Makeup Artist and Teviant's Founder Albert Kurniawan Wants You To Find Strength In Beauty
And shares the inspirations and aspirations of his beauty brand Teviant
Beauty brand Teviant may be new to our shores, but its founder, Albert Kurniawan, is by no means a novice to the industry. With more than a decade of experience, the Philippines-based Indonesian makeup artist is well known for his work with the region’s famous faces—among them, Filipina multi-hyphenate Heart Evangelista, Filipino-German model and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, Indonesian actress and singer “Princess” Syahrini and Filipino-American actress and Miss World 2013 Megan Young. Kurniawan shares more about the origins of his three-year-old brand and what it stands for.
ON THE BRAND’S NAME
Teviant is named after my mum, Tevianty, who is tenacious, detailed, colourful, strong, independent and fearless. She taught me to always challenge myself and follow my passion. A Teviant woman is likewise strong, independent, fearless.
ON WHY HE STARTED TEVIANT
When I was younger, I observed the women in my house, and was amazed at how beautiful and confident they felt after putting on makeup. When I was growing up, I had the opportunity to be exposed to different cultures when I studied in Singapore at the LASALLE College of the Arts and discovered my talent for creating beautiful makeup looks for fashion shoots. When I turned professional, I had an amazing experience creating spontaneous makeovers on the streets of Italy and the videos went viral. I realised that I should embrace this calling and share my knowledge while continuing the joy of connecting with people by creating my own brand of products.
OH HIS MUSE
My favourite celebrity and muse is Heart Evangelista. She has such an affable personality, plus she loves makeup and looks good in any kind of beauty look. Working with her is never boring, and I love that she’s very adventurous and always game to try out new looks. Currently, she’s into the brand’s Liquid Eyeliner Pen and Eyebrow Tint.
ON HIS GOALS FOR TEVIANT
Teviant celebrates diversity, and we use skincare and makeup to connect with one another. My hope is for Teviant to become an Asian beauty brand that leads important and relevant conversations that matter. I hope we can spark and carry a dialogue about self-love, confidence, wellness and beauty both inside and out in this age of social media. My wish is to also foster a community of sassy, strong and intelligent open-minded individuals who care. I hope the brand can provide strength and lend voice to those in need, as well as contribute to any global issue close to our hearts.
ON WHAT MAKES TEVIANT UNIQUE
Teviant’s makeup products are created with the modern woman in mind, so they have to be high-performing while still being easy to use. All of the brand's products are formulated with skincare ingredients, so in addition to enhancing your features, they care for your skin. On top of that, they’re cruelty and paraben-free. Teviant doesn’t compromise on quality and uses only the finest cosmetic ingredients from Italy; this ensures that everything is pigmented, applies smoothly and blends out like a dream.
Teviant Must-Haves
Featuring a four-point brush tip that delivers micro-fine strokes of lasting formula, this bulks up sparse brows and gives a 3D microbladed look. "It's super easy to use, even if you're an amateur," enthuses Kurniawan, who suggests getting it in Herself, a light brown that plays well for most Asians.
With a formula that is water, sweat and smudge resistant, this liquid eyeliner promises to stay put in Southeast Asia’s hot and humid weather, performing exceptionally even for those with oily lids. Kurniawan recommends Virago, a classic black that works with any look.
A cheek palette with a potent concentration of good-for-skin actives such as apricot oil and burdock extract, this boasts an ultra-blendable formula that feels soft and velvety on skin. The pigments, which feature pearl powder, are concentrated, warns Kurniawan, so a little goes a long way in adding colour and radiance to those cheeks
Waterproof and smudge-proof, this long-wearing mascara has double wands with brushes specially designed for the upper and lower lashes (use the bigger one for the former and the smaller for the latter). Made of tiny fibres that catch even the shortest strand, they coat lashes evenly with a formula designed to plump, lengthen and curl—guaranteeing full, fluttery lashes for up to 20 hours. “The key to achieving a dramatic effect,” Kurniawan shares, “is to ensure you start right at the base of the lash, then stroke outward and upward.”
Perfect for those mad about matte, this lippie has “a lightweight, hydrating formula that ensures a good, smooth colour that’s comfortable to wear all day”, says Kurniawan, adding that the 10 vivid hues it comes in are specially selected to suit a wide variety of Asian skin tones.
Shop Teviant on LazMall and Shopee Mall