Beauty Picks

The eyes have it

MANILA, Philippines - From the second I felt of an age to wear red lipstick (FYI, 18, because I’m actually pretty conservative), I was wearing red lipstick. I popped into a Beauty Bar one day (there used to be one along Katipunan, right next to Starbucks, a zillion years ago), picked up a tube of some scarlet shade from Prestige that wasn’t too heavy on my colegiala budget, and never looked back. And for the next six years, that’s how people recognized me: Red Lipstick Regina. It was only on rare occasions that I messed around with eye makeup, employing the smoky eye + nude lip combo whenever I felt the need to look a little less edgy, a little more feminine, i.e. a little more appealing to boys, because who wants to kiss off a pound of red lipstick?

I don’t know if it’s because we tend to tone ourselves down a little as we age, or maybe it’s because luxe minimalist dressing has crept up on us and luxe minimalist makeup is creeping up on us, too, but my numerous tubes of retro matte red have not seen much action lately. It’s all about the eyes. It’s all about that subtle pop of “Hey, you look really pretty today!” instead of an in-your-face “Hey, I like your makeup!” (Yes, there is a marked difference: you want people to see you, not your cosmetics.)

Bobbi Brown in eye definition

Something no guy in the history of ever seems to have figured out: there is no such thing as “no makeup.” Unless he’s dating the kind of girl who really does wear absolutely no makeup. A rare breed these days, because even the most low-maintenance girl is probably sporting a hint of tint. And that’s what it’s all about: the barest minimum of definition. A subtle touch of color, a little line to the eyes, some lushness to the lashes.

Bobbi Brown has always been one of the best at subtle beauty, and the latest to come off her shelves, the Perfectly Defined Collection, has that down pat. The Long-Wear Gel Liner (a longtime favorite of any beauty girl who has wanted to party all night with makeup that doesn’t move) is finally, finally in pencil form, depositing great pigmentation with enough precision to pull off winged liner. I don’t know why we have lived so long without it; I’m just glad that it’s finally here.

And since no eye look is complete without great lashes, the two-hit combo of the Gentle Curl Eyelash Curler and their Dual Ended Mascara (which comes with both the Extreme Party and No Smudge mascaras) top it all off perfectly for a pretty look that doesn’t scream “Look at me! Look at me! Look at me!” because, ladies, the Lady Gaga level of attention whoring is about as late as the term 2000-and-late.

Clinique-ally lush lashes

Even the most devoted beauty nerd has lazy, can’t-be-bothered-to-make-paganda days, and on those days, we try to get away with wearing as little as possible. In my case, that’s under-eye concealer (don’t leave home without it unless you want to be asked every five seconds if you’re feeling under the weather), nice eyebrows, lip and cheek tint, and mascara. The mascara is crucial; curling your lashes and topping them off with two coats make all the difference in making you look alert and awake; they define the eyes in a way that looks natural. Unless, that is, you’ve been using a thick, clumpy mascara that makes you look like you’ve coated your lashes with oil paint.

For those no-makeup makeup days, you want mascara that gives your lashes definition without looking obviously like mascara. Clinique’s Lash Power Feathering Mascara does just that: it gives length a little boost and tops off lashes without clumping them together like some other mascaras tend to. The separation makes lashes look natural, soft and feathery, and it’s a buildable formula, so if you feel the need to pile on more, you definitely can. The best bit? If you really are having a lazy day and don’t want to even think about the agonizing process of waterproof eye makeup removal (we’ve all been there), this formula stays on when you want it to stay on, but washes off easily with warm water as soon as you want it to come off. Thank you, Mascara Gods.

MAC’s nailing texture

I say this as someone who owns an assortment of nail polish guides and dotting tools and has Yayoi Kusama-d the crap out of her nails: Nail art has long been over. Sure, people are still doing it, it’s still fun, expression of creativity, blah blah blah, but nothing beats a clean, solid, perfectly polished nail. Like any junkie trying to get clean, though, I understand that it’s not a cold turkey process. The return to polish purity has to be gradual. And MAC is stocking up on the perfect solution for that: MAC Nail Transformations, topcoats designed by nail guru Marian Newman that give any plain polish a subtle, stylish twist.

You can choose to texturize with a coat that makes tips look leather-like, or give your nails a cool or warm (your pick) pearlescent sheen, or swipe on a touch of shadow with a coat that makes any color looks smoky. So it’s still not your average nail polish, but it’s a hell of a lot classier than looking like you’ve gone all Art Attack on your fingertips.