Make-up kit must-haves

Dear Rissa,

I’m a newbie when it comes to makeup and I’ve been buying products to build my makeup kit. I’m not aspiring to become a makeup artist, but I have come to love makeup now and am enjoying experimenting with different looks. I just get frustrated when I buy makeup products that I find out are not good and my money has just gone to waste. Can you recommend some tried and tested makeup products I won’t regret buying?

Chesca C.

Whether you’re a newbie or an expert, every woman who likes makeup should check out Make Up For Ever’s latest products. Celebrating 25 years of makeup, Make Up For Ever presents their limited-edition collector’s sets at great value. Inspired not only by the favorites of Make Up For Ever creator Dany Sanz, these unique makeup sets are equipped with the favorite Make Up For Ever products of professional make-up artists and women around the world. These limited-edition sets feature Make Up For Ever’s best-selling products — definitely worth your money and you can never go wrong with these.

 The Five-Piece Aqua Eyes collection set is a wonderful mix of the best-selling and newest shades (P1,950, available at Make Up For Ever Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Bonifacio High Street and at Martish, JP Laurel Ave, Bajada, Davao City). If you’ve been looking for the perfect eyeliner that stays in place after hours of wear, then Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes is it. Aqua Eyes contains a unique formula that adheres to the eyelids and resists water even under the most extreme conditions, without running or fading. We all hate it when we wear eyeliner and it smudges, but this will always stay in place. My friends with Asian eyes always complain about how their eyeliner always tends to smudge but after trying Make Up For Ever’s Aqua Eyes, they swear that this is what they’ll be buying from now on.

 A must-have is the Best of Make Up For Ever Kit (P3,500, also available at Make Up For Ever Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Bonifacio High Street, and at Martish in Davao City). This boasts the most popular Make Up For Ever products around the globe and contains five essential products: Aqua Eyes, Smoky Lash, Sens’ Eyes, a deluxe-size HD primer, and the HD powder in full size. The Smoky Lash is an ultra-pigmented mascara that gives everything we want in lashes — curl, volume, and length. It amazingly takes thin light lashes to dark and thick. The Sens’ Eyes is a mineral oil-free gel makeup remover for the eyes and lips. It instantly removes impurities and waterproof makeup even on the most sensitive eyes. The HD primer is a lightweight, oil-free complexion corrector that enhances the skin’s texture and primes the skin for makeup. It results in glowing skin as well as long-lasting makeup — you won’t really need to do touch-ups anymore. The HD powder is a universal translucent finishing powder to be applied over foundation or worn alone. It sets the foundation and slightly mattifies skin without changing its natural contours. This 100-percent mineral silica powder softens the appearance of imperfections and completely evens out the complexion for a glowing, radiant look. This is a really amazing product. It feels fantastic on your skin and makes it seem super smooth. You’ll be shocked at how it can make your skin look flawless from the first try. A little goes a long way, too!

 Lastly, for every woman who is building her makeup collection, the Zebra Mallette is an eye-catching personal makeup box which features a zebra print (P3,200, also available at Make Up For Ever Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Bonifacio High Street and at Martish in Davao City). It also includes the Aqua Smoky Lash, HD primer, and the HD powder in deluxe size. For makeup lovers, it’s undoubtedly a fashionable way to store all your makeup treasures.

 Rissa

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For Your Eye Bags Only

Dear Lucy,

I look like a racoon.  Seriously.  I have bags bigger than my eyes, and they are so dark I can never leave the house without patting on some under-eye concealer, which leads me to another problem — the one I use just leaves a grayish tinge.  And the more white powder I dust on top, the grayer it becomes.  It actually looks ashy.   Otherwise I can say I have more than just okay skin.  If only my eyes do not make me look like I just stepped out of some scary movie …

Mirren

I know what you mean.  Especially when I lack sleep I can look like a racoon myself!  And I also understand what you mean by finding the right concealer for your eyes.  I was on a journey that felt like forever trying to find that one perfect one and I am just lucky that I get to work with a lot of the best makeup artists in the country.  Through the years, I have come to keep close only the products that really work for me.  I wish you had told me in your letter what your skin tone is because if we have the same color, I can just share with you outright the ones I use.  But since you did not, the best way I can help you is by telling you to go to your nearest makeup counter (Rustan’s has great choices) and spend time with their resident makeup artist.  They can give you an informed choice.  Take advantage of those makeup demos in makeup counters, you learn a lot just by watching.  Don’t be afraid to ask, ask, ask if there is anything that is not quite clear to you.  Offhand, I am partial to Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier for concealers. I find they work really well.  Make Up For Ever has a really good one also that comes in a tube.  It is light yet it covers very well.  Michiko is a much cheaper brand and I like it a lot also.  Concealers come in different shades, ask a professional what would suit you best.  Once you find the right one, you do not have to look very far.

It might surprise you to know also that lack of sleep and genes are not the only culprits behind dark circles. Allergic rhinitis can contribute to that, as my ent doctor told me.  You know what I am really loving now?  There is this treatment from the Belo Medical Group that I am really loving.  I just tried it over the weekend and it is called Meso Eyes.  It is a form of Mesotherapy that uses a medicine called Mesolighten (it contains vitamin C, azeleic acid, kojic acid, and tranexamic acid).  I had my treatment in the Greenhills Clinic, under Dr. Guada Capiz, and it only took 15-20 minutes, with no downtime.  By that I mean you can resume your regular activities except for the ones that will have you sweating profusely.  You do not want that because all the medicine will seep out.  The results are delightful, especially a day after.  The combination of ingredients used effectively lightens dark circles and decreases vascular congestion.  Treatment should ideally be done once a week for six weeks.  I love it!  I am so looking forward to my second treatment, I cannot wait to enjoy the full benefits once I have completed everything.  The results are very encouraging, worth getting excited about because it is almost instant gratification.

Lucy

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The Sweet Secret To Losing Weight

Dear Ms. Tingting,

I was wondering if drinking fruit juices could make one slimmer. How much weight can you lose by drinking just orange juice?

Ivy crizaldo

Mandaluyong City

Do you mean to say you’ll be taking a fruit juice diet without any solid food?

Don’t do that to lose weight or you’ll more likely give yourself an acid stomach with a high vitamin C.

Juices are packed with sugars, too. Other juices are healthy drinks, but eat for your body to absorb other vitamins. Stop consuming so much dairy, red meat, caffeine, salt, sugar, and fatty foods. That’s the real secret to losing weight and keeping it off.

Tingting

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