Celebrate what is nice about your body

DEAR LUCY,

Can I wear a citrus orange outfit from head-to-toe without looking like a popsicle?  My body is my big problem.  I am thin on top, my stomach is flat, but my thighs are really large.  My ankles could be slimmer, too.  I avoid wearing skirts.  And no way am I going to wear jeggings and skinny jeans.                         REENA

Yes, you can wear a citrus orange outfit from head to toe.  But keep the cut minimalist, because the color of your outfit already says, “Look at me!”  Accessories have to be well-edited, too. 

Your body does not have to be a problem.  Celebrate what is nice about it — you have a flat stomach!  Your top part is, as you say, thin!  Highlight that!  Never mind your thunder things.  You can wear a skirt that is cut slim, one that falls right below the knee.  Otherwise, go for a full- length slim skirt.  Paint your toenails a pretty color and let them peek out.  Or when you wear heels, make sure they are somewhat pointed and are not chunky.  They do not have to be very high heels.

Wear straight or bootcut jeans in a stretchy fabric and a dark color.  Check out American Eagle’s denim line.  The Artist cut is my favorite and it comes in several washes, among them a dark one.

LUCY

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Must-haves for starter makeup kit

HI, REGINA!

I’d really like to build a starter makeup kit, just enough to make me look presentable on a daily basis. What would you suggest that I invest in?

CINDY

• First, base and/or concealer in your exact shade, if you feel that you need it. It’s okay to spend a bit of money on base just to be sure that you’re getting a color that actually matches, in a formula that’s safe for your skin if you’re sensitive or prone to allergic reactions.

• Second, a brow definer. The type you get will depend on how much definition you feel your brows need. If they’re sparse, you may want to opt for a pencil (in a more natural, soft-looking ash brown); if they’re thick enough, then a pen-type brow definer, brow powder, or brow mascara should be enough to do the trick. Well-groomed brows are a crucial but oft-overlooked beauty must.

• An eyelash curler. Curled lashes, just like groomed brows, are a seemingly insignificant little detail that will make a lot of difference in the way you look. They open up your eyes and make you look more awake.

• Mascara, if you want to amp up the effect of curled lashes and give them even more definition.

• Blush, in a universally-flattering peachy pink shade, to give your skin a healthy-looking flush.

• Lipstick, in a your-lips-but-better shade and in a bolder shade, like red, for when you want to switch it up.

• Highlighter, if you feel like you’re up to it, dusted or blended into the tops of your cheekbones to enhance your bone structure and give your skin a healthy, luminous glow. (This is my secret!)

• Eyeliner, in a form you can work with, whether it’s pencil, liquid, or gel, for when you want to give your eyes extra definition.

That should be enough to get you through, and you can throw in a neutral eye shadow palette if you want to experiment a bit. Have fun!                    REGINA

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Long-lasting eye shadow for the holidays

DEAR RISSA,

I have a problem with very oily eyelids, eye shadow lasts barely two hours on me before fading, and my eyeliner (I’ve tried liquid, pencil and gel) and mascara always smear, giving me raccoon eyes. I’ve heard about eyes hadow primers, what would you recommend?

KAT 

A must-try is German-based company Make Up Factory (available at The SM Store). They believe that every woman deserves great makeup, whether you’re a newbie or a pro. “What sets Make Up Factory apart is their aim to give non-specialists a chance to get the same looks achieved by a professional makeup artist,” says Diana Afable Lorenzo, managing director for MUF. All products are manufactured straight from Munich and shipped directly to stores worldwide.

To achieve party-ready peepers for the holidays, arm yourself with the Make Up Factory Sensitive Eye Shadow Base (only P680, available at The SM Store). The creamy texture neutralizes the eye area and prevents the eye shadow from settling into the eyelid crease. This primer also allows colors to be long-wearing and intensifies the luminosity of the eye shadow color so you can bid goodbye to fading hues! It’s enriched with bisabolol that soothes the skin and Vitamin E that protects the sensitive eye area. What I really like is that this is perfectly suitable for sensitive eyes and even for contact lens wearers. The Sensitive Eye Shadow Base is perfume-free.

RISSA

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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.