A Quickie solution to breaking in new shoes

Dear Rissa, 

I’m getting married in a few months and I’ve found the perfect pair of shoes for my special day. I’m concerned that since they’re new, they might not feel as comfortable. Is there a way to break them in without having to wear them? I don’t want my wedding shoes to get dirty or ruined.

Kat z.

I suggest you have your shoes stretched at Mr. Quickie or Besa’s (which you can easily find at the malls). It costs just around a hundred pesos and you just have to leave them for a day or two. This is what I do when I buy a new pair of shoes — even if they’re my size, sometimes they will not always be the perfect fit. The width or shape of the shoes might be a tad bit narrow or for most people, your two feet aren’t always exactly the same size. Having my shoes stretched always makes me feel like I’ve worn the shoes for many weeks already. So even if it’s a brand-new pair, the broken-in feeling makes them feel so comfortable to wear. Most of these shoe repair services only stretch shoes made of leather while some will accept shoe stretching depending on the material. They can stretch the shoe’s width while other shops can stretch both the width and length. Make sure to inquire properly and clarify what you need to be done. Best wishes on your wedding!                                                          

Rissa

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‘Help! I overplucked my eyebrows!’

Dear Ms. Tingting 

I have overplucked eyebrows what can I do?     

Clarice

The only cure for overplucked eyebrows used to be time and a well-sharpened brow pencil and for me, coconut oil but no more.  Some salons, including LuxLash in Boston and Retreat on Larimer in Denver, are offering brow extensions (starting at around $100) in America.  Read on: Individual synthetics are attached to existing hairs to bulk them up for an overall thicker look at Completely Bare spas in New York City and Palm Beach. Technicians glue human hairs directly to the skin to disguise sparse areas for a pricier $500.  Both methods last two to three weeks with proper care (which means no rubbing, excessive washing, or oily makeup removers). 

Just make sure the salon does a patch test to rule out allergies to the adhesive, says dermatologist Richard M. Bernstein. “The only possible problem I see is an allergic reaction to the glue,” he says.  Or the restlessness you’ll feel during the two hours it takes for them to be applied.

Another is medical formulation for hair growth.  Dr. Imelda Cervantes of Medical Tower sells it; so does Dr. Val Herbosa of Makati Medical Center.                  Tingting

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