The skinny on freckles

Hi, Rissa! 

I’ve had freckles on my face since I was a child. I want to get help on how to conceal and lighten them.    

Janet

If you are born with a freckly complexion, it will be with you for life, although freckles fade with age. Freckles are tiny marks formed where there is an excess of melanin on the skin. They’re harmless and generally considered a very appealing feature. They tend to deepen in color in summer and increase in number, too. Fair freckled skins are usually susceptible to sunburn; always use a product with a very high SPF (sun protection factor). Use a moisturizer with built-in ultraviolet filters. Morena freckled skins tend to be less susceptible to burning, but nevertheless, be careful in the sun. If you feel conscious about your freckles, consider using foundation. What foundation you use depends very much on you and how dark your freckles are. Freckles tend to look best when well-moisturized and covered only with a tinted gel foundation or even just a tinted moisturizer. Avoid heavy foundation, even for evening. Use the lightest liquid foundation in your basic skin color. But always go for one with SPF. With your concern for freckles, you should try Nivea’s Tinted Moisturizer (available in all leading drugstores and department stores). It’s available in two shades and contains UVA and UVB protectors. You can also try The Face Shop’s Phytogenic makeup (available at Bonifacio High Street; Glorietta 2, Makati; SM Mall of Asia; and SM North Edsa). It’s a line of natural looking makeup that allows the skin to breathe. Formulated with persimmon leaf and green tea extracts, this refreshingly light base makeup line comforts and protects skin against harmful pollutants and UV rays. I’ve tried the Phytogenic Foundation SPF 10 and I like the way this liquid foundation doesn’t feel too thick or heavy, but at the same time, gives good coverage without the need for concealer. If your freckles aren’t that visible, you can opt for the Phytogenic All Day Control Pressed Powder SPF 10 PA+. It goes on smooth while giving ample coverage. The best thing about it is that it effectively removes sebum. I also really appreciate how they packaged the powder puff in the compact to be in a separate compartment, keeping everything clean and hygienic.

When it comes to makeup, MAC has also been one of my favorites. Try the MAC Select SPF 15 Foundation (available at Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Glorietta, and Rustan’s Department Stores.) If you’re more comfortable with powder, MAC’s Studio Fix line (also available with SPF) is one of the best. For light coverage, simply use a powder brush to dust it all over your face. For more coverage, use the sponge to apply it on your face. Either way you apply it, MAC Studio Fix provides good coverage, feels invisible, and stays well on for a long time. If you get a zit, simply use the lightest liquid foundation available in your skin color and camouflage the blemish with a matching concealer stick stroked with a brush and blended carefully at the edges.

Yet at the end of the day, don’t let your freckles get in the way of your self-esteem. Freckles are generally considered to be an appealing feature. Find beauty in your flaws. Just because you think something is ugly doesn’t mean the rest of the world thinks so, too.

Rissa

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Hair Majesty, Evita Peroni!

Hi, Lucy!

Where can I get pretty hair accessories that are not of disposable quality? I am frustrated with the ones I own — ugly pieces that function well and very pretty ones that are just that, pretty. They don’t hold my hair in place or up. Where do you get your hair accessories?       

Isabel

I used to have that exact same problem until I learned about Evita Peroni. They used it on my hair for a shoot in Malaysia and I have not looked back since. I am addicted to them! Must-haves (and I am assuming you have long hair like me) are the Double Bomb, the Pelican, the Chignon, the soft bands, and the Bernhardine sticks. 

Evita Peroni is available at SM Makati, Glorietta, and at the Archaeology section of the Power Plant Mall, Rockwell, Makati.  Ask the sales team to demonstrate how certain styles are achieved. Your hair will be so pretty, and so will you be.

Lucy

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Some Cold Facts

Dear Tingting,

The cold has irritated my skin.  What can I do?

Gelay

After washing your face, get omega-3 oil or pure almond oil.  Massage either into your face for a minute and wipe off with a damp cloth.  Follow up with hydrating moisturizer.

Tingting

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Send e-mail to tingtingcojuangco@yahoo.com, ltg@pldtdsl.com, and rissa_samson@yahoo.com.