We recently caught up with Megumi Sekine, creator of the naturally gorgeous Tove & Libra look for our debut FW18 campaign. As one of the most sought-after makeup artists in Asia, we were thrilled to get her take on some of the latest beauty trends, as well as tips for women on-the-go.

Megumi in our Colorblock Shift Dress

Could you please tell us a little about your background?

Hello I'm Megumi Sekine and I am half-Japanese, half-Chinese, born in Hong Kong.

My passion for makeup was first ignited when I was younger and started giving my friends makeovers. I've always loved playing with colours and transforming faces.

What are your general inspirations?

I would say that I am most inspired by the transformation that makeup can provide. You can essentially make someone into a new person! For example, adding contour and colour to Asian faces can really bring out their features and add depth to make them appear more dimensional. 

Talk about the look you created for our shoot and how you were inspired by the Tove & Libra collection? What were the key products used?

The Tove & Libra woman understands the need for core, chic staples that can you can grab and go. The same philosophy can be applied towards the makeup used in the shoot. Keeping the look clean, and on trend, I wanted the skin and eyebrows to look relatively natural.

I used a taupe colour on the eyes with a dark brown eyeliner to compliment. It's not too harsh for the day, and keeps her face natural while looking put-together. The Tove & Libra collection is pared back and rooted in neutral colours so you also want your makeup to reflect this. Then, you can add a pop of colour on the lips to transition you into the night.

In your opinion, what are the essentials for any busy, working woman getting ready in the morning?

Everyone has different needs... For me, no matter how busy I am or how little time I have, I make sure I do my eyebrows!

However, I would say that as you get older and your skin-tone becomes less even, it is so important to use concealer under the eyes, along with a tinted moisturiser to balance your skin. If you don't have quite enough time, then I would suggest you use cream-based makeup and dab this on your skin with fingers. It’s a great way of adding colour to the skin and looking fresh.

Lastly, if you had to ditch your whole make-up bag and only keep one item - what would it be?

I would have to keep my eyebrow product!

See more of Megumi’s artistry on Instagram @megumismakeup