The Blueprint KRISTIA FRANKLIN
The stylist, fashion merchandiser and UTech student annotates a breakdown of her look.
EYES
“Mascara is not an everyday must for me because I have the most curly eyelashes that can make application hard, but when I do feel in the mood to be all fancy I reach for Maybelline Great Lash. My mother believes that when all else fails, eye liner is a must, and slowly but surely she’s been getting me into the habit as well. It’s safe to say I have permanently borrowed my mom’s Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner in Warm Nude!”
LIPS
“Lipstick is an absolute must for me, usually red, if not a pink. It really helps to brighten the face and bring attention to a beautiful smile. Lately, I have fallen in love with MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick — I recommend it to any and everyone. It’s heavily pigmented and lasts the entire day so the days of bathroom runs to fix my lipstick are long gone.”
BROWS
“Neatly done and filled in eyebrows can uplift your face and give a more sophisticated look. Personally, I thread mine every couple of days and fill them in with brown eyeshadow where necessary. I’ve come to realise that an eyebrow pencil isn’t necessary. A make-up artist, Melissa Fullwood, showed me the trick of using eyeshadow and a small triangular eyeliner brush to fill in the brows. My favourite eyeshadow to use is L’Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Professional Eyeshadow Duo in 340 Luna Noir!”
SKIN
“I’m not one to wear heavy foundation or even at all, but on a day I feel fancy or on a day I feel the need to cover a few spots or blemishes, I lightly apply my MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation in NC40.”
JEWELLERY
When it comes to jewellery, as my mother always says, ‘the more the merrier’. I grin when she says it because denying it would be a lie. I like different and unusual pieces, usually big in size but not so much stones. Anything that looks unique must be mine! Here I’m wearing one of my favourite labels Vince Camuto.
OPTICS
“Being a ‘four eyes’ may be seen as unfortunate but it’s actually a great opportunity to make a fashion statement on a daily basis — my go-tos are these Jean Lafonts. Your frames should be a reflection of your personality, so choose wisely and have fun with your frames, after all, you’re going to be stuck with them for some time.”
THE ARSENAL
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
MAC Ruby Woo Lipstick
L’Oreal Paris HIP Studio Secrets Professional Eyeshadow Duo
MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation
Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio