THESE days, we’re seeing less and less women who wear nothing on their faces to go to work or school. It’s nothing complicated usually, but I’m glad more women are doing their brows, applying eyeliner and dabbing some tint on their cheeks and lips. Disclaimer: Makeup is meant to enhance a person’s beauty. She can choose to wear makeup or not.
But because of the weather, nothing stays on these days, right? That isn’t quite true. Beauty products have evolved because brands have realized they need to be more attuned to our needs. We’ve put together a list of products that will last even if the cruel summer gets you all sweaty.
EYELINER
UNLESS you never get out of an air-conditioned room, using eyeliner in this weather seems like a struggle. Well, not really. We’re lucky to have access to stuff that guarantees your wings stay in place. Estee Lauder Double Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in Coffee stays on for at least six to seven hours and that isn’t bad at all. My friend Agoo Bengzon, who is an expert on beauty and skin care, has said that there’s no such thing as the perfect eyeliner and I sort of agree with her. Eyeliner doesn’t stay put because it either flakes or is displaced by oil, so it migrates to places you don’t want eyeliner to be in. Estee Lauder Double Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil promises to stay put and it does. I like to do a smudged eyeliner look with this because it has a sponge at the other end. I like this because unlike other long-wear pencils, this one is quite soft and applies without any struggle. With a price tag of over P1,000, Estee Lauder Double Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil is quite expensive for an eyeliner but if you’re into luxury makeup, then this is worth the investment even if you’re only supposed to use this for three months. Another con is that you’d have to sharpen it as it is not retractable.
EYEBROW PRODUCTS
THE K-Palette One Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow 24H (P795) is still one of my favorite brow products. I always have one or two in my stash. The price may be quite expensive but this is what I realized when it comes to brow products, the less expensive ones can often turn out to be too red. K-Palette’s brow products are moderately priced and work really well, plus their colors are on spot. On days when my brows are well-shaped and groomed, meaning the week after I have had them waxed or threaded, I can get away with using just this. Otherwise, I top K-Palette with the Wunder2 Wonderbrow (P1,600 at BeautyMNL), a brow gel that can stay on for days should you want it to. I like this product because it’s waterproof and sweat-proof, but it is also not difficult to remove. Wonderbrow has a learning curve. I use a spoolie with an eyebrow brush at the other end (Dual Precision Brush by Wunder2 for P400 at BeautyMNL) and use the brush to get the product, instead of applying it directly on my brows.
BLUSH
FOR long-wearing blush, cream products are good choices. You may also go for tints, which can be tricky for beginners to apply. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush, which is unfortunately not available in the Philippines, lasts for hours and hours without the need for retouching. I have three of this but my favorite shade is Tipsy, a bright coral-orange. I apply it with a Real Techniques Perfect Face Brush (P603 at www.sephora.ph). After I have dipped the brush into the product, I spray the brush with MAC Cosmetics Prep + Prime Fix+ before applying it on my face. That makes it last longer. Another favorite is the Burberry Lip and Cheek Bloom (P1,575 at www.sephora.ph) for more subdued color. I use this more on the cheeks than the lips. The texture is silicone-y but it lasts for around two to three hours, which isn’t bad at all.