You read that right. The man behind those famously structured and arched eyebrows of Heart Evangelista, Denise Laurel, Megan Young, Ellen Adarna, and Alex Gonzaga, celebrity makeup artist Albert Kurniawan is excited to see more undone brows this coming season. Not that you should be ditching your brow products all together, it’s just more about learning how to experiment and having fun. “At the end of the day, it’s just makeup,” says Albert. “It’s all about creating new looks and going with what you like.”
At the Shopee Beauty Affair, the makeup artist taught us some of his signature tricks on how to pull off a long-lasting look, especially with the rainy season.
#1 Set, set, set
A lot of people think that setting your makeup is just about applying a finishing powder on top of your foundation. For Albert, you can make any product last longer if you place a matching powder on it. “For eyeliners, may they be cream or gel, I advise to place a black eyeshadow on top to seal it in,” he shares. “For lipstick, matte or glossy, it’s true that you can place a thin tissue paper over your lips and dust it lightly with powder to make it stick.”
#2 Your fixing spray doesn’t matter, your primer does
Fixing sprays have become more popular with more drugstore versions coming close to luxury standards. It’s a myth though how some fixing sprays are for dry skin while others are for oily skin types. Albert tells us “If you want to stay matte, it’s all about the primer that you choose. It doesn’t matter what your fixing spray may be. Don’t rely on that to keep your oil in control as a fixing spray’s main job [is to help] your makeup last all day.”
#3 Ditch the bronzing
Now that the clouds are coming in to bring rain showers, that strong bronzed highlight might look a little unnatural. Albert says to go for the strobing technique this season. Though, morenas should be wary of white highlighters as they won’t match your skin tone. Albert says that for morenas and other skin types with a yellow undertone, it’s best to strobe using a true gold eyeshadow for that natural glow.
#4 Forget oil-based lip balms
No matter what the weather may be and what lip trend you are following, don’t forget to set your lip product with a balm. Albert taught us that it’s better to place the lip balm after your chosen lipstick so you won’t taint the natural consistency of your lip product and so it will cling directly on to your skin. “I always go for water-based lip balms because oil-based ones tend to make your lipstick bleed,” shares Albert.
#5 Keep it real with your falsies
If you want to wear false lashes, don’t forget to measure them first to your eye and cutting them to your shape to avoid having the corners poke at your eye. “I also recommend curling your lashes and putting mascara first before sticking your lashes on,” he says. “Also, don’t put mascara on your false lashes. Simply curl them again to [help them bond] with your natural lashes and especially if you want to use your false lashes again.”
#6 Blush first, eyeshadow second
“Women always put eyeshadow first and when they apply blush, it doesn’t mask the look,” Albert says. “You should put blush first so you don’t look flushed out once you apply eyeshadow.”
#7 Gel and liquid formulations are rain-proof
The thing about rainy season here is how the humidity sets in, which guarantees your face will melt off. “For eyeshadows, use a gel based one so it will stick to the skin despite the humidity. When it comes to foundation, reaching [for a liquid one over a cream one] is better,” says Albert.
#8 Keep the eyebrows undone
Right now, the trend is all about strongly drawn eyebrows and matte lips. Albert is looking forward to make the unfinished eyebrows done a trend. “I want the Philippines to adapt to that because it suits any look [may it be] glamorous, smokey, or just with red lips, more than the [strong brows.]”
Photos courtesy of Albert Kurniawan’s Instagram account