Just like how every cloud has a silver lining if you look close enough, the good part about Zoom events is that you can attend a beauty soiree from the comfort of your couch…with a glass of wine in hand. This was the case last Tuesday, at Vogue Singapore and Laura Mercier’s make-up masterclass with the brand’s Director of International Education and Events, Tayaba Jafri—to talk all about their new Translucent Loose Setting Powder Light Catcher. And if the goodie bags delivered to our specially invited attendees were any indication, they were in for a night of radiance—and a cute brush along.
Before setting any make-up, one would naturally have to apply all the other beautiful layers first, and this is exactly what Tayaba did with the help of part-Singaporean, Toronto-based model, Estyr Phua. “As Laura says, every make-up look begins with good skin, so I’m going to prep Estyr’s skin with our Nourishing Rose Oil to hydrate and take care of any dry or dehydrated areas, before going in with a primer”. According to Tayaba, the golden key to make-up that lasts is the sandwich technique, where she starts with primer, creating an even base for subsequent layers (like concealer, foundation and contour) to adhere to, before locking everything in with a smoothing, protective veil of setting powder. For this particular demonstration, her layers were simple and skin-focused, with a light layer of Tinted Moisturizer Oil-Free, and a tiny touch of the Secret Camouflage Duo Stick to conceal and even out discolouration around the nose and under eyes.
Right before moving onto the eyes and answering questions midway through the masterclass, Tayaba dished out another golden beauty tip, this time for the cheeks: “try mixing bronzer with a little bit of blush—it is the secret to adding a little extra pop of health to the face. Nothing’s more beautiful than healthy, luminous skin—that works with any make-up look”. She laid these bronze and blush powder formulas over Secret Camouflage concealer in a few shades darker than Estyr’s skin tone to sculpt and contour.
When asked about the key differences between the original Translucent Loose Setting Powder and Light Catcher, Tayaba explained how the new luminous reiteration is made with the same best-selling formula, with the ability to smooth skin texture and blur out pores, while setting make-up for seamless 12-hour wear. “The key difference is that this also comprises multidimensional warm and cool tone pearls that add luminosity without any photo flashback”.
“The key difference is that this comprises multidimensional warm and cool tone pearls that add luminosity without any photo flashback”
On application, she added: “You can use this exactly like how you’d use a setting powder, but I’d avoid baking in areas that you’d want a more mattifying effect. If you tend to have drier skin or are dealing with a little dullness, I’d use the Light Catcher all over with the powder puff and taco technique (where she massages the powder into the puff before press-and-rolling it on for a more diffused finish). Or, if you’re leaning towards the oilier side, I’d use TLSP on spots that require mattification—like around the nose—and use Light Catcher everywhere else. You can also use a brush for added, targeted illumination. This is all about creating glowing, multidimensional skin that’s not matte or flat”.
After finishing the look with Caviar Stick Eye Colours in Amethyst and Roseglow on the lids, eye-defining swipes of mascara, Longwear Lip Liner in Chestnut around the lips and Rouge Essentiel Silky Crème Lipstick in Brun Pale to complete a rosy nude pout, Tayaba declared: “You want to control where the eye focuses on, and for me, this make-up look draws the eye to her skin”.
And for those wondering if you can only use setting powder for what make-up junkies call a “full beat”, the beauty of Laura Mercier’s Translucent Loose Setting Powder Light Catcher is that it can be dusted onto light make-up to brighten up the skin, or even on bare complexions when you have just a minute to “glow up” before a Zoom call.
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