An Evening (and Makeover) with Maz, Chief Makeup Artist, Shu Uemura Singapore
I recently got the chance to spend an evening getting my makeup done by the uber-talented Maz from Shu Uemura, and aside from that, getting to try some exciting new stuff launching in August (sneak preview of a glossy lacquer-finish mascara, an eye cream that “lifts" lashes, and a new curler from the brand that already sells one of the most popular curlers in the world).
In between chatting about colorful makeup, nails, traveling, and cheap hair irons, I also got some makeup tips from the pro herself!
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First, the new products! *Sorry I’m not able to obtain US/EU/AU pricing as yet, so prices are listed in SGD only.
Tokyo Lash Mascara (S$50)
The Tokyo Lash mascara is designed for lazy girls and girls who want drama. It’s designed with a V-shaped “Kirenaga" brush-head that promises to do away with the need to “wiggle your wand". It grips and coats your lashes quickly and evenly, and also contains ceramides to condition and strengthen them.
It’s long-lasting, voluminizing, lengthening, smude-proof, and best of all, sets with a dramatic, glossy, black-lacquer effect that I LOVE (below).
P.S. This mascara is not designed to be built up in layers. You build it up in a single application.
The “S Curler" (S$30)
The legendary Shu Uemura curler is getting a little companion. And this time, even newbies to lash curling shouldn’t have any problem learning to use it. The S curler is a sleek, side-bar free section-curler that’s as sturdy and effective as the original, but designed slightly differently from other section-curlers.
It is shaped to prevent lid-pinching (ouch), and to fit all eye sizes and shapes while allowing you the precision of reaching those annoying outer-corner lashes anytime you want. The lack of sidebars also means you can move from section to section smoothly, and get a more even curl across your whole strip of lashes.
P.S. This curler can also be used AFTER your falsies go on!
[Not pictured] Tsuya Skin Youth-Infusing Eye Concentrate (S$70)
Shu’s adding an eye-care product alongside best-selling Tsuya skin serum, and this fresh-smelling, lightweight rejuvenation cream is designed to tighten, lift, smooth and condition the eye area.
One strange thing I was told was that test subjects noticed wider-looking eyes in a week and the appearance of lifted lashes in a month. The team explained that what really happens is the skin tightening effect naturally causes eyes to look more open, and the “lifting" effect results in a slightly higher tilt to the angle of the lashes.
Lastly, it serves as an effective eye primer to help your eyeshadows go on smoother and more intensely, so you can skip having to apply a second product before your eye makeup goes on.
I’m curious to see if this will allow my under-eye concealer and setting powder to last and look fresh longer. Makeup fading/creasing under my very dry eyes is the bane of my life. I’ll let you know after I manage to get my hands on a tube!
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The Makeup!!
If you are interested in recreating those 2 looks pictured above, here are the products Maz used:
Day - pearlescent pink look
- Lid shade: P 140 (packed over entire lid with a flat shader brush)
- Socket line: M 863 (matte brown very lightly applied so there’s some definition but no obvious contouring color)
- Lower lash line: M 776 (matte purple)
- Inner corners and brow bone: M 907 (matte white)
- liner: lasting soft gel pencil in M black (new favorite of mine; this is one of those new-generation creme-liner pens that give intensity like a khol, last like a gel, and come as a fuss-free, portable automatic pencil)
- Tokyo Lash Mascara (available in August 2013)
Evening - Nuanced Multi-color Eye
Maz applied right over the Day look on my lids, to demonstrate how the simple pastel makeup can be transformed into a more dramatic one for evening.
- Center of lid: a sparkly orange cream shadow G 251 was applied right to the central portions of the lid to catch the light and enhance the eye contour.
- Outer half of Socket line: A matte purple was applied along the outer half of the socket line to jazz up the brown applied earlier. This purple contrasts with and brings out the orange.
- Inner half of socket line: A glimmering gold G L 345 was brushed along the hollow of the eye from inner corner out, until it meets the purple.
- Inner corners: A metallic silver, G Silver, was applied right at the inner corners of the lower lash line for a bit of extra sheen.
Cheeks and Lips
- Cheeks: Maz applied a slightly shimmery bronzer shade (P 780) and then a warm peachy color to the cheeks (P 560).
- Lips: I am wearing a light coat of rouge unlimited lipstick in M BG 942, a soft latte shade, with a little pale shimmery peachy-beige gloss CR 20 S) over it.
MAZ’S PRO MAKEUP TIPS:
- Don’t just slap on your eye cream. It’s important to give your orbital area a gentle massage as you work the product in, so you improve circulation and reduce puffiness and dark circles.
- Using a matte white in the inner corners brightens up the eye in the day without looking too dramatic for work or school.
- A lot of women stick with neutrals for the day, but soft, dusty, colors like mauve pink, lavender, etc can actually make you look more awake and brighten up the eye area.
- Don’t just pick colors that are complementary. Sometimes contrasting colors work beautifully together. Try warm golds and bronzes with blues and violets. (Maz is obviously a woman after my own heart when it comesto color!)
- Emphasize and play up your natural eye shape. If you have almond shaped eyes, emphasize that rather than trying to make it rounder all the time. Ditto for any other eye shape.
- [For girls who want LENGTH to their lashes] Hold your mascara wand almost vertically (pointing down or up), and concentrate on using the tip to brush mascara up along the lash length, working in sections. This takes more time but builds more intense length than the usual sideways wiggle. (And it gets those annoying corner lashes.)