Products Used

The beauty of working as a freelance makeup artist, is tying up with a salon from time to time.  It is another venue to hone your skills and get a first hand experience of working with real women with real beauty issues or needs.  Guess who happened to drop by at Elevation Salon,?    Regal beauty herself, Mrs. Amparito Lhuillier!    She walked into the salon a little past her appointment and reasoned the Manila traffic was to blame for her tardiness.  She just came from her homecoming at St. Scholastica College in Manila.  

While waiting for her to arrive , I immediately went to the internet to do some research about her  and found photos of herself in many glossies with her trademark look of dark smoky eyes with a red lip, and I was thinking immediately a la Paloma Picasso.  Only a few women can rock this look and being of Spanish lineage, it really is fitting although it may sound like a cliche look for most women of the same heritage.  Pressure is on when you’re doing someone famous!  

In terms of the look, I thought of doing something else for her but something in me decided to stick to her signature look.  I will not reveal her age, but she does have a figure and stature of a model still in her prime.  Defying gravity you say? (Did I mention she is also a Facial Care Center spokesperson?  Beauty Secret #1 revealed. ) 

Armed with her little baon of beauty staples with her, I was surprised that she carries with her a handful of laminated photos of the hairstyles and makeup looks that suit or she thinks will complement her.  This is a woman who knows what she wants!  Due to her numerous social engagements, she has perfected her beauty routine to a T and mentioned that she has a lady that does her hair and makeup in Cebu that knows her face like the back of her hand and has been at it for many years now.  On top of that this lady does her hair and nails, too, and Mrs. Lhuillier excitedly narrates that she does supply her with all the beauty things she needs whenever she goes abroad to keep her abreast of what’s new.  

I was overwhelmed by her beauty. the hour actually felt like a blur, but she gave me the most wonderful advice:

“Flaunt your assets and hide your flaws”.  

I just had to ask her about her famous daughter, Monique Lhuillier, the famous bridal designer who is making her mark in the global bridal fashion industry.  Mrs. Lhuillier (being a proud parent) casually mentioned that she gave her daughter a small loan to start her business not thinking how it will succeed.  She even told me that in the early years, she would go help her daughter during her trunk shows at Bergdorf Goodman and Lord and Taylor by steaming and packing the gowns and dresses and helping her sort out her orders in her high heels and cocktail dress.

Now that is what I call effective marketing — two chic sophisticated ladies selling bridal gowns!  

And, of course, the rest is history.  Now she says she can’t even afford the dresses that her daughter makes when asked if she always gets to wear her daughter’s own creations.  Being the greatest supporter of  Cebu fashion, she also proudly wears the creations of Jun Escario and Phillip Rodriguez alongside her internationally branded couture ensembles.

Spending an afternoon with her was like chatting with an old friend who you have not seen for years.  She does get animated and her face lights up when you bring out the topic of philanthropy (which her event that night was all about).  She does not have any airs around her, and spoke to everyone at the salon. She treated the staff with humor and grace.  She also mentioned that she is planning to join a fashion show next month in Manila and the designer asked her to model and proceeds will go to a charity organisation that she supports.  How cool is that?  She made us laugh with her humor, and gave us a glimpse of her fabulous life which will always be fascinating to anyone.  

Thank you Elevation Salon and Mrs. Lhuillier for a well spent afternoon.

And now, here is my breakdown of her makeup look. I was amazed at how she also combines low end and high end cosmetics when she showed me her lipstick arsenal.  She actually uses Fashion 21 Cosmetics in Red Sea as her signature red lip.  Mixed with that, she also discovered the color of the season, orange, which she perfectly mixed with her red one.  She finally decided on MAC Dubonnet for this particular look.  Check out the print of her blouse.  She really doesn’t leave home without her red lipstick — or two.  

Face:

Makeup Forever HD Primer in Neutral

Makeup Forever HD Foundation in shade 120

Makeup Forever Panstick in shade 7W to contour her face

Makeup Forever Sculpting Kit 1

Ben Nye Banana Powder

Eyes:

Makeup Forever Lift Concealer #3

MAC Eye Prep and Prime in Medium

MAC Lingering Eye Pencil 

Christian Brow Powder in Brown 

Benefit Brow Zing Powder in Medium

Chanel Illusion D’ Ombre in Mirifique all over eyelid stopping below the crease

Chanel Ilusion D Ombre in Illusoire to blend on the crease

Ben Nye Espresso eye shadow  to soften the crease 

Lorea”l Voluminous Mascara in Black/brown

MAC Eye Kohl pencil in Smolder on the waterline and lashline

MAC Blacktrack on lashline

Makeup Forever eyeliner no 21L

Ben Nye Black and Espresso eye shadow to intensify and blend on the eyelid and outer V of the eye.

Lips:

Fashion 21 Red Sea

 Mac Dubonnet

Makeup Forever Products  are available at SM Aura and Megamall, Christian Brow Powder is available at Beauty Bar,  Ben Nye Essential Eye and Rouge Palette and Banana Powder are  available at MakeUp Pro and Pure Beauty and Digital Traincase