Beauty Picks

I put a spell on you

MANILA, Philippines - I saw this collection and I immediately thought of Charlize Theron as the scene-stealing Evil Queen in the abomination that was Snow White and the Huntsman. And what a stunning evil beauty she was –– I wonder why she had to keep asking the mirror who’s the fairest in the land. It wasn’t pasty, expressionless Snow White, that’s for sure. This latest makeup collection from Laura Mercier called Darkspell has everything one needs to achieve that dark, edgy look that’s always hot during the colder months. Baked Eye Color in Magical is a pearly white with streaks of black, while Mystical is a pure charcoal for intense smoky eyes. For a more accurate line on the lids, there’s Kohl Liner Extreme in Black and Caviar Stick Eye Color in Smoke. Top off your look with healthy-looking lips, courtesy of Laura Mercier’s lip plumper in Charmed, and paint your nails a mesmerizing shade of Bewitched, a sparkling deep green.

Doing it bright

OPI just released a limited edition mini pack called Neon Revolution, for no-fuss, truly neon nails. Unlike other bright nail colors, these shades, if worn alone, go on sheer and almost milky — the true test of neon. But the key is to paint them over a white base, which the set includes, for the colors to really pop. Each mini pack includes this color-intensifying base, top coat, and neon lacquers Don’t Say It — Yellow It!, The Time is Pow!, Pink Outside the Box and Blue It Out of Proportion (a must-have, can’t-live-without shade of cobalt blue.) Available at Rustan’s for P895.

Shadow play

Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter is a whole lotta mouthful but it gets the job done –– when used as an ingredient for eyeshadow, like Clinique does. All About Shadow is Clinique’s new creamy shadow formula that delivers high density pigment and intense color in a single smooth stroke. The formula actually makes the lids appear smoother with special fusion layering and variable milling technologies, but the real story here is the broad range of colors: nudes, goldens and greens, pinks and blues and violets available in singles, duos and quads. For intense colors, apply Clinique All About Shadow Primer for Eyes under eye shadow, and highlight with Quickliner for Eyes Intense.

A foundation of its word

It calls itself Luminous Moisturizing Foundation and Bobbi Brown, who said, “Foundation should look like skin,” made it. What it does: leaves the skin glowing (luminous), healthy-looking (moisturizing) and even-toned (foundation). It keeps its word, this one. It runs on hexapeptide technology, which helps boost skin’s natural collagen, milk thistle extract that helps firm skin and reduce visible signs of aging, and triglycerides and wheat germ glycerides to condition the skin. The formula goes on translucent, but you can build as much coverage as you need. According to Bobbi Brown, it improves skin radiance by 31 percent upon product application, and after four weeks of use, there is 15 percent improvement in firmness, 21 percent improvement in moisturization, 26 percent improvement in skin lifting (Is it magic?) and 18 percent reduction in fine lines and wrinkles. If the numbers are true, maybe it is magic. Watch it fly off shelves. Available in eight shades for P2,750 at Bobbi Brown counters in Rustan’s.