Rodial Baking Powder, $48 at Murale (www.murale.ca).
The Product
Rodial Baking Powder, $48 at Murale (www.murale.ca).
The Promise
This multi-use, semi-transparent powder can be used to "bake" or set concealer and makeup and reduce shine, leaving behind a soft, matte finish without a chalky texture.
How it works
Spherical mineral powders give an airbrushed finish, while the semi-transparent texture reflects light.
How to use it
Dust a layer over skin to set your foundation. To bake, first hydrate skin with moisturizer and then, with a facial mist, dampen the targeted area (under the eyes, for example). Apply foundation and concealer, then brush on a thick layer of the baking powder overtop. After five to 10 minutes, dust off any excess powder with the Rodial Baking Brush, sold separately, or a similar brush.
The bottom line
Like a lot of today's trending makeup looks, baking is a decades-old technique that's been brought back into the limelight, or should I say LuMee light, by the Kardashians (see a full report on the trend below). Baking is an application style that's been commonplace in the drag community for years, so I asked Toronto-based makeup artist Margot Keith, who has been dressing in drag since she was a teen, to lend me her expertise for this one. Keith says that baking is popular for drag performances not only for its ability to preserve makeup under hot lights, but also because of its cartoon-like effect – it virtually eliminates any traces of skin texture. The finished look is worth the extra effort. In photos, it's like my eyebags and creases never existed. In real life, however, I look like I've piled it on – because I have. Since arriving at her salon, Keith has applied at least seven layers of skincare and makeup to my undereyes and chin.
A light dusting of Rodial's Baking Powder is a great way to set your foundation for the day, but if the perfect selfie is what you're after, then get baking.
Toman Sasaki, a model and pop band member who goes simply by Toman, does not regard his manicured and made-up look as feminine, so much as genderless. As one of a small but growing group of “genderless danshi” — “danshi” means young men in Japanese — he is developing a public identity and a career out of a new androgynous style.