All about hue: The mystery of black eyeliner
Dear Rissa,
I need your help. Do you have any idea on how I should revive my dry Blacktrack Fluidline? I’ve had it for a year now.
@ELLE_EIGH VIA TWITTER
I’m afraid you’ve broken a beauty rule. When it comes to eye products, you know you shouldn’t be keeping anything that has to do with your eyes for that long. Makeup products for the eyes expire the fastest. Eye makeup like mascara should be tossed out after four months while products like your MAC Fluidline shouldn’t go beyond six months. Toss it out immediately if it becomes dry.
Perhaps it’s time to buy a new eyeliner. Since it seems you love your MAC Fluidline so dearly, I suggest you try MAC Fluidline in the shade Dark Diversion (available at MAC Cosmetics, Rustan’s Shangri-La Mall, Eastwood Mall, Glorietta 3, and Power Plant Mall). This exudes a blackened plum hue — it boasts the intensity of black but the mystery and allure of the violet family. Don’t worry, it still offers the reliability of a black eyeliner but will give off that “there’s something different but I can’t figure out what” vibe. Yes, go ahead and make them wonder.
Rissa
* * *
Hi, Regina!
I’d like to dress with a little more oomph, if you know what I mean, but how do I keep from crossing the line from sexy to skanky?
TINA
Unfortunately, that line is a little relative. You could be wearing something you consider pretty tame, but there will always be someone out there who will find it scandalous. It’s best to be prepared to deal with that.
Still, I always think that (if it’s appropriate for the occasion —you’d never wear tiny cutoffs to church, right?) you should wear what you want. You’ll never discover your style, or figure out which of the styles you like actually work for you, if you don’t try new things and get a little adventurous with your wardrobe.
I personally prefer to err on the side of modesty, though. A guideline I like to follow is to only bare a certain area of skin at a time. (It’s kind of like my makeup rule: Emphasize just one feature; either go for intense smoky eyes or bold lips, but never both at once, so your look isn’t overwhelming.) If I’m baring shoulders and arms, I like to keep my legs covered up. If I’m wearing a top with a low-cut neckline, I prefer to have long sleeves. If I’m wearing a miniskirt or super short shorts and I’m baring a lot of leg, I wear a conservative top, like a long-sleeved button-down shirt, or throw a crisp blazer on.
Some will eschew rules like those, but I find that they make it easier to maintain a little modesty. (Especially if you’re of a curvier build! The skinny ones seem to be able to get away with anything without looking “obscene,” lucky them.) It’s ultimately your judgment call, though. If you’re checking yourself out in the mirror and you don’t think you’ll feel comfortable walking around in what you’re wearing, then make some adjustments. The whole point of dressing up is to feel fabulous and confident, and that’s not likely to be possible when you’re feeling self-conscious even before you step out of your door.
Regina
* * *
Oil right for all hair types
The bare essentials of dressing up
Hair it is: Elixir Ultime, a Kerastase signature product, is a very flexible and encompassing product that addresses assorted hair care needs.Dear Lucy,
Every day, I blow-dry my hair. I need it to look polished in my job, but now my hair feels so battered and dry. I have been trying to get hold of the mythic oil that you featured but have had no luck so far. Is there any other hair oil I can use? It has been said time and again that oils are very effective and have been used for many beauty purposes. Please shed some light on this.
Althea
Please get a bottle of Elixir Ultime which is a Kerastase signature product. It is a very flexible and encompassing product and addresses five hair care needs:
1. Pre-cleanse — prepares the hair before shampoo by removing impurities while adding deep nourishment.
2. Leave-on conditioner — for when hair needs extra nourishment. Do not apply near the scalp though as it can weigh hair down. Just apply through the mid-lengths and ends.
3. Before blow-drying — nourishes and protects the hair from the damaging effects of frequent blow-drying. Again, avoid the area near the scalp.
4. Control frizz — as a finishing product, it controls flyaway hair and frizz.
5. Retouching throughout the day — for added control and nourishment. You will love it!
This is available in salons where L’Oreal products are sold.
Lucy
* * *
Send e-mail to Lucy Torres-Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Trillo at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil. Send Regina Belmonte your questions at vivatregina.tumblr@gmail.com or tweet her @vivatregina.
