There he was, a vision of eye candy if you will.  He began the session by apologising.  He apologised for his lack of command of the English and Tagalog languages, he was, after all, Indonesian.

He warmed my heart.  Sigh…., even if he spoke in Hebrew or Russian, it didn’t matter at all, standing a few feet from me was the man of the hour, Albert Kurniawan, NARS Philippines Chief Makeup Artist.  His talent and work are legendary. Indonesian influence is not a bad thing.  He grew up watching his mother apply makeup and he carried with him an image of a very put together woman who never left the house without her eyes done.

He is the celebrity makeup artist in demand from the likes of Heart Evangelista,  Megan Young, Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup, the Bb. Pilipinas Pageant candidates, Georginna Wilson, Toni Gonzaga to name a few — and the list is endless.  He is probably on their speed dial.

What celebrity or model or bride has his hands not touched yet?  Obviously mine.  I still have to wait for a very red carpet event if I want to be under his beauty spell.  I can just hope that one day our paths will cross whether that is on a professional or social  level.

NARS Philosophy

The place was packed when I arrived and I should’ve left earlier so I could get a good seat.  Sensing it was going to be a well attended workshop, I opted to  stand on the side to get a better view of the demo.  While waiting for a colleague, Pia Reyes, I took a quick look at the NARS boutique to check out their items.

At the heart of the cosmetic line lies the chic modern luxurious simplicity of its look.  Yes simple and luxurious, a contradiction in itself.  Francois Nars the creator of his own brand believes that “There are no rules when it comes to beauty. He says, “Whatever makes you look and feel good is right.”   It’s unmistakable appeal lies in its ability to make the consumer feel like its a guilty caprice, part of a wardrobe staple or a coveted accessory that makes it part of a lifestyle  or simply a state of mind.

Packaging designed by Fabien Baron, reflects Francois Nars’s love of form and function with its black soft casing with his name emblazoned in white.  Fashion and Classic Colors are outrageously pigmented  because it is designed to make the woman express herself creatively and imbibe her own style. Credit belongs to him with the introduction of The Multiple, the original 3-1 multi functional stick that can be applied to the eyes, cheeks and lips, and who can forget the iconic universal blush Orgasm and its spinoffs?  Turkish Delight Lipgloss as famously worn by Kim Kardashian?

NARSkin

Albert Kurniawan hit the nail on the head when he began stressing the importance of having good skin as a key essential in having makeup look and feel good on the face.  He moisturised the model’s face with the Nars moisturiser and the star of the skincare line is the NARS brightening serum that brightens the skin and dulls the imperfections on the face.  Second to that was the application of the primer as a key element in the longevity of the makeup.  Their skin line prides itself with the use of prime ingredients that are plant derived and maximising its benefits in giving our skin the utmost  nourishment.

With the advent of wholistic living, NARS believes that what we put in our bodies like water, nutrients, antioxidants and supplements should mirror the good things we put in our skin .  What he offers is a condensed skincare line that will cleanse, hydrate, protect, refresh and revitalise in order to keep it  in its tip top shape.  Having good skin is the perfect beauty compliment any woman can have.

Secrets from the Master

• Put eye drops first on the eyes to brighten the whites of the eyes and clean out any debris.  Eyes look bigger and refreshed.
• Feel the skin.  Touch the face to see if the face is properly moisturised and prepped for makeup.  It should feel slightly tacky.  You may apply a light application of BB cream prior to the foundation application.
• Powder the skin lightly after moisturing.  This will give a satin finish to the skin, a perfect canvas for the foundation application.  This step is a no-no in the makeup school, as  we were taught the golden rule that creams over creams and powder after powder.  The logic behind this is the caking of the skin when you begin your makeup.  Albert explained that this step is a foolproof way of making the makeup last longer.  I did try it on myself and it does feel like satin when I applied my foundation after.  Makeup Myth no. 1 debunked.
• Apply foundation with your hands and not a brush.  Aside from leaving streaks, the warmth of your hands will activate the ingredients of the foundation making the skin look dewy and well, like second skin.  Most NARS liquid and cream products are best applied with the hands as heat activation causes the ingredients in the product to fully sink in the skin.
• After the application of the foundation, contour the face using the number 3 motion.  Begin at the side of the temple, the hollow of the cheek and ending at the jaw line.  He says never to be afraid if you apply blush more than the usual, from the apples of the cheek just on top of the hollow of the cheek and do not go past the ear.  Blush will disappear quickly once you’ve finished with the makeup.  Apply a highlighter on the high points of the face as a last step.
• Line the lower lash line with a light green pencil instead of the white or beige colour.  The reason is because in basic colour theory, green counteracts redness and neutralises it.    Genius!!  All along I’ve been applying the beige liner on the waterline to conceal redness.    I really learned something new again.  Another Makeup trick learned.
• When you apply mascara to the lashes, begin by applying a volumizing formula first.  Wait for it to dry and then apply a waterproof one when you have applied your false lashes.  This guarantees your lashes will be immune to tears and sweat.  I shed a tear as I write this.  Tee hee hee hee
• Use an eyebrow pencil first to frame the eyebrows.  Brush upwards to soften the harsh edges.  Fill brows with powder.  Whatever is left on the brush, use it at the front of the brow so as not to appear surprised, dense and dark.  Use  a brow gel to tame the brows and apply a highlighter underneath the brow to give it a finished look.
• Essential products to have are the Multiple stick, mascara, Tinted moisturiser, lipstick, blush and loose powder.  Essential brushes to have are the blush/powder brush, brow brush, a dense eye shadow brush and a blending brush and lip brush.  Concealers are meant to be applied with the fingers hence, no concealer brush.
• You may pair a bold lip with a bold eye.  Look for balance.

Finished result

My Takeaways

Aside from the complimentary photos, sample sachets of the primer and serum,  I took away from this workshop a validation of sorts that makeup  should be simple enough but  also fun.   Real and sexy are a state of mind.  Simplicity and luxurious can coexist.

Albert’s seminars are still ongoing,  from 5:30-7:00 pm,  June 20 at the Rustans Alabang Town Center and at Edsa Shangrila on the 27th.  Be early, seats can get taken quickly.