A day with Anthea and Laura: Tips on how to use matte blush on eyes and lips

Blush

Sep 11

When I got an invitation to attend a Laura Mercier workshop featuring their all new Blush Colour Infusion with celebrity makeup artist Anthea Bueno in Rustans Department Store Cebu, I did not hesitate to say “Yes!” Known for her incredible skin work, I was more than excited to learn about Anthea’s techniques for blush application, and of course, the chance to meet and chat with her in person! Tellie wrote a feature on her last year but it’s quite a different experience to see her artistry come to life and to hear more about her story firsthand.

Anthea has been a Laura Mercier affiliate since 2017, and she became one of its official brand ambassadors this year. She shares that she relates strongly to the Parisian aesthetic of Laura Mercier: fresh, clean and glamorous looks. Her work is mostly inspired by Pat McGrath, who can be quite adventurous with avant-garde looks but still perfect the minimalist approach in makeup. Anthea looks up to fellow local artists like her mentor Jigs Mayuga, Lala Flores, and Robbie Pinera. She also draws inspiration from her own “batchmates”, citing Jelly Eugenio and Mark Qua as her favorites. So far, 2018 has been a very busy year for her but she proudly shares that her list of clients has grown to include Jennylyn Mercado and Georgina Wilson!

During the workshop, Anthea taught us to how to perfect her signature bronze-y monochromatic look, and how to take it from day to night. What made it even more interesting was that she used the new Blush Colour Infusion all over the face! Anthea doesn’t believe in restricting herself to apply products only as prescribed, and enjoys getting experimental by finding different applications. This is definitely a smart way to achieve a more cohesive look!

For the daytime look, she used two matte blushes (Strawberry and Chai) as eyeshadows, with just a pinch of inner corner highlight. Afterwards, she prepped the lips with a bit of balm and traced the outline with lip liner. Then she used a lip brush to lightly pat the Peach and Chai blush shades, creating a pretty powdery matte lip that looks just like a natural wash of color. To amp it up for an evening look, Anthea used a black crème eye pencil to tightline the upper and lower lids, then applied the Kir Royale blush on the lip. She also added highlighter on the cheeks for that signature Anthea glow.

It was really fun and inspiring to watch Anthea at work, and her idea to use the blush as a multiple face product really brought the Blush Colour Infusion (P1,550 at Rustans) to the forefront. Imagine doing a full face of makeup and needing to use just one blush! Inspired by “the sizzling days, long sultry nights, and the cool refreshing sensations of summer”, the new line replaces Laura Mercier’s discontinued Second Skin Cheek Colour.

Swatches, from left: Fresco, Pomegranate, Kir Royale, Ginger, Sangria, Chai, Grapefruit, Strawberry, Peach, Rose

The powders promise 10 hours of fresh and natural-looking color, and there are over 10 shades to choose from, in a range of matte and shimmer finishes. It was love at first swatch for me because the powders felt silky smooth, with a buttery texture and sheer, buildable coverage. The lighter shades are most likely to apply sheer and require 2 to 3 swipes on the cheek to get full color. Meanwhile, the bright shade ones are very pigmented and only need a light tap to avoid the dreaded clown cheeks. My personal faves are Grapefruit and Peach.

Have you tried these blushers in store? Which Blush Colour Infusion shade are you lusting for?

Laura Mercier is available in Rustan’s Department Stores