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How has your makeup preferences changed over the years? How I do my makeup today

March 15, 2019 Paris B 25 Comments

I started my makeup journey with one philosophy : If it’s not seen, how would people know I’m wearing makeup?

Yes, I was not terribly secure in my application nor choice of colours, but I was into sparkles and shimmer, pink blushes and blue eyeshadow, all topped off with a bold lip. I had a lot of leeway in my place of work, and they tolerated it even if I might have pulled off some strange looks back then.

It was about then also that I started paying more attention to makeup, and the different collections that were hitting the stands. This was back in the day when new collections would take about 2-3 months to arrive on our sun-drenched shores. By that time, I’d have read all the reviews from people in the UK and USA about what was good or what to avoid. Helped save me money!

But whenever a new collection popped up with a neutral or brown eyeshadow palette, and muted colours for cheeks and lips, my interest level would drop. Brown? Neutrals? What’s the point of a nude makeup look? I’d scoff.

I cannot tell you when exactly I crossed the line from wearing “bright colourful makeup” to “understated neutral makeup” but I crossed that line quite many years ago when I woke up one day and realised that I was wearing makeup not for anyone, but for myself. The lightbulb went on!

So I’m curious to know if or how your makeup preferences has changed over the years and I’ll show you quickly how I do my looks these days – very quick, very efficient 🙂

My Bobbi Brown Story : All good stories start with a good foundation

February 25, 2019 Paris B 16 Comments

There are some makeup brands that enter your life like a comet, flying straight for your heart, and making a large impact. There are others that simmer at the back of your consciousness for years, like a slow burn, before one burst of oxygen ignites this interest and causes it to burst into flame.

For me, Bobbi Brown was the latter brand.

I only started experimenting with makeup when I started my first job. Neutral, muted colours that Bobbi Brown was known for, was not part of my makeup vocabulary then. I was all about blue and green eyeshadow, and shimmer and making sure people knew I had makeup on!

But to facilitate the application of all these colours, I needed a canvas.

Liquid foundation was new to me then. I had only used powder foundation (then known as 2-way cake – hands up everyone who remembers it called that!) and my one foray into liquid foundation was a disaster of epic proportions. I picked the wrong brand, wrong shade and wrong formula. Understandably, I was not confident to pick the right liquid foundation for myself.

Then, the slow burn that was at the back of my mind whispered to me – what about Bobbi Brown?

And just like that, a puff of oxygen blew across my consciousness and fanned my interest.

Chanel Spring Summer Makeup 2019 Vision d’Asie: L’Art du Detail is beautiful bar one confusing detail

February 15, 2019 Paris B 14 Comments

I think by now you’d realise that I’m a bit of a Lucia Pica fan-girl. Lucia Pica has been the Creative Director of Chanel beauty since 2016 when she kicked off the Le Rouge collection for Fall 2016.

Since then, I anticipate each beauty collection released from Chanel, knowing each time, that I will face a little surprise. Often pleasant. Thus far, I have yet to be disappointed.

For Spring-Summer 2019 Vision d’Asie: L’Art du Detail, Lucia Pica drew inspiration from light, colour and texture in Japan. Eyes are kept bright in the Les 9 Ombres eye palette (I don’t have it, and haven’t yet had the chance to see it but it’s similar in layout to this one from last year)

Lip are bright and lush in matte velvet textures. But it was one new item in the collection that had me going “What on earth is that? How do I use it? Will I even use it?!”

Your say: Do you use applicators included in makeup palettes and compacts?

February 13, 2019 Paris B 28 Comments

This is something that’s been bugging me for a while. I notice that new makeup items often come with an applicator. This is true, whether it comes from the pharmacy, or if it is a department store or luxury brand.

I open a compact holding a powder blush, and out will fall a little, scratchy cheek brush.

Or I open an eyeshadow palette, and out drops sponge-tipped applicators or random, skinny dual-ended little brushes.

More than once, I’d have to scramble around the floor picking up these little projectiles that fly out of my makeup compacts, much to my consternation.

So my question for you today is this – Do you use the applicators included with makeup? Are they good for anything?

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