Above the mask: Eye makeup tips from Albert Kurniawan

Post-quarantine work fashion has eluded the cosmetic touch-and-swatch downfall. Zoom professional meetings require more than a bookcase background. Unfortunately, office girls don masks that cover pigments that they have spent hours putting on, and smudge full-face coverage into a subdued mess during lunch. 

It’s high time to confirm it—eyeshadow is your new lipstick. Less groundwork calls for glittery palettes, textured lower lashes, or maybe foxy eyeliner. According to celebrity makeup artist and YouTube favorite Albert Kurniawan, these looks don’t have a lot of rules. You just have to find the right tools. 

The Indonesian artist concretizes his view through eye-popping hues wrapped in rose gold packaging—elegant and daring at once—from Teviant, his very own Italian-formulated makeup line that flaunts flourish.

With “a decade of experience painting the faces of the most elegant Philippine personalities” like Heart Evangelista and Kim Chiu, Albert didn’t falter on Teviant’s goal for women who let their makeup do the talking, and he’s certainly not going to falter now. We’re hooking you in on practical tips we have learned from Albert’s Zoom makeup session on how to look dashing above the mask. 

Eyebrows

Power Tools: Highness Eyebrow Duo Powder (P995), Her Eyebrow Tint (P795), Madam Eyebrow Gel (P995)

1. The first step is to consider plucking stray strands using a facial razor.
2. Use a spoolie to brush up your brows and look for bald spots that may need a darker shade. You can also use a wet spoolie to tone down an overpowering shade.  
3. Measure the symmetry of your brows from the tip of your nose, and maintain their close distance. This trick can create an illusion that your nose is sharper from the nose line. 
4. Choose a shade two times darker than your hair color. It will help frame your face. 
5. Using the She Eyebrow Tint marker, start from the front part with a few strokes upward and fill in the arches all the way to the tail through a slant position. 
6. Your brows do not always appear on fleek in photos, but to ensure a photo-ready look, try the Highness Eyebrow Duo Powder or whichever palette suits you best. Using the darker shade, fill the tail from the highest point going outward, then blend them together using the lighter shade to achieve a fuller look. 
7. For a more dramatic look, apply a light eyeshadow or highlighter to your brow bone.
8. Last, grooming the look with the Madam Eyebrow Gel is your brow statement. The highly pigmented shade will maintain its full coverage for natural-looking brows.

Eyeshadow

Power Tool: Queen Eyeshadow Palette (P2,450)

1. There are different types of eyeshadow brushes to choose from, but every eye shape goes well with the three essentials: blending brush, angled flat brush, and a pencil brush, which can double as a creasing brush. 
2. Apply a bit of concealer as base before putting on your eyeshadow.
3. Wet application lasts longer. You can either dip your main brush in water or spray it every time you interchange brushes.   
4. Now is the time to explore different shades and put them all together. Albert swears by Queen Eyeshadow Palette among his collections because of its “candy pop bright colors for a boost of makeup-induced confidence.” His favorite shades include Scarab, a metallic copper tone, and Cleo, a matte mustard color. 
5. Apply eyeshadow in a circular or crisscross pattern and blend it with soft floating strokes. 
6. For Asian hooded eyes, apply eyeshadow directly to your lids and fill it in with both eyes open. Putting eyeshadow with your eyes closed usually presents a much different placement upon opening, so it’s not really advisable unless someone else is doing the application for you. 
7. Don’t be afraid to put some shimmer on your lids, especially on the inner corner. As you work your way to the middle, go for the lightest color you can find and simply dab it with your finger to blend. It creates a light-reflective effect that camouflages natural dark areas around your eyes. 
8. Use the flat brush to draw a dark thin line on top of your lash line as your eyeliner draft. It will also make your eyes appear rounder and bigger. 

Eyeliner and Mascara

Power Tools: Virago Liquid Eyeliner (P795), Duenna Liquid Eyeliner (P795), Regina Pencil Eyeliner (P795), Amber Glitter Liner (P995), and Mon Cheri Mascara (P795)

1. In some cases, it’s easier to start with eyeliner before using eyeshadow to prevent having to start all over again just in case you messed up your eyeliner.
2. Choosing the right liquid eyeliner can be quite a chore, but if you don’t know where to look, try Albert’s bestselling product. It boasts of its waterproof, quick-dry, and long-lasting formula that can withstand 18 hours of muggy weather. 
3. A steady hand is the key to mastering the cat-eye/winged look. Always swipe outward, and stay as close as possible to the lash line. 
4. Using a pen liquid eyeliner, start drawing from the lash line and extend directly to your tear ducts to create a foxy look. 
5. Girls on the go can stick with pencil eyeliners, which glide easily and remain moist even with exposure to the air. 
6. Online meetings sometimes blur eye makeup, so Albert suggests going for bold colors to shape your eyes like Duenna (blue) Liquid Eyeliner, pencil eyeliners in Regina (silver) and Belladonna (green), or a swipe of Amber Glitter Liner (rose gold) to add a painterly layer to your look.
7. Exposing liquid eye makeup to the air for even a short amount of time can dry it out fast, so it’s best to close it upon application or after every use. 
8. Using your mascara for your lower lash line can get really tricky, so opt for a two-wand mascara with varying applicators, like the Mon Cheri Mascara. The smudge-proof technology allows building volume for both lash lines easier.