Catriona Gray didn't hesitate in admitting that she tends to splurge on makeup.
"Oh yeah," she immediately told PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), which met the Miss Universe-Philippines 2018 titleholder before her Ever Bilena campaign shoot at the beauty brand's studio in Quezon City on August 6.
But even though her budget for makeup products tend to vary, Catriona remarked that she isn't the type to splurge on expensive brands.
The Ever Bilena endorser continued, "[I do splurge], but that doesn’t mean that I only trust expensive, high-end brands because I think even drugstore brands or other brands have products that are just as good.
"You just need to find what works for you... You just pick and choose. Just cherry-pick what works for you."
FINDING THE RIGHT MAKEUP PRODUCTS
Catriona had "bad teenager skin" when she first dabbled in beauty, skin-care, and makeup products.
She said, "I think most girls started at that age like high school...
"It was really a process.
"I think it’s for everyone, like, learning what works for you, what’s your skin type, what makeup flatters your features.
"It was really trial and error, and it helped being a model because I always watch how people do my makeup and the products that they use."
Sitting on the makeup chairs of these beauty professionals, Catriona learned a thing or two about which products worked best for her face.
The beauty queen said, "I guess watching different makeup artists use different things on me, different products and noticing some of them are drugstore, some of them are low-end, some are high-end, some are in-between…
"And I trust the makeup artist because it’s their livelihood knowing makeup, knowing how to do it on people’s faces."
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Catriona's go-to makeup products?
"I’m a cream blush and an eyelash curler and a mascara girl... that's my go-to every day."
The chosen Miss Ever Bilena also appreciates the impact of lipsticks.
"I feel like if you’re only going to wear one thing, lipstick’s probably it.
"It can make it look like you put effort even though you haven’t done any or blush.
"Lipstick can make it look like you put effort in it."
ENHANCE NATURAL BEAUTY
Catriona said makeup is "a form of self-expression."
"It can reflect your mood or if you want to match your outfit... it allows you to express yourself, feel more confident, and perk yourself up."
One of the beauty philosophies Catriona holds close to heart is the thought that makeup should "enhance and flatter" your natural beauty and not "erase" it.
The Filipino-Australian beauty queen underscored, "Always aim to accentuate your features and not change them...
"I’ve experienced in the past that people really try to do a strong nose contour on me because I do have a button nose, but I just learn how to be light-handed and try to embrace it because it is my nose.
"I can’t change it to be straight!
"And to make it look straight through makeup, it’s really obvious."
And don't think for a second that Catriona would change her mind about that in the near future.
She said, "No, it’s me! It makes me, me!"
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