Whatever Heart Evangelista wears, we want—no, need—to know what it is. As Allure Philippines’ first cover star alongside Bretman Rock, Heart and her team went to town with her makeup and hair looks. Under the direction of contributing beauty editor Andrea Ang, they pushed the fashion star outside her comfort zone, beauty-wise. The results? Stunning, as always.  

Copping Heart’s Cherry Violet Braids

Throughout her years in the spotlight, Heart has rocked a variety of haircuts and styles, so a braid seemed simple enough for her seasoned hairstylist and mane man Mark Ghil Sayo. Not so this time. 

“To be honest, dito ako medyo nahirapan. I really had difficulty for this look kasi it will be a joint braid between Heart and Bret. The problem is hindi ganoon kadali mag-source ng hair extensions na eksaktong color ng hair ni Heart,” Sayo shares. 

“Fortunately, meron akong hair extensions, which was sponsored by Sassy Strands Filipino Hair. They gave me a ponytail na human hair extensions and sila na rin ‘yung nag-match sa hair color ni Heart. Nagamit ko [siya] hindi lang doon sa braid kung ‘di pati doon din sa look na naka-pony.”

Sayo had to use a mix of extensions, clip-ons, and some nimble plaiting to finish the asked-for braid. The result speaks for itself: “Ang ganda. Ang unique din ng style. May union talaga sila,” he shares. 

Her secret? Healthy hair.

Sayo’s hair challenges didn’t stop with the plaits. Pulling off Heart’s micro bangs was another feat that required not just his styling skills, but some logistical savvy, too. 

“After ko mabili a day before [the shoot] ‘yung bangs, pina-Grab ko na siya agad sa Toni & Guy para makulayan ng tamang kulay. So naging madali ‘yung process ng micro bangs.”

He notes that since Heart, a longtime ambassador for brands such as Cream Silk, Dyson, and the salon Toni & Guy, her hair was in great condition and easy to style, despite the heavy processing her new hair color took on—a great tip for those looking to get a major hair color change. 

Is blush blindness in the room with us?

Aside from her signature cat-eye, Heart’s other go-to beauty look is a whole lot of blush. For Allure Philippines’ maiden cover story, they had to use a shade that wasn’t typically in her arsenal. How did makeup artist Memay Francisco, who is part of Heart’s Fashion Week clique, balance the vivid shade with Heart’s delicate features?  

“I love blush and totally get the obsession—blush blindness is real! But honestly, as long as the skin is fresh and the tones work with the look, you can go heavy and it still feels chic,” says Francisco. 

“With Heart, it’s all about blending blush (Gucci Blush de Beauté in 06 Warm Berry) into the skin like it’s part of her glow. It’s not just sitting on top. A little lift on the temples and cheeks makes it editorial, but still soft.”

As for the base, Francisco skipped the foundation and instead, concealed some redness and added a light dusting of powder. Sometimes, a less-is-more approach works, especially in real-life situations, to balance out vivid colors and sparkly textures. It’s a technique that we can trace all the way back to makeup artistry icon Kevyn Aucoin.   

Burgundy lips and a slick of sparkle

Makeup has a transformative quality to it, but in a cover shoot, we need to see the person as well. Heart and Bretman have vastly different personal styles, but they were able to make similar concepts their own with a little help from their trusted glam teams. 

“Heart has such a timeless beauty, so I always want to respect that,” says Francisco. “But we sneak in playful twists, like maybe a colored liner instead of black—a powder blue or gray perhaps—or a sheer neon pink gloss over her classic nude lip. It’s about little updates that still feel ‘her.’”

She describes how they approached the burgundy lip (Pat McGrath MatteTrance Lipstick in McMenamy) that Heart sports in the story:  “Heart and I were playing with textures, and I brought out a shimmer lipstick (Dior Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Sequin in 993 Magical) just to see how it would catch the light. She was totally into it, so we layered it on and it just clicked. Working with her is the dream, she knows what she wants, but she’s also down to explore. It’s a true collab every time.”

Photographer: Mark Nicdao. Fashion direction: Daryl Chang. Fashion assistant: Kurt Abonal. Beauty direction: Andrea Ang. Makeup: Memay Francisco. Hair: Mark Ghil Sayo. Fashion styling: Izabel Sim, assisted by Justine Riguer.

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