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Be The Glow-Getter
THE ART OF MAKEUP: Anastasia Soare

Romanian beauty czarina Anastasia Soare reveals the fine art of getting flawless radiance

By Sujata Assomull

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Published: Thu 22 Dec 2016, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Fri 23 Dec 2016, 1:00 AM

Every season brings with it a new beauty kit. First, it was about brows, then it was about contouring. This season is about glow. Although highlighters, primers and shimmer powders have been around for a while, they weren't exactly staples in our beauty kit. That trend is changing now, and the woman being credited for it is Anastasia Soare.
For the uninitiated, Soare is the czarina of beauty kits who had earlier redefined the way women groomed their eyebrows. The Los Angeles-based Romanian aesthetician realised way back in the 1990s that eyebrows were one of the most defining features of a woman's face. She started her own eyebrow salon, whose clientele included A-listers like Oprah Winfrey, Cindy Crawford and Michelle Pfeiffer. Nearly 18 years ago, she forayed into the world of makeup, launching her hugely popular line Anastasia Beverly Hills (ABH), following which brow kits went on to become her forte. In fact, the hugely popular double-ended brush made its debut with the ABH's brow line.
Two years ago, she extended the ABH line and at the heart of it was the contouring kit. For years, makeup artists had been contouring the faces of models and celebrities; it had been one of the secret tricks of the trade and Soare knew how to decode the myth of contouring with an easy-to-use kit.
With Glow Kit, Soare has demystified yet another beauty trick. The first of these was launched a year ago and today, it is one of her bestsellers (you will find it in most Sephora stores in the UAE). "If I am missing a product, it stands to reason that customers are missing it too. I love discovering and bringing those products to life.''
The Glow Kit is a companion to both the brow and the contouring kit. "They give you intense luminosity - they are more extreme and reflective than the highlighting you typically create by contouring. So they are an addition to your makeup routine,'' Soare explains. There is considerable truth in her claim. Though highlighters and similar products are available in the market, you need to find a product that is essentially about 'glow'.
The powders in Glow Kits are finely milled and made to give you flawless radiance. They usually come in four to six shades, so you need to try each one out to know what works best for your skin tone. Lighter shades generally work better on lighter complexions while darker shades will suit dark skin tones. Soare has some handy tips. "I love to use lighter shades to bring attention to the top of the cheeks and the cupid's bow, and deeper shades to the outsides of the face, bridge of the nose and chin. Rosy shades work wonderfully to create a blushing glow on the apples of the cheeks.''
The benefits of having this product on your side do not end here. You can dust some of this powder on your body to add shine to bare shoulders or mix it with your body cream for a natural sun-kissed tone on your legs. They can also double up as eyeshadows. "I think a pop of any Glow Kit shade in the inner corner of your eye is such a lovely way to brighten any look,'' says Soare. If you are worried that pearl or metallic shades highlight your wrinkles, then Glow Kits are your go-to products. While they add shine, unlike other makeup products that highlight, they do not settle into the fine lines on your face.
Soare has another technique that she highly recommends. "Personally, I love to mix them with loose powder for a softened appearance, which, I think, makes them ageless." There are two things to keep in mind whenever you are looking for that radiance - first, remember to blend and, second, use a large diffuser brush with soft, round bristles. You need to have a light hand when using a Glow Kit. You can add colour, but if you go overboard, it will be difficult to tone down. This is a season when the extra glow is allowed. So if you have never experimented with Glow Kits, what better time than now?
sujata@khaleejtimes.com


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