makeup artist

makeup artist
Carol Mackie (@carol_mackie) has more than 18 years of experience in the industry, and has created various looks for both editorial and runway shows from London, Milan and Paris.

On using a matte lipstick differently

“I was overseas for Fashion Weeks in London, Milan and Paris recently, and though we’re seeing a lot of Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours that we love, we’re also seeing a lot of gloss too. It’s not just about creating the perfect lip line anymore, but more of softening around the edges to create slightly blurred-out romantic lips. There are different textures of matte, so we can use them differently. A liquid matte lipstick’s USP: you can get different opacity, intensity and depth of colour (like a sheer matte or a really opaque one).”

The best way to line your lips perfectly

makeup artist
M.A.C Cosmetics Whirl Dirty Rose Lip Pencil, $32

“Apply the lipstick first, then line them afterwards with the pencil. For optimal effect, use the lip conditioner to soften the lip then blot off any excess. Next, use a lip primer, which is essential to help the lipstick stay on. It’s also a smoothing product that can be used around the lip to let products glide on easier (especially if you have fine lines).”

The best lip colours seen on the runway that would look great for Christmas

makeup artist
M.A.C Cosmetics Nutcracker Sweet Saucy Little Darling, $36

“Definitely a lot of reds. In terms of trends and what has been happening overseas, we saw many different kinds – from plum reds to softer, more romantic shades to brighter orange reds. For instance, at Kenzo’s fashion show, we used a beautiful orange red colour. And just before the runway, we layered it with gloss. When you use a matte lipstick, the liquid dries, and when you apply the gloss over, you don’t have so much movement. It’s fun because you can completely transform the matte into a harsh-shine, an almost patent gloss.”

A clear lip gloss is a must-have this festive season

“Gloss is so huge this season; it is on the eyes, on the lids, on the cheeks. You can apply clear lip gloss onto your eye lids (I’ve got them on mine now) to add shine. Just a little though – you don’t want to put it over the whole eyelid as it gets too sticky. You can even apply it to highlight the cheekbones to add a bit of shine.”

Add glitter to your makeup

“For the party season, the trick is to not be afraid of the glitter. It’s good to focus on one key feature of the face, for example, on the eyes or it’d look too conflicting. Mixing mediums is great for this; use a clear eyeliner then paste on the glitter (M.A.C Cosmetics’ Reflects Glitter is super fine with a beautiful shimmer).”

The coolest way to draw your eyeliner now

“Apply a more solid line that’s more chunky (not so much of the flick in a cat-eye), or add a graphic shape to it.”

Tips on creating a festive yet natural makeup look

makeup artist
M.A.C Cosmetics Prep + Prime Essential Oil, $38

“Festive or not, from everyday makeup to runway makeup, the focus is always on the skin. We’re now using more skincare products than ever to prep. I particularly love the softening lotion and essential oil (above) from the brand’s Prep + Prime range.”

makeup artist
M.A.C Cosmetics Lightful C SPF50 Quick Finish Cushion Compact, $63

“The serum from Lightful C skin range is great to smoothen open pores, while the new cushion compact (above) in SPF 50 is ideal for Singapore’s weather – dab it lightly for a sheer look or layer it to get more coverage. Not forgetting the strobe cream (with botanical extracts) – that everyone has been waiting for – which comes in different shades like peach and gold that is illuminating on skin. It’s basically food for the skin. To look natural, use cream products to contour and highlight subtly instead of applying too much powder.”

A makeup trend that is going to be big in 2017

“Colour. On the eyes, we’re seeing a lot of primary colours like blue and yellow. Yellow was a bit of a surprise for us this season, where it was seen used in a sheer way across the eye or more of a sharp graphic liner.”

 

Main image: Showbit.com

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