Thazzia Falek breaks down the lip and cheek application techniques for effortless, glowing beauty at the MEGA BeautyCon 2024
When Thazzia Falek talks makeup, we listen. Her masterclass at the MEGA BeautyCon 2024 was all about the face-transforming powers of color on the cheeks and lips with muse Miss Grand Philippines 2023 Nikki de Moura. Ahead, her course on achieving a glazed blush look that will shift the attention north to our cheekbones, and adding a wash of confidence-boosting color to our puckers.
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Cheeks 101
According to Falek, start with a water-based blush to give your skin a glow and then build it on layer by layer—skip the powder blush. It blends into the skin more seamlessly, and provides a natural and dewy finish to the skin. The hydration makes your canvas softer and therefore, more buildable.
As for the concern of making the blush look overdone, the layering depends on the intensity needed, but the makeup artist usually goes with two or three. One thing about liquid blush is a little goes a long way, so the makeup artist suggests beginning with a small amount and building up the color gradually. However, for Falek, you can take out blush blindness from your vocabulary: “You can never have too much blush. We all want blush, right?”
The art of blush placement also depends on the tools—Falek uses a velvet sponge instead of just a makeup brush so the color melts more into skin. The sponge is key to achieving a second-skin look, like you’re naturally blushing as opposed to blush sitting on top of your skin. Administer light strokes that “kiss” the skin, working it from the apples of the cheeks outward.
In the interest of going for a more dimensional cheek, switch things up by using a mix of lighter and darker shades to accentuate your features naturally and still achieve the doll-like flushed glam. Falek chose a lighter hue for the bottom cheeks, near the mouth, and then a darker complementary option for the higher sections.
It’s also worth noting that placement can transform your face shape. According to Falek, if you want to achieve a lifted look, you might want to apply the product on the top of your cheekbones, whereas if you’re after a classic and cute look, feel free to apply it right on the apples of your cheeks.
For maximum impact, finish with an illuminating blush highlighter—either liquid or cream—and you’re left with a gorgeously golden gradient, mimicking that of a sunset.
Lips 101
While the blush has its place in our beauty routines, nothing quite measures up to the allure provided by color and dimension on the lips—it instantly livens up your complexion and boosts confidence.
At the MEGA BeautyCon 2024, Thazzia Falek says that achieving fuller lips doesn’t necessarily require drastic measures: the ultimate makeup hack for a fuller, more defined pout is the lip liner.
Lip liners are the unsung heroes of our makeup bags—they provide unmatched staying power and long-wearing pigment. “I don’t use lipsticks,” the makeup artist explains. “I only use lip liners, and then fill the lips with more lip liner, and top it with liquid gloss. This way, it will stay on a lot longer.”
Finally, Falek has a final nugget of wisdom to share with her students: “There’s no right or wrong in makeup. Feel free to make the face your playground.”
Photographed by KIERAN PUNAY
Special thanks to AIVEE SKIN, Y.O.U. BEAUTY, LUXE BEAUTY & WELLNESS GROUP, FAIRY SKIN, BARENBLISS, PINA SKINCARE, DAZZLE ME, REAL PERFECTION, RPS AESTHETICS, GLUTAWORKS, ZIONNE, LAVOJOY, ASUL, SMARTER DOSE, and GORGEOUS GLOW