Collection: UK Makeup Invades Manila

Heavy rain and traffic did not deter Manila's hip and trendy crowd from making their way to the Rockwell Tent to witness the unveiling of another British brand to hit the market.  

The invitation said to come in sweet, colorful or edgy attire so upon arriving at the venue, the same vibe was seen and felt by guests -- from the design of the tent entrance, to the interior of the tent which was transformed into a colorful London high street.

This latest British invasion is Collection, one of the biggest makeup brands in the United Kingdom and is set to conquer the hearts of fashionistas with its beauty must-haves: the season's fanciest and quirkiest trends in makeup. The product displays were a big hit among the guests who tried out hues to determine which will suit their style.  They have a wide array of makeup for the face, the eyes and lips that is surprisingly affordable.

Collection product display

Collection makeup for the face...

...and colour palettes for the eyes and lips

A hip and edgy makeup brand, Collection celebrates individuality and encourages everyone to flaunt their personality in a variety of makeup colors.  These attributes and more were echoed by LF Asia's  SVP for Marketing, Licensed Brands, and Distribution Mr. Mario Salvatori, and Collection Regional Brand Manager Ms. Donna Dewhurst as they welcomed the guests and introduced the Collection brand in the Philippines.

(l-r) Mr. Mario Salvatori and Ms. Donna Dewhurst

For the launch, three styles/personalities were highlighted and by the Collection brand ambassadors: 

Collection brand ambassadors

pastel clad fashion blogger Camille Co for the sweet and elegant SOFTLY NATURAL look, whose favorite is the Lasting Colour Lipstick Sweet Tart; 

Camille Co

techno aztec inspired fashion blogger Laureen Uy for the hip and colorful POPPING PASTEL look, who raved about the Bedazzled Eye Palette; 

Laureen Uy

and rocker styled model/actress Solenn Heusaff for the the sultry and edgy ROCK CHICK look, who loved the Lasting Colour Gel Eyeliner in Black.

Collection is available in fashion and beauty boutiques in Manila. Check out their website www.collectioncosmetics.com.ph for the list of stores, product descriptions and tutorials on how to achieve the Softly Natural, Rock Chick and Popping Pastels looks. Like them on Facebook at facebook.com/CollectionCosmeticsPH and follow them on Twitter at twitter.com/CollectionPH to be updated with the latest Collection products and news.

Freddie Mercury: King of Queen

As usual, I was surfing the Internet when I chanced upon Google's homepage and found the artsy Google doodle -- how cool! Mousing over the graphics revealed that it was a tribute to Freddie Mercury on his 65th birthday. Freddie Mercury, Queen's lead vocals, would have been 65, had he not lost his battle with HIV and died in 1991 at the age of 45.

Google homepage: click the doodle button to start video

The animated Google doodle showed Freddie in various scenes and costumes that are as lively and colorful as he was -- from singing on stage in front of screaming fans, to riding a bicycle wearing a checkered body suit, to sitting on a throne wearing a crown and cape.

The accompanying video is set to 1978 Queen hit Don't Stop Me Now.

Select frames of the colorful video

Queens was a popular British rock group in the 1970s and 1980s best known for hits like "Bohemian Rhapsody", "We are the Champions","Another One Bites the Dust","We Will Rock You","Keep Yourself Alive","Under Pressure", "Love of My Life","A Kind of Magic" and "Radio Ga Ga", among others. The original band consisted of Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, piano), Brian May (guitar, vocals), John Deacon (bass guitar, vocals), and Roger Taylor (drums, vocals).

Select frames of the colorful video

Also as a tribute, London's Dominion Theatre is hosted a West End Summer Tea Party For Freddie For A Day with a rare chance to view Mercury's personal stamp collection. The Dominion was the home of the hit musical musical We Will Rock You based on Freddie Mercury and Queen songs.

Lotus produced a one-off Evora S in honor of Freddie Mercury. The pearl white coupe, with red and gold accents, features the Queen frontman's signature. The cabin is yellow as an homage to Mercury's 1986 stage costume and the seats feature a Union Jack. The car will be auctioned off for charity as part of the celebrations tied to Mercury's 65th birthday party at the Savoy Hotel for the benefit of the Mercury Phoenix Trust, an HIV AIDS charity founded by band mates Brian May, Roger Taylor and Queen manager Jim Beach after Mercury's death.

He may not have been a model citizen but Freddie Mercury was definitely a rock star who inspired his generation through the songs that have immortalized his memory -- the king of Queen.

Doodle art from Google

Filed under SIGHTS