German precision, but for makeup
CARS, Karl Lagerfeld, and Claudia Schiffer: just three things that exemplify Germany’s influence on style. And that is not all. Add makeup to the list.
Leading German makeup brand Artdeco had a masterclass on April 30 with their International Makeup Artist and Head Trainer, Macedonio Bezerra. And what do you know, he’s worked with Claudia Schiffer.
“We had a collaboration with her years ago,” he said about the German-born supermodel. He recalled that she had her own special makeup artist from London, but, “I did her makeup to try products on her. She likes (it) very natural. She’s not the kind of girl to wear makeup every day.”
“The time that I met her, she was wearing nothing,” the makeup artist said.
It seems that Ms. Schiffer’s own taste in cosmetics reflects that of the rest of the German population. Mr. Bezerra described how the women of Germany liked their faces done: “The German girls, they like very natural also. We had this conversation yesterday. The German girls, they are very bold when they are younger, but when they get older, they don’t wear that much makeup.
“Right now, the young girls, they’re wearing a lot of makeup. But when they get like, after 35, 40, they just give up makeup and they (get) very normal,” he said. “They love mascara and foundation.” Those are the products preferred by German women, he said, because “Their lashes are a bit blonde, and they want (them) defined. And foundation, because their skin’s always a bit reddish; it’s dry and sensitive.”
The company was founded in 1985 by Helmut Baurecht and it’s still run by the family today. It has a presence in about 70 countries. “The brand is 40 years old; it’s very established. Especially in Europe. We are everywhere in Europe.” Asked about the company’s widespread appeal, he said, “We have good quality and good price.”
“In Germany, the cheapest product, if it would be made in Germany, it’s high quality. There’s not like, shit product there,” he said. “The German customer, they don’t mind to pay more. They have money to pay, but they want quality. Quality is very important in Germany.”
PRODUCTS FOR ASIA
Still, Germany is a long way off from the Philippines, and the rest of Asia.
“We are developing products just for Asia,” he said, addressing the different makeup needs of each market. For example, he said that formulations in Asia should be long-lasting, oil-free, and with a matte finish. “In Germany, it should be glowing, because they have dry skin.”
“Oh my God, it is so hot here,” he told BusinessWorld. So, as we slog through a hot summer, we asked Mr. Bezerra about how to get makeup to stay longer on our faces.
A native of Brazil, he grew up in similar weather conditions. “If you have this kind of weather, first of all, a long-lasting foundation. It’s very important. Matte foundation. And always have with you your compact powder,” he suggested.
After meeting Mr. Bezerra in the afternoon, we went to two more events, our makeup bolstered in place by Artdeco’s own setting powder: the No Color Setting Powder (P1,850). It has light-reflecting pigments that give the skin a little glow, and the transparent powder did not alter our foundation, and it helped the makeup stay on all evening. It also blended easily, and it felt like we were wearing nothing at all (and we didn’t need to dust off any excess, as we do with other setting powders). It also has plant-based skincare ingredients like red algae, Irish moss, mineral-rich seawater, and nourishing squalane leaves.
But Mr. Bezerra taught us another trick: “I apply a bit of powder, and then a bit of fixing spray, and blend it. That’s it.” We tried on the powder, and with a brush wet with some fixing spray, we blended the powder on our face, as per his instructions before work the next day. Our makeup stayed on through one event, trips to the tailor and the supermarket, dinner, and drinks. German precision, I tell you.
Artdeco is exclusively distributed by Rustan Marketing Corp. and is available in-store at Rustan’s (Shangri-La Plaza, Makati), The SM Store (Mall of Asia, Megamall), Look (SM Aura Premier), The Landmark (Makati, Trinoma), Robinsons Department Store (Manila), Beauty Bar (Podium, Glorietta, Galleria, Central Square BGC, Robinson’s Place Magnolia, Robinson’s Place Midtown, Trinoma), and online at Rustans.com, Trunc.ph, Lazada, Shopee, and Zalora. — Joseph L. Garcia