Felix Nguyen, international makeup artist for Bobbi Brown cosmetics, never stops moving.
Though he calls Hong Kong home, Nguyen loves the outdoors, running and hiking trails.
With his makeup box he has traveled to America, the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan and New Zealand.
He actually started out as a hairdresser on the sets of music videos and television commercials in Australia. “A close friend of mine said I should do makeup as well, so I did and it totally changed my life,” recalls Nguyen.
For the past 13 years, he’s been driven to “help people feel good about themselves.”
Life, he says, “should be about appreciating what you have and being the best version of yourself.”
We spent a few minutes with Nguyen, asking him all sorts of makeup tips including how to cover up a zit.
How to’s
To properly cover a pimple… Whether it’s sore or red, kind of hard or a little bit crusty, make sure to prep (wash, tone and moisturize) your skin first. This softens the pimple a little. Then put your foundation on the pimple as a sheer base, something to prime it. Apply Bobbi Brown’s foundation stick or touch up stick… And then do a little crisscross [on the pimple] so you cover all angles, press it in and work it into the skin. Put some powder.
To properly cover dark circles… Use eye cream and a corrector concealer. This combo is the perfect way to get rid of dark circles. Eye cream primes it first, so when you put your corrector on, it just melts into the skin. Corrector concealers come in 20 shades. The key is to go to the counter and get your perfect shade.
The correct way to apply bronzing powder… Start from the neck up. The neck is always the lightest part… you even out your canvas and connect the body to the face… Work up to the jawline, cheek bone and hairline. This will create a more fluid color.
When applying blush… It’s best to always smile (showing the) teeth. This shows you where the blush should sit. Start at the apples, then bring the brush up to the temples. Remember, it should just be a pop of color on the cheek. You should look like you just came back from a run.
All-time favorite products… The Extra Repair Serum. I fly a lot… I’m always in air-conditioned rooms and get really dehydrated. This product absorbs all the moisture and keeps you hydrated all day long. I like the BB cream because it gives sun protection , is long wearing and oil-free. It has skincare benefits, too. I like Stick Foundation because it’s flawless.
Current favorite hues… Black Ink Long Wear Draw Liner because every woman looks great with black liner. Cosmic Raspberry for lipstick, Nectar for cheek color. If you wear it lightly, it’s very sheer, but you can also put more and go very bold. For eyeshadow, it’s Bone Sparkle. The sparkles are very fine, so by itself, with just mascara, the focus on the eye looks really great. At nighttime on top of a smoky eye, it looks dramatic and fun.
The best-selling Bobbi Brown product worldwide is… The Skin Foundation SPF 15. Among Bobbie Brown’s six formulas for skin foundation, it’s the best in any market because it enhances what you already have.
Top tips
On average, women try seven foundations before finding the right one. This comes as no surprise to Bobbi Brown, who says the most common beauty mistake women make is wearing the wrong foundation shade.
Bobbi believes that foundation should not change the color of your face, but should match the color of your skin.
Here are Bobbi’s top tips on picking the right shade of foundation:
For the most natural look, choose a skintone correct shade of foundation and avoid those that have a pink or white base, because they can make skin look chalky and washed out.
To find your perfect shade of foundation, follow these steps:
In natural light, swatch the foundation from your cheek to your jaw line, and gently blend it into your skin. Do the same with another foundation that’s one shade lighter and another that’s one shade darker. The shade that’s imperceptible should be your pick, but double-check it against your forehead, since some women tend to be darker there. If it works in both areas, you’ve picked a winner.
Have two foundations on hand—one for the cooler months, when your skin is naturally paler, and one for the summer months, when your skin is slightly darker. For in-between months, blend the two to develop your own custom shade. And year-round, mix the two to address any areas where your skin is darker or lighter.
Bobbi Brown is available at Rustan’s Makati (tel. 8122507), Rustan’s Shangri-La Plaza (6334636 loc. 114), Essenses Rockwell (8229400), SM Mall of Asia and SM Megamall, Rustan’s Ayala Center Cebu (+6332 231 5633).