Beauty picks

Tony Moly x Super Junior M

MANILA, Philippines - It’s not uncommon for Korean cosmetics brands to get male endorsers –– they like their men looking delicate with wispy hair, a fine jawline and baby soft skin. In fact, Tony Moly’s newest faces are Super Junior M (Ryeo wook, Kyu hyun, Dong hae, Henry, ZhouMi, Eun hyuk, Sungmin) and Victoria, a member of the group f(x). The boys landed a one-year contract with the brand and have just finished shooting a new campaign that will be in stores soon.

Spring looks have sprung

Fall on these shores officially arrives with the first “ber” month, but while the season of warm tones and rich, velvety textures has just begun, elsewhere –– New York, in particular –– it’s spring 2014 and a fresh batch of trends is in. At Joseph Altuzarra’s spring 2014 show, the makeup was light and fresh with a twist: a bold red lip topped with powder pigment for a super matte finish. No mascara, no eyeliner, no brows to weigh down the look –– just a swipe of MAC Eye Shadow in Gesso over the entire lid and highest point of the cheek for a crisp, modern spring face. Meanwhile at BCBG Max Azria, a new makeup trick has emerged. In an interview with allure.com, makeup artist Val Garland said, “Instead of using powder to contour, use a foundation a few shades darker than the foundation you normally use.” Now why didn’t I think of that?

Violet femme

Meanwhile, fall makeup is still giving us the chills. Rich colors are always flattering — more flattering than the pastels and neons of summer anyway. Take, for instance, Nars’ fall makeup collection for 2013. It’s a troupe of rich hues, signature Nars shades that are now full-on velvety matte. Created by founder and creative director François Nars, the collection is a woman’s ticket to looking warm and toasty in cold weather. In the spotlight is a rich, deep purple, seen here in Nars Fury Nail Polish in limited edition Regal Purple. Also in limited circulation is the La Paz Pure Matte Lipstick in Orchid, Yamal Single Eye Shadow in Maple Sugar, ad Las Ramblas Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Yellow Gold.

An oily solution

Some makeup brands, foundations especially, won’t budge with mere soap and water. This is a good thing — it means makeup stays on all day and will most likely resist sweat and water. It is, however, bad news for those who are always in a hurry (to go to sleep) or simply cannot spare five minutes of their time to remove their makeup. These makeup brands usually require the extra powers of makeup removers or cleansing oils. A recent find: The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil (P695). The Body Shop comes out with the most competent cleansers and this is one of them. It’s a cushy oil that builds up to a mild lather. It contains skin-softening and calming camomile oil, so it doesn’t sting or leave skin feeling extra sensitive like most makeup removers do.