Backstage beauty
Dior Makeup stays ahead of the beauty game with its first ever backstage inspired makeup collection.
HOW do you design a makeup collection that will work backstage and at the same time be user friendly enough for a woman who is applying her own makeup?
It’s a tall order to fill, but one that Dior Makeup has managed to achieve with its latest Dior Backstage makeup collection.
Dior Backstage is the French luxury beauty brand’s first makeup line inspired by the backstage and designed by Peter Philips, creative and image director for Dior Makeup.
Philips redesigned all the indispensable items in his makeup bag, both for makeup artists and for every woman who wants a professional result, without being intimidating.
With the Dior Backstage collection everyone has access to his expertise and it allows his team to work anywhere in the hectic conditions of runway shows.
“Each makeup case must not only be a real makeup artist’s survival kit, but must also meet the needs of all women. And that was the aim when I redesigned the makeup collection. These are efficient products that provide a professional result but are simple to apply,” Philips says in a media statement.
The key makeup items in the Dior Backstage collection are the Face and Body Foundation, Glow Face Palette Universal, Contour Palette Universal, Eye Palettes, Lip Palette and a new collection of makeup brushes.
For the launch in Kuala Lumpur recently, Dior International ProTeam makeup artists Galvin Lin from China and Junior Cedeno from Spain were flown in to talk about this comprehensive collection.
For the Face and Body foundation Dior Makeup offers 40 shades but locally 21 shades are carried to suit Malaysian skin tones.
“Just a little of the Face and Body foundation will give you the perfect glow and simultaneously cover imperfections,” says Cedeno, who was the official makeup artist for the Spanish Royal Wedding between Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia.
“The importance is the visual result but also women will feel comfortable wearing it. It’s very long lasting and you can see but you can’t feel, as it’s very light on skin,” he adds.
For the Glow Face Palette Cedeno points out that you can reproduce looks that are trending, classical or very soft.
“You can mix all the colours or you can use one by one for a different effect. Using a powder brush just lightly brush over all the colours and apply on areas such as on the apples of your cheek, nose, chin, neck and decolletage. For backstage we use this powder on models’ legs so they glow on the runways. Our new brushes are all artificial hair and the powder deposits on the skin and doesn’t stay on the brush,” Cedeno points out.
“The Eye Palette gives you the option of matte, satin and shiny effects. Its clear packaging lets us see every colour immediately and as makeup artists we are strapped for time, so this helps immensely.”
The eight colour Eye Palette efficiently comes with a Primer that Cedeno says is very versatile and doesn’t crease, and he says “you can apply the Primer as a concealer under your eyes, on eyelids, on imperfections and you can also apply it before a lip colour for it to last longer.”
“Unlike most beauty brands, Dior is a fashion brand and we have a lot of experience in backstage and the Dior Backstage collection was created with backstage in mind, but also for women of various skin tones and level of makeup skills,” says Lin, a graduate of the Shanghai Theatre Academy and who has led the 2012 and 2015 Dior Haute Couture shows in China.
Lin says he loves the Glow Face Palette and he explains, “You can use this palette of four tones – with a concentration of mother-of-pearl – to easily brighten your whole face. You can create a subtle look or you can increase the intensity and your face will simply give off a shiny glow.”
For Malaysian weather where we sweat easily, Lin advises that “Less is more”, explaining that instead of using copious amounts of highlighters, one should apply a little, just enough to see some luminosity on the skin.
“The Eye Palette which comes in Warm Neutrals and Cool Neutrals is very suitable for everyday wear and for every skin tone. These eyeshadow colours are buildable so you can layer and increase its intensity gradually,” Lin explains.