Makeup Training Session with Estee Lauder's Blair Patterson

I was given the opportunity to attend a make-up training session with Blair Patterson, Estee Lauder’s Global Makeup Artistry Director last week. He had flown in from New York to share how to replicate runway makeup for everyday people like us.

Being a full-time homemaker, I do not really put on makeup everyday, but I do enjoy the process of learning something new each time I attend beauty events like this.  It inspires me to make an effort to add to my makeup routine.

This event was held at the Santan Function Room of the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel.  Healthy snacks were served before and after the training session.  It's my first time to taste a grilled vegetable sandwich, and I have been inspired to replicate it at home and serve it to my kids.  But I am sure the carnivorous hubby won't be as pleased.

Blair shared a lot of makeup tips, especially about applying foundation properly, which is very handy for the everyday woman who only have a few minutes to put on makeup, but still want to project the illusion of flawless skin. Learning from him makes me want to do makeup everyday!:)

So here I am sharing with you what I learned from this makeup training session.

1. Prepare your skin by using moisturizer/primer before applying foundation. Wait for 5 minutes for the moisturizer/primer to be absorbed by the skin before applying foundation. I do admit that I am guilty of not having the ability to wait for the moisturizer to settle in before I add another layer of product to my face. Waiting for the moisturizer to be absorbed by the skin is essential so that the skin gets the full benefit of the product.

2. Use 2 foundation shades. One for coverage, and the other, just one shade darker, for contouring. He shared that although using bronzer is ok, the tendency with bronzer is that women tend to use too much and the end result looks too fake, like a mask. Using a two-shade foundation provides the needed contour to the face which is more natural.

The darker shade of foundation should be applied where bronzer is usually applied, which is the below the cheekbone from near the ear going forward upto the jawline, the sides of the nose, and the forehead near the hairline. It is important to blend properly to make it look natural.

3. Dab the foundation. Blair used a foundation brush as he applied the foundation in light downward strokes. He said that dabbing creates layers which makes the skin looks air-brushed and helps the foundation hold on to the skin longer.

4. Roll on Loose Powder. Adding loose powder after you apply foundation to your face will allow for a more natural look and set the foundation. When applying powder, don’t drag the brush over your skin, but roll it over your face, concentrating on the the t-zone, where it oils up the most.

Dip a fluffy brush into the loose powder lightly, dust off excess, turn around with the end of the handle pointing to the floor and give the brush a quick tap to help the powder settle into the brush. This will avoid excess powder to chunk-up on the face.

He also recommends touching up with a loose powder during the day as it will soak up more oil and moisture than a pressed powder.

5. Fill in eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil. Instead of drawing directly onto the eyebrow area, he instead dabbed the eyebrow pencil with a brush before filling in the eyebrow area with the brush. 

6. To make eyelashes curl upward naturally, without the use of an eyelash curler, just put mascara brush at the base of the lashes nearest to the eyelids and hold for 5 seconds. Sweep upwards upto the tips.

7. Blair suggests dabbing a very small amount of the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum onto skin to add luminescence. This is a surprise to me, as I’ve always thought the ANR is only used at night as a reparative formula. This is a new way to use this product, and Blair swears by how it can make the skin look dewy for hours.

The amazing thing is he showed us how to recreate the latest runway look is less than 15 minutes per model. Which is really great because everyday women don’t really have the luxury of time to sit down for a long time to apply makeup.

You may already know some of the tips which I’ve shared, but it just makes more sense for me to hear it from someone who is considered one of the best in the makeup industry. I am sure it will change the way I do my makeup. For one, I have saved a few minutes already by doing his mascara tip. :)

Thank you Estee Lauder for this opportunity to learn from Blair Patterson!

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