Looking beautiful should not be complicated

Blair Patterson, Estée Lauder global director for makeup artistry, believes looking beautiful should not be complicated.

His 14 years in the industry have taught him one thing: “The best makeup artists are those who excel in creating a complicated look with just a few simple steps and making it look effortless.”

Patterson’s work brings him to fashion capitals throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North and South America. He has also been featured on “The Today Show,” “The View,” “The Food Network,” “E!” and TLC, as well as in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle Magazine, Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan.

But while he’s globetrotting, Patterson never forgets to share what he’s learned. “My philosophy has always been to share as much as I can with makeup,” he says. Recently he was in the Philippines to tell us what’s trending abroad; he likewise revealed exciting makeup techniques to make runway looks more wearable.

What consumers want

A trend that I’ve been noticing on the runways is… That fashion week makeup is getting lighter and lighter. Fashion brands are realizing that consumers are after the overall look and not just the clothes anymore.

A popular look I’ve been seeing on fashion runways that can be taken to the streets is… Matte burgundy or any deep red for the lips; satin finish for the skin; metallic for the eyes.

A makeup style that is trending in the New York and Paris runways is… Ombre eyes and ombre lips. You create this by blending two posing colors, like mixing a pink and copper lipstick, or a red and coral lipstick. Using the lighter color, apply lipstick starting at the bow; it needs to be center and perfect, then fill in the lips. Make sure to line the edges of your lip with the darker color and blend with the lighter color, which should be more evident in the center of your lips. The progression of color makes the lips pop out.

Pure Color products I’m hooked on are… Electric Pink Satin Blush, Forbidden Kiss and Passion Fruit Lipstick, and the five pan pallets in Film Noir and Sea and Sky. For the ombre looks, I love mixing Cyber Copper and Cyber Lilac eye makeup and Red Tango with Forbidden Apple for the ombre lips.

My can’t-live-without product is… The Estée Lauder Advance Night Repair; it’s just great under or over makeup.

Eyebrows this fall should be… One shade lighter than your real color. It should look disheveled and brushed up, not too perfect like in pageants. I recommend using eyebrow pencils

because you get more precision.

How to use foundation

A quick and easy way to add impact to your usual day makeup is… To use matte lipstick during the day. You can add lip gloss on top for a different effect in the evening. It’s a quick way to transform your look without having to redo it.

A tip on buying foundation is… Always buy foundation in January, when you are at your lightest color, and in July, after summer, when you are at your darkest. You can adjust and customize your color throughout the year by mixing these two shades.

A tip on using foundation is… Put on foundation once. Never layer foundation throughout the day. Just take the oil off by using an oil film or push a facial tissue against your face. Remember that foundation is there only to even out the color of your skin. Don’t apply it all over your face. The point is to look like you have skin to be jealous off, like you have nothing on.

Celebrities tend to choose their makeup artists by… Sticking to the one who gets their look right.

Red lipstick tips

Patterson knows a lot of backstage beauty secrets; here he reveals how to make red lipstick stay longer in five easy steps:

• Exfoliate with a scrub to remove dead skin.

• Apply a lipstick with a conditioning treatment to smooth surface and fill in pores.

  

• Use a nude concealer as a base (he recommends using Estée Lauder’s Double Wear Concealer).

• Apply your red lipstick. Don’t forget to use a pencil liner to line the edges.

• Using a soft eye brush, lightly brush your lips with translucent powder to seal in the color so it doesn’t transfer to your teeth.

Top tip: For a preview of Estée Lauder’s latest, try its Holiday Makeup Artists’ Portfolio Palette. This includes: 30 best-selling shades of Pure Color Eye Shadows; two Pure Color Gloss; one Pure Color Intense Kajal Eyeliner Duo; 15 best-selling shades of Pure Color Lipsticks; one Bronze Goddess Powder Bronzer; and three best-selling shades of Pure Color Blush.

Makeup Artist Portfolio is at P3,900, available in all Estée Lauder boutiques and counters at Rustan’s Department Stores.