The artistic director of Shiseido reveals his genius tricks for getting skin to glow, pulling off megawatt colour, and more.
The artistic director of Shiseido reveals his genius tricks for getting skin to glow, pulling off megawatt colour, and more.
● I want to try a highlighter, but what exactly does it do, and where should I use it? VANESSA, 35
A highlighter gives you a beautiful full-face brightening effect, and I use one on almost every face I work on. But where you apply it is important. Use a creamy pearl highlighter – go with ivory for fair skin, gold for warmer tones – and dab it on the inner corner of your eye, under the outer edge of your brow, on the lower outside corner of your eye, and on the bow of your lip. Then blend with your fingertips. You can wear it alone, or follow with bronzer (underneath your cheekbones) and blusher (on your apples) to give your features added definition.
● I have acne. How do I conceal my breakouts so they’re actually hidden and not cakey-looking? AMANDA, 27
Don’t try to use foundation to cover everything in one go – thick makeup makes your problem more obvious. Start with a thin base layer, then use a soft brush to add more foundation or concealer to just the areas where the texture is uneven. Blending is key because you don’t want hard edges which catch the light and emphasise textural differences. For a big bump, use matte foundation and top the spot with a dab of “blur” cream to downplay the area. Then just throw on sunglasses and red lipstick for a show of confidence. Bingo!
● How do I wear bold shades without looking crazy? KAREN, 45
First of all, don’t take colour so seriously. Makeup isn’t about playing it safe with beige; it’s supposed to be fun. Start with a subtle nod by adding a little burgundy to your neutral eyeshadow. Or pick a brighter shade of eyeliner – bronze or copper instead of brown, and indigo or purple in lieu of black.
OUR GURU’S GO-TOS
His makeup must-haves: Shiseido Shimmering Cream Eye Color shadows ($32 each, Tangs at Tang Plaza). “They’re the most adaptable products. I blend them for everything: shadow, liner, highlighter, even on brows.”
