It’s easy to find yourself in a beauty rut – applying the same old tried and tested products again and again. So, it’s always fun to breathe new life into your makeup routine and discover new products and tricks of the trade.
Unless you are a makeup pro, the best way to try out new colors and application techniques is with a makeup class.
Dior, located at La Parfumerie 11, Cardinall Avenue, recently hosted international makeup artist Guillermo Flores, who offered skin care consultations and makeovers just in time for the Christmas festivities.
A professional makeup artist, Flores has worked with Dior for the past 15 years as both a trainer and makeup pro. Originally from Mexico, he currently travels across Latin America and the Caribbean hosting training workshops, makeup consultations – and, of course, making over a celebrity or two.
With the party season about to get into full swing, I booked an appointment with Flores to pick up some tricks of the trade.
Products: skin care
Prep is key, Flores said. Without cleansed, perfectly primed skin, you won’t achieve that red-carpet flawless complexion. He starts the process with Dior’s Instant Cleansing Water, a delicately fragranced cleanser and toner in one. A quick swipe with a cotton pad is all that is needed to remove impurities and traces of existing makeup for a clean, silky-smooth glow.
Next, Flores applied one of his favorite must-have products; Dior’s Capture Totale One Essential Serum, a lightweight serum which helps to detoxify and regenerate the skin.
The skin around the eyes requires a separate treatment due to the fact it is much thinner, Flores explained. His product of choice is the Capture Total Replenshing Eye Serum, which helps lift and smooth the eye area.
Next, he applied Dreamskin, one of the fashion and cosmetic house’s best-sellers, which helps breathe new life into the skin, leaving it glowing with vitality. With my skin prepped to perfection, it was time to move on to the fun part.
Products: makeup
Dior makes a wide range of foundations to suit all skin types. Their latest, Nude Air, is a light, serum-like foundation which Flores said is ideal for Cayman’s tropical climate. It has a weightless, almost velvety feel, yet still gives excellent coverage. This foundation has great staying power too – after eight hours it still looked freshly applied. Flores said that he always recommends applying foundation with a foundation brush instead of fingers, gently patting the foundation into the skin, rather than dragging it across the skin. (Perhaps this is where I have been going wrong.)
Then he moved on to my eyes. I had requested neutral colors, so he picked out Dior’s Eye Reviver Illumination Neutrals Eye Palette. This gorgeous six-pan palette features a powder primer, four warm brown eyeshadows, as well as a gentle black cake eyeliner (think a powder/gel texture).
As I was after a more toned-down daytime look, Flores expertly applied the shadows for a soft smoky eye. He also lined both my upper and lower lashes with the eyeliner to further define them.
This was definitely one of my favorite products, and now a staple in my cosmetic bag. It’s a great no-fuss edited selection of neutral shades which will work with almost all skin tones.
Next it’s mascara. Flores first applies DiorShow Maximize Lash Serum, followed by DiorShow Black Out mascara. I’ve never applied a serum to my lashes before. Flores said it helps create a fake lash effect, while also promoting lash growth. I’m not sure whether it made my lashes any longer or more voluminous, but it certainly helped create a lovely defined, feathered shape, and I felt they held their curl for much longer.
Brows were next. Using Dior’s ultra-fine Universal Brow Pencil, Flores shaped and defined my brows to perfection. Just in case you hadn’t heard, brows are big right now – think Cara Delevingne, the English fashion supermodel, actress and singer. Flores explained that well groomed brows help define the face, lift the eye area and give a more youthful appearance.
Flores next applied Diorskin Star concealer to help hide any imperfections, then added a sweep of the Healthy Glow Booster Blush for a pop of color. I have to admit, I was a bit terrified when I saw this blush color in the pan – it’s electric pink. When applied, it actually looked stunning. Indeed, this clever blush actually adjusts to skin’s individual moisture level, giving a bespoke wash of color that mimics the glow of a natural flush. I’m adding this product to my Christmas wish list.
To complete my look, Flores applied Dior Addict Lipstick in “Wonderful,” a gorgeous soft pinkish red. This recently released product is a perfect hybrid between a gloss and a lipstick, offering the colorfastness of a lipstick and the shine of a gloss, coupled with fantastic moisturizing properties thanks to its hydra-gel core. I’ve never been a fan of lipstick as I always find them too drying. This product is anything but. A few hours later the color was still staying strong and my lips weren’t in the slightest bit dry.
Finally, Flores finished off with a quick spray of Diorskin Airflash Matte Touch.
I always set my makeup with powder – which I often find can start to look heavy after repeated applications throughout the day. In addition, powder sponges are breeding grounds for bacteria and can lead to blemishes. This ingenious product is an ultra fine mist that sets makeup with a velvety matte finish. Just shake the can and then gently mist across the face.
During the makeover I asked Flores what is the most common mistake people make when choosing or applying makeup.
“People often try to follow trends, when really people should just choose makeup based on their personal style and what suits their skin tone and face shape best,” he said. Wise advice, indeed.
International makeup artists regularly visit Kirk Freeport. Contact them for more details, or join their Facebook page.
Joanna Lewis 