Long To Wear

As a starting point for a beauty range you wouldn’t expect someone to share the beauty of the Australian Outback as an inspiration. Nor when you mention the 90’s supermodels would you expect a link to the outback… enter stage left Vincent Longo. The nature, lights, colours, textures and sounds of Australia, where he grew up, made a life-long impression on him and inspired his love of colour.

The makeup artist and founder of the brand spend his childhood in amidst the beauty of the outback and mastered the art of makeup application through working with Gianni Versace, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Gianfranco Ferre. He worked with some of the most popular supermodels of the 90s, such as Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Stephanie Seymour, Heidi Klum, and Elle McPherson and he revolutionised the iconic supermodel era with style, technique and artistry.

Vincent said that while working with models and celebrities, he could never find the right colour of foundation to match their individual skin tone, so he would mix the exact shade for each one in his kitchen the night before the shows. This became the first step towards creating the Vincent Longo brand, which he launched in 1995.

For him, the best thing about creating products is being inspired by an experience, a place or the nature when creating pieces for the range. For example, he once visited the coast of Sicily near Taormina and saw some girls coming out of the pretty cold water. Their skin and lips were practically stained by the reaction of the warm skin to the still cool water and after seeing this, he wanted to create makeup that was really close to natural skin, almost like a stain.

The brand is best known for their innovative ‘Crème-to-Powder’ and ‘Microwater’ technologies, which hydrate and nourish the skin. The products also include seaweed extract which provides anti-oxidant protection, Vitamin E to moisturise and protect the skin and Antioxidants to help rejuvenate delicate skin. The colours of Australia are reflected in the naturalness of the products and all of them can be used for quite natural as well as for more dramatic looks, via the amount of product layered. Furthermore, the brand offers long-lasting formulas that work on all complexions as there is a good range of tones.

See below some key products of the collection that have been tested:

Sheer Pigment Lipsticks
These lipsticks are available in five different shades and are described as ‘dressing your lips in a sheer veil of brilliant color’. They are enriched with Mango Butter and Vitamin E to hydrate and nourish the lips while Antioxidants help to rejuvenate delicate skin while delivering long-lasting, glossy color. The packaging is quite simple, as it is all black with only the brand’s sign on it.
We at .Cent tried the ‘Chroma’ shade which looks like a really bright and vibrant coral in the tube, but on the lips it appears very sheer and glossy. It is quite moisturising and last a good amount of time and it almost feels like a lip balm, while still adding a nice colour to your lips.

Water Canvas Foundation
This unique oil-free creme-to-powder foundation provides a real skin look and feeling. It is created with a patented process and 75% microwater to hydrate and nourish skin for a healthy complexion. The coverage is from light to medium and it can be applied with a wet sponge. The Microwater in the product provides continuous hydration and ensures a flawless finish. Furthermore, it covers imperfections while conditioning your skin to unify uneven tone and lessen the visibility of fine lines. The foundation feels and looks like a second skin and is ultra-lightweight and is available in a wide range of skin tones.

Water Canvas Blush
This blush is made of the same creme-to-powder formula as the foundation, which is easy to apply and gives the skin a healthy-looking, long-lasting glow. The product contains 75% Microwater with botanical seaweed extract and Vitamin E to moisturise and protect the skin. It is totally weightless and easy to blend and leaves the most realistic finish. For a natural look, apply the Water Canvas Blush onto the apples of the cheeks with the fingers, using a patting motion. For a more professional look, blend the colour more intensely across the cheekbones with the Water Canvas Sponge. Always keep the lid locked and closed between the applications to prevent evaporation.

La Bella Luce Highlighter
Highlighting is the new contouring, because it looks much fresher and more natural. This highlighter creates an ethereal glow with luminescent pearls that reflect light to brighten any complexion. It is available in two, multi-tonal shades and the powder is so smooth that it almost feels creamy. Simply swirl a powder brush into the powder, and tap off the excess. Sweep it across the face or apply it to targeted areas, including cheekbones, brow bones, and the bridge of the nose.

Crème Gel Eyeliner
This gel eyeliner is richly pigmented and available in six different shades. Our team tried the brown shade, which looks almost black on the eye, but a bit more natural than actual black eyeliner. The texture is really creamy and whipped, easy to apply, and extremely long-wearing. The product includes light-reflective pearls for an eye-catching finish. Just dip a slanted angle brush into the Crème Gel Liner and wipe the brush against the side of the pot to remove any excess product. For a dramatic effect, blend the liner onto the eyelid to create a sensual eyeshadow look. For a bold eye look, apply the liner more generously to the outer corner of the eye with an upward sweep.