Nadine Lustre x BYS: First impressions plus swatches of all the palettes
Some weeks back, there was a lot of buzz on social media about Nadine Lustre launching her own makeup line with Australian brand BYS. With practically no photos of the actual products and just a few teasers on an Instagram account, all I could back then was stalk the hashtag #LustrousPH and hope for more details before pre-ordering the Limited Lustrous Box Makeup Kit for P2,999. I've been a fan of Nadine since Diary ng Panget and the phenomenal teleserye, On The Wings of Love so it only felt right to add something of hers to my vanity. And so, I slid into Lustrous PH’s DMs.
This is the reply I received: “Hi! The Limited Lustrous Box Makeup Kit is P2,999 w/ the ff: Lip & Cheek Tint, Bronzer & Highlight Palette, Eyebrow Gel, Eyeshadow Palette, Waterproof Mascara + 5pc. Brush Set, Gift Box w/ Mirror.”
That's a lot of stuff for just 3k and I was sorely tempted to reconsider my ongoing #lowbuy. It became even harder to resist because Nadine Lustre is the April cover girl for four (!!!) magazines – Metro, MEGA, Cosmopolitan, and Preview’s Digital Cover. Her new movie with on and off-screen beau James Reid is showing in theaters nationwide. And even though the makeup collection is still on pre-order, talk about Lustrous has been non-stop. Fortunately, the entire Lustrous Collection was recently unveiled in an exclusive media launch!
The Lustrous by Nadine Lustre x BYS has 12 limited edition pieces: Brow Gel in Natural Brown (P449); Brow Pencil in Natural Brown (P499); Eyeliner Pencils in Sapphire, Turquoise, and Moonstone (P199 each); Waterproof Mascara in Void (P449); Mascara in Lazuli (P449); Eyeshadow Palettes in Luna and Calypso (P799 each); Bronzer and Highlight Palette (P1,499); and the Lip & Cheek Tints in Raw and Vermillion (P399 each).
At the launch, Nadine was visibly giddy as her friend, BYS ambassador Kiana Valenciano, introduced her to the crowd as Chief Creative Designer for Lustrous. The entire collection has her creative input - her inspiration comes from the sea, from crystals, from the beach, and these are all clearly seen in the products.
Celebrity makeup artist Jelly Eugenio did a short makeup demo to showcase the products and he gave us a few tips for our own foray into Lustrous.
When applying makeup, go with this flow: creams, liquids, powder. Use the Lustrous Lip & Cheek Tint first before the Bronze & Highlight Palette to make sure you’re not disturbing the product underneath.
For a more vivid lip color, Jelly applies a nude lipstick on Nadine’s lips before patting on the Lip & Cheek Tint.
Jelly showed the best way to apply the highlighters from the Bronze & Highlight Palette: white for the nose line, pink for the cheekbones, and gold for all over!
Don’t be afraid to use your fingers, especially with the eyeshadow palettes. The shimmery shades are easily applied and better controlled with finger application.
Finally, a pop of color is fresh and on-trend so bring out that blue eyeliner! Use the Lustrous Eyeliner in Sapphire or Turquoise on the upper lash line while Moonstone can brighten up the lower lash line.
We were invited to choose four items from the collection, so I picked up the three palettes plus a lip & cheek tint which Nadine says is her go-to makeup item. The Eyeshadow Palettes each contain five shimmery shades and a brush in gold packaging and tropical themed boxes. The shimmer shades are especially curated to enhance makeup looks or to be used on its own for the popular glitter lid trend this 2018.
The Eyeshadow Palette in Luna (P799) has white, pink, lavender, and teal shimmery shadows plus a special grey-teal duochrome shadow. The shades are fun and playful, perfect for a youthful, mermaid look. I find this palette quite refreshing from the usual neutrals that I go for.
Swatch wise, the first three shades are a bit powdery. The winners in this palette are the last two shades as they are creamier to touch and apply with little fallout. The first three need a bit of work and clean-up after and will benefit from an eye primer.
The Eyeshadow Palette in Calypso (P799) has white gold, rose gold, copper, wine, and brown shimmery shades. The combination reminds me of the fall wine palettes glistening in the summer sun, so I find that this one is more wearable for later in the year.
This palette is a runaway favorite! I was surprised by how creamy the shadows felt to touch and how pigmented they are when swatched. If there is a difference in batch production, I have to say I got the best one here in Calypso. Even application was easy - there was little to no fallout across all shades. But if I have to choose a least favorite shade, it would be the white gold one as it can come out in little chunks sometimes, so you do have to blend more.
Here are two quick looks I did with the two palettes:
Left: Calypso Eyeshadow Palette, Vermillion Lip & Cheek Tint, Bronzer and Highlight Palette
Right: Luna Eyeshadow Palette, Vermillion Lip & Cheek Tint on the Cheeks, Bronzer and Highlight Palette
Top: Calypso Eyeshadow Palette with the Pink Highlighter from the Bronzer and Highlight Palette (photo taken in Indoor lighting)
Bottom: Luna Eyeshadow Palette with Vermillion Lip & Cheek Tint (photo taken Outdoors)
The Bronzer and Highlight Palette (P1,499) has five big pans with a total net weight of 18g. There are three highlighting powders and two bronzers to bring out that sun-kissed glow which Nadine is famous for. You can use the matte bronzers as contour powder if it suits your skin tone, though I find this a bit warm for a nicer contour. You can also use the lighter shade to draw the nose line as this is also a go-to makeup trick of Nadine!
Do note that YMMV as we have different skin tones and these shades can be too warm for some. The bronzers are probably best used as intended, which is to bring warmth to the skin. As for the highlighters, I was underwhelmed during swatching as it was a bit powdery and hard to touch. But after using them on my face and really trying them out, it felt like a top barrier was broken on the pans and they now apply more smoothly. These three highlighters are great shades to have for a daily highlighting routine.
The last in my review lineup is the Lip & Cheek Tint in Vermillion (P399). It appears a darkened red on the tube but the tint is actually brighter. I like how the shade suits my medium skin tone. A word of caution: this stains really fast so I find using a palette or the back of the hand better than direct application on the cheeks. If you must work directly on your cheeks, do one cheek at a time for better blending. For lip application, be sure to exfoliate your lips prior as this behaves like most tints do and will cling to dry patches. I have perpetually dry lips so before using tints, I lightly rub my lips with a cotton bud and lip balm to help exfoliate away the dryness.
Overall, I applaud Nadine for her first Lustrous collection. The shade choices as well as the decision to go for a predominantly shimmery collection is not only adventurous and creative, it is also on trend. The box design by Soleil Ignacio is exquisite and perfect for summer. I have issues about the gold plastic of the eyeshadow palettes though as they feel flimsy and not well-aligned. Quality wise, I’m happy with the products I’ve tried. I certainly have favorites in the Calypso Palette and the Vermillion Lip & Cheek Tint but if you’re looking for a basic palette that can take you to work or school or to act as a daily neutral palette, these shimmery shadows are not for you.
What I’ve always liked about Nadine is that she is fearless about being true to herself, which I think makes her a perfect partner for BYS in Lustrous. I see in her a kindred spirit, like many of us here in Project Vanity, loving and expressing ourselves in makeup and embracing our own respective journeys in beauty. I can’t wait to experiment more with Lustrous as I’m surely excited to see what they have in store for us!
