive brands, I can confidently say you get all that and more.
Laura Mercier: Shine Fighter
The look: Fresh, flawless skin
How to get it: Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder in Shine Control or Matte Translucent
Celebs and why they like it: Julia Roberts, Sarah Jessica Parker and Mariah Carey are all believers and living testaments to Mercier’s philosophy of the Flawless Face.
Why I like it: Since summer means my face is constantly slicked with sweat , oil or (ack!) both, this velvety powder with its naturally derived Shine Control Complex is a lifesaver, blotting away shine and leaving fresh dewiness. Grease is no longer the word.
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Laura Mercier is available at Rustan’s.
Nars: Cinematic Glamour
The look: The beauty and elegance of Severine, Catherine Deneuve’s iconic character in the film Belle de Jour.
How to get it: Nars’ summer 2010 collection
Celebs and why they like it: Kim Kardashian hearts Nars Belle de Jour lipstick for giving her a sexy nude pout; Leighton Meester wears Jungle Red lip liner on Gossip Girl and recently sported an all-Nars face in the front row of 3.1 Phillip Lim’s fashion show; Zoe Saldana and Jennifer Lopez find the professional-quality line Oscar-worthy and wore it to the most recent Academy Awards.
Why I like it: These sexy, sensual pops of color in sheer formulas are easy to apply (only fingers necessary), catch the light yet are more forgiving. What’s more, they’re designed to suit a broad range of skin tones.
Must List
Burn it Blue cream eyeshadow duo – Burn it Blue, inspired by a Caetano Veloso song from the Frida soundtrack, pairs iridescent ocean blue with turquoise. Swipe one shade, as Nars did on model Amber Valletta, on your eyelids and blend upwards, or layer one on top of the other for a striking effect.
The Multiple in Lamu – Orgasm, move over. This glazed-apricot shade with gold sparkles is similar … but different. Apply to cheeks, lips, eyes, collarbone — everywhere — with abandon and get ready to seduce.
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Nars is available at Rustan’s Essenses.
Stila: The Mod Quads
The look: The kittenish eye
How to get it: The new eyeshadow quads
Celebs and why they like it: Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon look to Stila for chic, polished looks that connote uptown It Girl status … the pro-quality products in fun, feminine packaging don’t hurt, either.
Why I like it: These purse-friendly palettes house four shades that have all been pre-matched so there’s no agonizing involved. Eye makeup takes two minutes, tops.
Must List
Kitten eye shadow – Stila’s all-time bestseller is finally available locally.
Marrakesh Quad Palette — Complementary neutral earth tones for that just-got-back-from-vacation look.
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Stila is available at Rustan’s Essenses.
Christian Dior: Foundation of Youth
The look: High-definition radiance
How to get it: Christian Dior Capture Totale skincare and makeup
Celebs and why they like it: Charlize Theron has long been the muse of the couture-cosmetic line; Rebecca Romijn loves how Diorshow mascara makes her lashes as thick and full as falsies, while supermodels like Stephanie Seymour appreciate Dior’s highly pigmented eye shadows.
Why I like it: I love multi-taskers, and Dior’s new Capture Totale foundation combines anti-aging elements with airbrushed poreless-ness. I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille.
Must List
Capture Totale – For this advanced skincare program that includes a Concentré, Crème, and Soin Regard, Dior isolated its own cause of aging, protein oxidation, and developed an exclusive compound called Aminolumine — supposed to be six times more effective than vitamin C — to curb the process while restoring your skin’s proteins to their original, youthful state. The result? Greater firmness and luminosity every day.
Capture Totale High Definition Serum Foundation – Combining liquid crystal pigment technology with Dior’s patented anti-aging formula, this foundation treats all signs of aging while bestowing radiant, high-definition perfection.
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Christian Dior is available at Rustan’s.
