Tis’ the season of joyous celebrations and wonderful gifts, and this Christmas, SA’s beauty community received the ultimate Christmas gift. We witnessed the launch of the globally iconic brand NARS setting shop in selected ARC stores. It’s been a long time coming but for most beauty mavens residing in SA, the arrival of NARS has piqued our excitement for what’s next to come for the beauty industry.
For most, it was a dreamlike experience to be so close to a brand whose products we’ve admired and adored from afar. The product formulas are innovative and each is formulated with amazing skincare ingredients. Their products are curated to be timeless, catering to the simple or the full-coverage glam.
Whether you’re a novice or a beauty pro, you can always benefit from a few new makeup hacks and tricks to perfect your makeup. From our #FYP (for you page) congested with how-to’s on glass skin to blush placement, it can be difficult to find a full-proof method that works specifically for you.
We were privileged to have the opportunity to sit down with Charly Barbier, the Education Director for NARS Cosmetics, to get some pro tips on how to perfect your make-up and keep it looking flawless.
TIP #1 THE MINIMALIST
Skinminimalism was dubbed the make-up trend of the year by many celebrities such as Hailey Bieber and Kylie Jenner, who have embraced a softer and more natural look. Don’t get us wrong, we still stan a full-cover glam, however, the shift to natural offers a more seamless finish.
“We’ve seen a lot of celebrities use this approach such as Hailey Bieber. It’s beautiful because it creates that seamless and natural radiance. Stick to the basics, use a good moisturizer, and either use a lightweight foundation or even just concealer. This enhances and allows the natural glow to peak through the make-up and is great for makeup longevity,” suggests Charly.
“NARS products are formulated to create that skinlike finish. Our complexion products are packed with amazing skincare ingredients that protect and nourish the skin. I think using the skin-like approach is beautiful because then your skin looks naturally glowy and radiant,” adds Charly.
TIP #2 THE GREATEST MAKEUP TOOL
To get that skinlike finish opt to use your hands instead of brushes and sponges. The concept of using your hands and forgoing the other tools seemed daunting at first however, the results were life-changing.
“Blend liquid or creamy products with your fingers because this changes the look of your skin. Using your fingers makes the application look seamless because the warmth from your fingertips makes the product become one with the skin,” adds Charly.
“Before I would use my hands, but now I use my fingers and I spend time blending. It’s all about the blending. So take time with blending the product into the skin,” Charly goes on to say.
TIP #3 BLUSH PLACEMENTS
“A trend we’ve been seeing a lot right now is a lot more blush. It’s not just about adding layers of blush but more about the placement. Become familiar with your face. Find your bone structure and place blush here right up to your temples. This makes you look lifted. It’s all about where you place blush, so be aware and get to know your bone structure when you add blush,” adds Charly. Light to medium skin tones should use a peachy or light pink while red and coral shades are beautiful against darker and deeper dark skin tones. “To make your blush last longer, layer powder blush over liquid blush,” Charly finally says.
TIP #4 LESS POWDER
“Baking is used for Drag Queens. It helps the makeup stay in place and look more intense. When you bake and then go under natural daylight it’ll make you look dated and too artificial. It looks too obvious,” suggests Charly. “Stick to using cream and liquid products, and if you need to powder then use a compact powder gently applying with a sponge.”
