Naturally, foundation should look seamless on your face
March 14, 2007 | 12:00am
Hi, Lucy!
What foundation can you recommend that looks really natural? And where do you get your flat shoes? My shoe size is big and I always have difficulty finding a pair that fits me.
– Shoegirl
For foundation to look really natural, you have to first find your exact shade. It should look seamless on your face, especially on the jawline. I use Awake Exbright Soft Gel Liquid Make Up White (available at Rustan’s). It is oil-free and has SPF 18. The shade I use is Cashew. It really looks natural and I find that it works better for me when I use a foundation brush to apply it. For flat shoes, I often have them custom-made by Lila Almario. They are so comfortable I can actually run in them the whole day and my feet don’t hurt. And she can make them in the most delicious colors. Aside from that, I always like to patronize local products.
– Lucy
An eyebrow-raising question: to tattoo or not to tattoo? |
As you can see from my e-mail addy, I am Chinese, and as with a lot of other Chinese, my eyebrows are scarce and scattered. Though I have learned through the years to pluck my brows perfectly and have had my fair share of praise for drawing almost flawless arcs, I feel depressed every time I work up a sweat or get wet from the rain and my brows start to disappear!!! Summer is here and it’s time to hit the beaches once again … I am contemplating having my brows tattooed.
Can you recommend a good tattoo artist? I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time, but am afraid I’d look like our granny after. Another consideration is that tattoos tend to turn "greenish" when they fade. Is this just a matter of having it done by a reputable artist? Help!
– Kelly Tan
I’ve always felt that grooming the eyebrows can be as important as combing your hair. After all, eyebrows frame your eyes and create an expression for the entire face. But before you consider tattooing them, looking like your granny or having greenish eyebrows should be the least of your concerns. There are more important things to consider.
The application of permanent eyebrows is done the same way as regular tattooing. A tattoo gun, which automatically dispenses inks to the area to be tattooed, is used for the procedure. The inks are delivered below the skin. If the work is very meticulous, then the professional applying your new eyebrows might apply the pigment manually with a handheld needle. No matter the procedure, you can expect bruising, swelling, and even bleeding.
Before you have your eyebrows tattooed, you need to have an initial consultation with the professional applying the procedure. Make sure you seek a specialist. You may need to take antibiotics beforehand to prevent bacterial infection. You may also be asked to eliminate the use of aspirin and nicotine before the operation to lessen the chance of swelling or bleeding. There is also the risk of an allergic reaction to the pigments.
And if you think tattooing your brows will forever spare you the trouble of "putting on your eyebrows" every morning, the truth is they can still fade over time. Beauty products that contain alpha-hydroxy acid can partially remove or dissolve the tattoo. Light of all kinds, but especially sunlight, can play a role in lightening the color of your tattooed eyebrows. Lastly, remember that if the results of the tattoo aren’t good, it can be quite difficult to correct them.
Before you opt for something as permanent as tattooing, I highly encourage you to try other makeup tools and tricks instead.
I recommend ModelCo More Brows (exclusively available at Beauty Bar). When ModelCo received repeated pleas for an eyebrow thickener from women whose brows had thinned through age and overplucking, their development team came up with More Brows, a cleverly conceived clear gel with tiny microfilaments (I swear, they look like real, natural hair) which when applied fill out the brow. It’s really an ingenious application that gives you instant eyebrows. This quick-dry gel formula contains hair-like particles that can be applied to the brows to extend, re-shape, and thicken. When I met Sophie Baker, international marketing director for ModelCo last year, she explained that this wonder product is used even by cancer patients and burn victims. Here’s another eyebrow-raising surprise  it stays on even under the rain, until removed with a cleanser.
Another product to try is Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector (boutiques are located at Level 3, Shangri-La Plaza Mall and at the 3rd floor, The Block, SM City North. Also available at Marionnaud, 2nd floor, Mall of Asia). Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector is made up of a tube of corrector and two small tweezers. It allows you to lengthen, redesign, and intensify the natural line of your eyebrows. The creamy texture allows you to make natural-looking, discreet corrections. The result remains flawless throughout the day and holds up under all conditions even through water and heat.
Make Up For Ever also has its eyebrow pencil which is highly concentrated in pigments and ensures a long-lasting hold. It’s perfect for women whose eyebrows are too light-colored, sparse or uneven.
Another must-try eyebrow product is Fasio Waterproof Eyebrow Mascara (available at Rustan’s Essenses). Containing micro multi polymers, this is a perspiration, water, and sebum-resistant waterproof eyebrow mascara that won’t come off even if rubbed. It comes in different shades to match your brow and hair color. Plus, it has a quick-dry formula that speedily corrects the eyebrow line, giving off a natural finish.
Your dilemma reminds me of my model friend Wilma Doesnt. Like you, she has really sparse eyebrows and the one makeup product she can’t live without is her eyebrow pencil. Drawing on her eyebrows is the first thing she does each day and she can’t leave the house without doing so. She shares that she has been using Fashion 21 eyebrow pencils for the longest time (available at all leading department stores nationwide). She says that whether she’s working out, sweating or swimming in the pool, it doesn’t come off. Her tip? When in water or working out, be aware of not wiping or rubbing off your brows. She explains you may be unconsciously wiping them in the middle of a workout or swim.
One last tip for long-lasting eyebrows: After drawing in your eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil, you can also brush the eyebrows with a clear waterproof mascara. This will help keep unruly brow strands in place and make your arches last longer.
– Rissa
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