Insider: 9 Beauty Notes
We share a few of our best kept beauty secrets, just for you.
In a world where the benchmark of beauty glamour are dictated by sirens of the celluloid screen, we bring you 9 insider tips to help you sparkle and shine in your unabashed realness.
Beauty note 1:
Opium from Yves Saint Laurent is a behemoth of an oriental spicy scent. The time-tested classic conjures cigarettes left burning and the shadow of a demi-mondaine. M.A.C. Face and Body foundation is fantastic for giving exposed skin coverage and an even finish. To achieve an all-over glow, Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil will leave a decadent cast of gold.
Beauty note 2:
Red is as timeless as it is powerful: a strong lip in the classic M.A.C Rubywoo lipstick is faultless and universally flattering. NARS Audacious Lipstick in Jeanne is a vampy alternative. On the eyes, try the Matte Eyeshadow in Persia from NARS for a colour-blocked statement on the lids.
For colour-treated hair, Sachajuan Silver Conditioner deeply moisturises and tones the colour to prevent brassiness and dullness. Hanz de Fuko Claymation gives good lift and structure to hair, allowing you to style it any way. A bit of the timeless L’Oréal Elnett Hairspray will keep things in place, with a subtle flaxen finish.
Beauty note 3:
The waft of seduction and desire is captured in Tom Ford’s Tobacco Vanille, a spicy-sweet fragrance that combines the heaviness of a musky wood base and the masculine sweetness of cloves and cacao – the kind of accords that make you stop and take a deep breath.
Beauty note 4:
Express your inner lady-in-red with a spritz of Frederic Malle’s Carnal Flower, rendering a piercing gauze of animalic camphor married to the feminine wiles of tuberose. Mousse Fort and Volupt Spray from Sebastian Professional build volume and give silken lightness to hair. Define and introduce mystery to the eyes with the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen, NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow in Pasiphae and Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in Mirage.
Beauty note 5:
To achieve hyper sculptural facial structure, put a shadow to the cheekbones with Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate, using the namesake Shade & Illuminate brush. Head-turning highlights can be achieved using NARS The Multiple in Copacabana, copiously smeared on the high points of the cheekbones, nose bridge and brow bones. Coat the eyelashes in these layers: Tom Ford Extreme Mascara, Chanel Le Volume, finished with M.A.C Opulash to tube and set.
Prep the hair with Shu Uemura Art of Hair Volumizing Mousse to give a voluminous start, followed by Sachajuan Styling Cream for a sleek finish. A light spray of OSiS+ Extreme Hold Hairspray will lend a pliable but finished gloss for hair that flies and defies gravity.
Beauty note 6:
A good pucker takes effort – Clé de Peau Lip Treatment is a luxuriously smooth and refined serum that leaves lips soft and plump. Follow that with a swipe of Tom Ford Matte Lip Colour in the delicious shade Black Dahlia to enhance the pout – all the better to kiss with.
Beauty note 7:
Prep the face with a dollop of Illamasqua Radiance Veil for a lit-from-within lustre. The high points of the face can be brought forward and given light using Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector. For a golden pout, try NARS Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Gold Digger.
Beauty note 8:
Pamper the body with a generous layer of Les Exclusif de Chanel Crème Pour Le Corps body cream from Chanel, designed to maximise and increase the longevity of perfume worn after – Coromandel from the Les Exclusifs range is a spicy balsamic inspired by Chinese lacquered screens. Follow with Guerlain Sunless Tinted Self-Tanning Gel for a bronzed finish – vacation in Ibiza not necessary.
Beauty note 9:
Seduction for boys and girls comes in Sege Luten’s Five O’Clock Au Gingembre, combining the unexpected spice of candied ginger and the sweetness of over-ripe fruits. Call it bronze or call it gold — NARS Monoi Body Oil I can be used on for daily for moisture and the subtle glimmer of gold flecks. Chanel Le Vernis in Pirate is a timeless red that, when worn, imbues the hands with a beguiling pop of color.
Story credits:
Photography Chuando & Frey
Styling Joshua Cheung
Hair Marc Teng/ Atelier using Sebastian Professional; Sean Ang FAC3INC using La Biosthetique
Makeup Rick Yang, FAC3INC, assisted by Hong Ling using Make Up For Ever
Model Brigitta Liivak, Fabio Toledo, Matthew Djordjevic, Nicolai Otta
This story was first published in L’Officiel Singapore.