It is still, after all, the ‘marry month’ of June. Two important things come to mind in being a bride: wedding gown and make-up. Artistry, the prestige make-up brand of leading direct seller Amway, combined both when it held the launch of its two newest products: the Artistry Balancing Foundation and Hydrating Foundation. It held a fashion show featuring wedding gowns designed by celebrity couturier Francis Libiran, and brief make-up lessons from Victor Ortega whom we’ve had the pleasure of learning some make-up tricks before.

Francis Libiran has dressed up young celebrities Anne Curtis and Bea Alonzo and we certainly enjoyed viewing his 2010 wedding gown collection. I dunno if it was just the model-perfect, reed-thin physique of those women sashaying down the runway but Libiran’s gowns certainly looked immaculate.We loved his emphasis on sleek lines, bottom layering and free-flowing silhouettes.

Artistry’s chief make-up artist Victor Ortega (shown here with host Tessa Prieto-Valdes and a model) preached the gospel of applying foundation the right way. We must not be a make-up victim and apply foundation too much, he said

We still have to review the foundation bottle and skin products they gave us to try, but the new Artistry line holds much promise. It claims to be the only foundation products now with the highest SPF (at SPF 20) for sun protection. Price is only P1,400.

Artistry Balancing Foundation promises to banish shine and control oil for up to 12 hours while Artistry Hydrating Foundation maintains moisture levels for up to 8 hours. We like that both products intuitively match individual skin tones and contains formulation that helps shield against free radicals to combat the signs of premature aging.

Congratulations to Amway, and Artistry, for a successful launch!

Artistry make-up products are available through your favorite Amway dealer,
or the head office at:
G/F Feliza Building
108 V.A. Rufino Street
Legaspi Village, Makati City 1229
Tel. No. 8148181

Last weekend, I was up early for one class I didn’t want to miss – make-up lessons with Victor Ortega of Artistry, the high-end make-up brand of Amway. Prior to this event, I’ve been canvassing make-up schools in Manila, more out of interest than anything else. Am not about to open a beauty salon soon, but it is one thing I really want to learn.

Even though I hardly use make-up myself, except for the reliable lipstick, I do believe that it goes a long way in enhancing one’s looks and aura. We should approach it like art, and used wrongly, it can make us look like zombies, hehe.

Thankfully, Mr. Ortega is a proponent of the “natural look,” and this has made him popular in these parts (plugging:he has his own eponymous salons in Boracay).

For our class, he taught about how to do daytime make-up and transforming it with a few touches for the night. I caught a few precious lessons along the way.

1. Good make-up comes with good skin care. Don’t forget to cleanse, tone and exfoliate.

2. When buying foundation, choose the nearest color to the skin. It’s purpose is to just even out the color of the skin, so don’t put TONS.

3. When contouring the cheeks or the nose, use a darker shade of foundation or pressed powder.

4. Don’t use foundation on your neck.

5. Apply concealer only after you put on foundation.

6. Eyebrows frame your face, so always aim for the perfect one.

7. When applying mascara, concentrate on the roots.

8. Use blush-on to enhance the overall color of your face.

Victor puts daytime eyeshadow on Liz, which is basically lighter. Use light color for the base, and use darker shade on the upper lid, like pink or peach. Apply a highlighter, like shimmery white shadow, below the brow bone. Then finish off with eyeliner.

To transform one’s daytime look to evening, Victor blended in darker eyeshadows on Monique to achieve a smoky effect.

I really enjoyed the class, especially since a whole stack of Artistry make-up products. complete with brushes, was laid out in front of us. This way, we got to have hands-on practice. Victor also had his hands full as we fell in line and had our respective eyebrows trimmed. Obviously, we have no time even for a bout of threading – busy women that we are

After the class, and a yummy brunch from Bizu, we were treated to a private make-up sale with a 20 percent discount on Artistry products. As am new to the make-up line, I ordered the indispensable blush-on. It was interesting to note that Artistry has a whole range ranging from acne treatment, skin whitening, sun protection and make-up which were all carefully researched and formulated to be safe for the skin.

At the end of the lessons, we can’t help but say “cheese!”

Artistry make-up products are available through your favorite Amway dealer,
or the head office at:
G/F Feliza Building
108 V.A. Rufino Street
Legaspi Village, Makati City 1229
Tel. No. 8148181

Victor Ortega @ Emphasis Salon
Tel. Nos. 403-0117, 4030119