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make-up trends: 'sculpture' your face what are the trends for the winter? what are the novelties for this season? we have interviewed massimiliano della maggesa, senior make-up artist at mac, the famous cosmetics house. with great enthusiasm and passion he told us about the latest trends for the coming season and the key make- up 'technique' for autumn/winter 2004-2005 - face sculpting.

Backstage Anteprima

a gorgeous face thanks to the 3d effect
we all know that the base for a make-up is the foundation, which is usually 'livened up' with a touch of rouge. this year it is going to be different. "whereas in the past we used a foundation on which we added darker shades today we use different products", says massimiliano. we create lighter and darker areas using textures we did not use in the past".

with the purpose of better explaining this technique, massimiliano gave us a demonstration. "in order to sculpt the face better you can apply a creamy foundation under a finish mat. the skin becomes completely opaque and then it is illuminated by light areas through iridescent powder highlights. it may sound like a contradiction because the foundation is creamy and then becomes mat, but the other product that we use is a powder that turns iridescent and highlights the face. it is the difference and the combination of such opposite products that creates a three-dimensional effect on the face that we have never seen before.

focus on the skin
skin is becoming the absolute protagonist. "and this is very important", points out massimiliano. "you should consider your skin as a white canvas. when you start to apply your make-up it is like painting your face. in other words we create a landscape with mountains on which we can then paint other elements. these details constitute about 10% of the make-up we create. the remaining 90% is represented by the base made with foundation, face powder and the 3d effect. this is the most interesting part because every face is unique and different from all the others. each one has a different cheekbone, mouth, nose or forehead. therefore it is a fantastic game, a really pleasant one".

the face in its entirety
face sculpting is a must for this winter and for the next summer. it is about playing with your face. it is about making sure that your face looks prettier not simply thanks to the colors but also thanks to the light-and-shade effects that highlight the natural beauty of the face in its own entirety. "the message that i would like to get across", adds massimiliano, "is that there are not just the single details of the eye, of color and of a larger or smaller mouth. we need to consider the skin in its entirety, with its light and three-dimensionality. this is something we have all noticed and we are very pleased about that".

how to sculpt your face
now you will be surely asking yourself what to do with novelties like face sculpting, especially if you are not very familiar with make-up.

the best thing to do is to make an appointment with someone who will be able to create the basis for your 'sculpting'. this might be a make-up artist or a beautician who is good at his/her job. once you have learnt how to sculpt your face it will become very easy. you will get very familiar with applying the base, sculpting the temple with darker colors, creating darker areas underneath the cheekbone, below the chin and on the sides of the nose. you will be able to work easily on the highlights on the cheekbones, on the bridge of the nose, on upper forehead, chin and cheek.

massimiliano ends by saying: "when the darker and lighter areas have been created and you know exactly where they need to be located on your face - because, as i said before, every face is different and unique - it is like child's play". it will become like just one additional step to applying foundation. "to sculpt your face you only need three minutes a day, yes, just three minutes. and your face will be revealed in all its beauty".