10 makeup and skincare picks to keep your eye game strong

Photo: Unsplash/Flavio Gasperini

Perfect your gaze with an arsenal of waterproof liners, smudgeproof mascara, brow enhancers and eye serums

With the coronavirus possibly becoming a permanent resident here, it looks apparent that masks are also here to stay. And since this piece of accessory is now a de rigueur part of our everyday ensemble, it only means that we have to work extra hard to accentuate the part of our face that remains exposed.

While the global demand for lipsticks and glosses has drastically plummeted over the past year — lipsticks reported the poorest sales in 2020, according to Japanese market research company Intage — skincare and eye makeup are still very much in demand. In fact, when quarantine restrictions eased up last year, the first thing some of us did was to get our lashes extended and eyebrows embroidered!

Beauty companies have acknowledged the global shift in consumer behaviour and are addressing our concerns with a barrage of eye enhancing products to perfect our gaze. Cult makeup brand Charlotte Tilbury even went to the extent of creating a complete eyebrow collection to fill, feather and lift those well-defined arches.

Here’s our pick of latest releases to help you keep your eye game strong.

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Charlotte Tilbury Supermodel Brows

As a veteran makeup artist to the stars and supermodels, Tilbury has worked with every type of brow and perfected the art of sculpting full, feathered and fixed brows to enhance the facial framework. She’s now bottled her trade secrets in a complete brow line of four items: Brow Cheat, a micro-precision pencil to create the illusion of fuller looking brows; Brow Lift, a brow shaper to enhance the depth of your best brows; Brow Fix, a clear brow gel that retains the brow shape without any flat stiffness; and Legendary Brows, a micro-precision tinted brow gel to tint your brows while keeping them in place.

Dolce & Gabbana Beauty Felineyes Intense Eyeshadow Quad

The Italian fashion label finally brings its beauty line to Singapore, showcased at its newly-minted flagship store at ION Orchard. Designed to “make every woman feel like a queen”, the collection features illuminating powders, high-shine glosses, foundation, lipsticks, eyeliners and more. Each product is adorned with iconic D&G patterns and prints, from leopard prints and baroque details to Sicilian artworks and rose motifs. Deepen your gaze with this eyeshadow quad in Italian Baroque featuring four shimmery nude colours to sculpt and contour the eyes.

Nudestix Vegan Splashproof Mascara

Divert people’s attention to flirty, fluttery eyelashes that stay put from the time you apply them to the moment you take them off with a standard oil-based cleanser. Besides being waterproof, the Vegan Splashproof Mascara is also sweatproof — making sure your lashes stay fluffy and clump-free all day, even as you power through your lunchtime spin class. The au naturale mascara is enriched with Argan Oil, Mango Seed Oil, Rice Bran Wax and Bamboo Extract and multivitamins that moisturise, strengthen and protect your lashes. The flexible ball-tip wand allows for better access to the upper and lower lashes to widen your eye look.

M.A.C Brushstroke 24-hour Liner

For lovers of the cat eye look, one should always have a felt tip or tapered brush for precision line work. More importantly, it should be waterproof and sweatproof as it sits close to the tear ducts and oilier eyelid glands. M.A.C’s Brushstroke 24-hour Liner from the Black Cherry collection checks all the boxes with a sweatproof and waterproof formula that has deep black pigments and a refined matte finish, while the soft precise brush tip really defines the lash line.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette

Created by Romanian-born entrepreneur Anastasia Soare who patented the Golden Ratio Eyebrow Shaping Method, Anastasia Beverly Hills has been associated with the likes of starry names such as the Kardashian family, J Lo, Victoria Beckham and more. Her cult classics are now available at Sephora, including this bestseller that features 14 full-pigment eyeshadow colours ranging from neutral to berry-red eyeshadow hues in matte and metallic finishes.

Fenty Bright Fix Eye Brightener

Clinically proven to smoothen lines and reduce the appearance of dark undereye circles, this tinted colour corrector, available in 16 shades, brightens the undereye area and conditions with a HydraBlend Complex of sodium hyaluronate and jojoba oil. Not only does it boast a crease-, sweatand humidity-resistant longwear formula, it also acts like a concealer to lightly conceal imperfections while evening out the skin tone.

Skincare for the eyes

If you’re guilty of having Covid eyes — deteriorating eyesight as a result of sitting in front of the laptop or handphone for long stretches of time — it’s time to get your eyes checked.

The constant exposure to blue light from electronic devices has been linked to problems like blurry vision, eye strain, dry eye, glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataract. To prevent or slow down these conditions, doctors advise to keep at least 12 inches (30 cm) between you and your screen and take frequent breaks.

It’s believed that long-term blue light exposure can also harm to the skin, resulting in colour changes, inflammation, and weakening of the skin’s surface. In a study conducted by Unilever, 30 hours of exposure to blue light from smartphone or laptop screens can increase the inflammation level in skin cells by 40%. Over time, you may notice brown spots and hyperpigmentation such as melasma possibly due to photo-ageing, and the breakdown of collagen which leads to wrinkles and skin laxity.

To protect against blue light, Unilever’s scientists recommend using products which include ingredients that minimise or neutralise blue light, as well as restore skin. They include zinc oxide (found in sunscreens), vitamins C, B6 and Niacinamide. BB cream is said to minimise the effects of blue light by 80%.

All these skin issues do not bode well for makeup application either, as saggy skin with irregular textures and pigmentation make it that much harder to apply eyeshadow and liners. To circumvent this, it’s time to start getting serious with your eye care. Here are some essential eyecare products to protect your skin from further damage.

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting

In the old days in the French vineyards, women would use grapevine sap to reduce dark spots and brighten their complexion by rubbing it on their face and hands. French skincare brand Caudalie has managed to harness the extracts of the sap in a more concentrated formula, called Viniferine, which is believed to be 62 times more effective than vitamin C. You can find Viniferine in Caudalie’s revamped dark spot corrector, Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Complexion Correcting, designed to target all types of dark spots including the pigmentation found under our eyes. This year, the serum’s been given a revamp with a new biomimetic emulsifier that mimics the layers of the skin structure, thereby increasing absorption by 3.9 times. Its effectiveness has been clinically proven to address hyperpigmentation, sun spots, age spots and melasma brought on by hormonal changes such as pregnancy. The natural formula is non-irritating and suitable for the most sensitive skin, including for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex

A supercharged day and night cream — now with 10 times the Concentrated Repair Technology to help repair the visible impact of lack of sleep, UV, pollution and even blue light. This lightweight gel cream formula, patented until 2033, is brimming with eight-hour antioxidant power of its anti-pollution defence technology created to prevent free radical damage, while a ChronoluxCB complex helps to promote the skin’s natural repair process. The skin also benefits from round-the-clock hydration, thanks to moisture booster hyaluronic acid. Lines and dryness instantly disappear, and in three weeks dark circles will be lightened and puffiness reduced.

Porcelain RevitalEyes Concentrate

Combining the best of both skincare and technology, Porcelain RevitalEyes Concentrate is a unique silicon and oil-free formula which fuses the lightweight texture of an eye gel with the ultra-moisturising effect of an eye cream, boasting 7-in-1 skin caring benefits. It’s further supercharged with a built-in high-frequency microvibration and micro-current massaging head composed of 3,000 micro-vibrations per minute to encourage skin’s natural reparative and protective functions. The smart design of the device boasts a switchless interface that is automated upon contact with skin, so you get all the eye-awakening benefits without the mess, plus a good massage thrown in.

Dior Capture Totale Super Potent Eye Serum

With an ultra-sensorial formula composed of 92% natural ingredients, combined with a high-tech applicator, the Dior Capture Totale Super Potent Eye Serum is the crown jewel of eyecare technology today. It draws from the life-giving extracts of the Longoza fruit known for its regenerative powers, as well as the skin-firming properties of active rye extracts, and moisture-plumping acetylated hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The serum penetrates quickly via a newly-designed 3D Cryo-Flex applicator made of zamac, a thermo-active alloy known for its thermal properties. Designed by Dior’s engineers, this dual-patented massage head emits seven micro-waves inspired by acupressure to stimulate circulation and absorption. The eye area up to the eyebrows are instantly lifted, fine lines are smoothed, and eye bags are decongested.

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