At the last stretch of summer, earth tones and shimmer make waves

MANILA, Philippines - The remains of summer just switched from “baking hot” to “steaming hot,” but still, wearing makeup during the day means doing a tightrope act putting sufficient color on your face without any of your usually trusty cosmetics melting off your skin.

While neon brights make up the hottest trend for the season, reality calls for the more subtle sheen that mineral shimmers and bronzers can bring. As The Philippine STAR beauty editor Therese Jamora-Garceau demonstrated last May 3 at the Beauty Forum of the Glorietta Style Souk, daytime makeup is best when it allows the skin to breathe. The Style Souk is a yearly event that offers shoppers a different kind of buying experience by putting together some of the hottest local and international clothing, accessories, and beauty brands in one place. It is presented by Ayala Malls, The Philippine STAR, and Tiger 22 and sponsored by Visa, Globe and Samsung.

“Powders and stains work best on humid days because you don’t have to pile them on to get some coverage and color,” Jamora-Garceau said as she demonstrated a quick and easy makeup routine on a model. “For foundation, I recommend mineral powder foundation as minerals aren’t  absorbed by the skin and they allow the skin to breathe.” A little shimmer powder also goes a long way, as a few dabs on the brow bone and on the inner corners of the eyes easily brighten up one’s look, and a few brush strokes on the cheekbones create the illusion of glow. As for the eyes, Jamora-Garceau advises, “Earth tones and warm yellows work well with most Filipinas’ skin tones. If you want to put a little more eyeshadow for the day, these shades remain easy to blend.” Light peaches, corals, and pinks are great hues for daytime blush, though for those who want a more sun-kissed -- not to mention slimming — look, bronzers are great alternatives. “I also like the glow that The Body Shop Shimmer Waves gives. It’s a versatile product that can pull together your whole makeup as well as accent the areas you want to highlight.”

Shoppers checked out the discounted goods at the Style Souk.

The Body Shop is just one of the brands that offered up to 70 percent discounts on selected items at the weekend-long Style Souk at Glorietta. From cosmetics to clothes, shoes to silver accessories and even books on fashion and style, the Glorietta activity center became the ideal shopping stop for four days for customers who want to score great finds without putting too big a dent on their pocketbooks: a pair of Tacci’s men’s loafers was a steal at P900, a faux snakeskin VNC bag cost only P990, The Little Black Book of Style by Nina Garcia was tagged at only P635. 

Aside from the great shopping options, Style Souk also provided mall-goers beauty and fashion talks with industry insiders and experts on its opening night. Aside from Jamora-Garceau’s daytime makeup demonstration, there was The Body Shop resident makeup artist Argie Lingat’s talk on nice and easy (but still dramatic) application of evening makeup and celebrity stylist Alyanna Martinez’s presentation on how to make a fuss-free transition from corporate wear to cocktail wear. All the items and products used in the talks were sourced from the brands available at the Style Souk shopping area.

Music was also on the menu, as Chicosci and Miguel Escueta performed live sets last May 4 and 5 respectively. The Glorietta Style Souk then ended on a high note with dreamboat-of-the-moment Xian Lim entertaining the crowd last May 6.

Catch the next Style Souk at the Marquee Mall in Pampanga on May 13.