How many Kelvins does it take to create a Celsius?
Designer Kelvin Morales’ eponymous Filipino fashion label has been known for its craftsmanship, reimagining classic menswear through intricate finishes and modern tailoring. Deeply rooted in Filipino culture, Morales’ designs usually draw from local artistry, textile, and techniques. At Fashion Week Asia 2026, held at Palacio de Memoria, the homegrown brand ventured into womenswear with the same ease, featuring a collection of diaphanous, fluid, sheer dresses that forged an entirely new space for the designer.
The effortlessness that the brand is known for carries into the beauty looks, created under lead makeup artist Gery Penaso with MAC Cosmetics. Polished skin, matte, flesh-toned lips, and clean graphic liners complemented the dresses without competing with them. The quiet approach allowed each detail to feel intentional, reflecting the collection’s balance of structure, softness, and modern sophistication.
The hair looks reinforced the collections’ polished sensibility, created with Cream Silk. Men’s hairstyles were clean, neatly groomed, and bouncy. Meanwhile, for the women, relaxed cascading hair offered an easy way to soften the look. But what was particularly notable in Morales’ show was the lack of sleek, wet-look finishes, making the hair look natural and understated.
As the show came to a close, Kelvin Morales reaffirmed their mastery of restraint. Every element felt deliberate, allowing the clothes and beauty looks to exist in harmony without losing their individual character. In seamless fashion, the beauty direction sharpened the collection’s visual language, proving that precision and subtlety can make some of the most compelling statements on the runway.
Subtle black eyeliner
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
A classic black eyeliner is many girls’ go-to. As seen on the show, a sharp flick of eyeliner can add intensity to the eye look without overwhelming the rest of the look. To recreate the look, use a black gel or liquid eyeliner to draw a defined line before extending it into a wing. Finish the look by coating the lashes with black mascara to build definition on the eyes.
Bright, matte skin
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Rather than relying on heavy glam, defined contour, or eye-catching glitter, the bright, soft matte complexion stayed shine-free, allowing natural features of the face to stand out. To achieve a similar effect, apply a natural, matte foundation as your base and go light-handed on the contourContourA makeup technique that uses a shade slightly deeper than your skin tone to add shadow and structure to the cheekbones, nose, and jawline. Blend carefully and choose an undertoneGo to Contour Glossary and blush. Lightly set with a thin, loose powder to achieve a soft matte finish.
Flesh-toned lips
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Grant Babia
Flesh-toned matte lips bring balance to Kelvin Morales’ graphic eye makeup. The muted shade stayed close to the natural lip color, keeping the overall look understated. Its matte finish reinforced the clean, relaxed aesthetic with no extra shine, so it didn’t compete with the more dramatic details. To try the look, choose a nude lipstick that complements your natural skin tone, whether it leans warm, neutral, or cool.
Art direction by Mikiyo Ricamora. Photography by Grant Babia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use a black gel or liquid liner to draw a defined line close to the lash line, then extend it into a soft wing. Finish with black mascara for definition without overwhelming the eye.
Apply a natural matte foundation as your base and keep contour and blush light-handed. Set with a thin layer of loose powder to control shine while letting natural features stay visible and soft.
A flesh-toned matte lip stays close to your natural lip color with a shine-free finish. Pick a nude lipstick that matches your undertone—warm, neutral, or cool—for a balanced look.
Lead makeup artist Gery Penaso created the looks using MAC Cosmetics, with hairstyling by Cream Silk. The pairing produced clean graphic liners, matte skin, and relaxed French twists throughout the show.
The show favored restraint over heavy glam, pairing soft matte skin, subtle black eyeliner, and flesh-toned lips with clean, natural hairstyling—a modern, understated take on classic beauty.
