DEAR RISSA,
Jelly shoes seem to be uso again. Saw a lot of girls wearing it in my recent vacation abroad. Not so fond of this style though. What fashion alternatives can I go for?
SARAH
Yes, this childhood trend from the ’80s is making a comeback. Ultra bright, affordable, and ready for anything, the cuteness of jelly sandals can’t be stopped. I’m not a fan either of the traditional jelly shoe shape with T-straps and a rounded toe. If you don’t like the usual jelly shoes, Melissa offers sophisticated styles that can take you from the beach to the city, and from summer to rainy season, too. It’s really no fun walking from building to building during rainy days and going home with damp feet (and dirty ruined shoes!). That’s why I like Melissa shoes. They never fail me, no matter what the season, place, and occasion.
Made by Brazil’s fashionable footwear giant Grendene S.A., they’re a great re-invention of the much-loved jelly shoes. I think they’re a great alternative to the jelly shoe trend and proven to endure seasons and styles. They have so many fashionable styles and colors to choose from, be it flats, wedges or stilettos. My first pair of Melissa shoes was pointy flats and they felt heavenly on my feet! My next pair was a wedge style, which gave both height and comfort for beach weddings and travels. From runway shows to a night out or just after a long day, ultra soft Melissa shoes are always a wonderful and fashionable treat for my feet!
RISSA
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Make your first makeup kit fun
HI, REGINA!
I’m 18 and I haven’t got a clue about makeup, but I really want to start wearing even just the basics. What product do you suggest I buy first? I’m on a college student budget. How should I build my makeup kit?
KRIS
I didn’t have a clue when I was 18, either! If you have to start with just one item, though, I would strongly suggest picking up a lip-and-cheek tint. It hits two birds with one stone: it gives you a natural-looking color, it makes you look fresh. (My personal favorite is The Face Shop’s My Lips Eat Cherry Tint in Bloody Red, which should cost no more than P300, if I remember right. It was sold out for a bit, so when they restocked, I bought two. I use it daily, that’s how much I love it.)
The next thing you should add to your kit is something for your eyebrows. A definer of some sort. I would suggest that you get them professionally shaped even just once (I go to Browhaus, which is a little pricey at almost P600 for brow shaping, but well worth it), then see if you can maintain the neatness and shape of at least the bottom of your lashes. Then, use a lash-definer to fill in your brows and emphasize the shape. (Again, I’ve been using The Face Shop — their Face It brow powder duo in the lightest shade; it’s super affordable and lasts forever. But an ashy brown pencil or something like K-Palette’s 2-Way Brow Duo will also do. It’ll cost a bit more, though.) Neat, groomed, defined brows do amazing things for your face; you look polished and made up without actually being made up.
Another item I would suggest is an eyelash curler. And mascara, too, I guess, but start with the lash curler. Asian lashes tend to grow straight, so curling them will give your eyes a little more definition and also make you look a little more awake. Mascara will amplify the effect. Maybelline still makes my favorite mascaras (none of them over P500!), and while I’m obsessed with my Shu Uemura eyelash curler (P1,000), there are certainly far more affordable alternatives out there. You shouldn’t have a problem finding one that works for you.
After that, everything else you pick up is on a need-to-own basis. Like, do you have dark circles already? If you do, a good concealer will be important. Do you want to try lipstick? Pick up a shade you’re interested in. Do you want to either give your eyes more definition or make them look bigger? Try an eyeliner.
Makeup is fun! Welcome to the party!
REGINA
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Pairing colors
DEAR LUCY,
I like cobalt blue and a lot of what is hanging in my closet is that color! What colors can I pair it with that will make it look interesting and unexpected? My default is always white.
Another question I have is how do I define my eyes without making it look heavily made up?
ELLEN
I love cobalt blue! And I can understand why that is your default — they always work together, white like tan is a classic pairing. I like pairing blue with other bright blues — turquoise being a favorite. Mint will be very unexpected and refreshing, and khaki will be nice as well.
For your eyes, you can use even a black pencil to define it, but the trick is to smudge it really well into the lashes with a fine brush. You will still render your eyes some strength, but you get a smokey finish without the shadow. A safer route would be to use a brown or eggplant-colored shadow and to build it up. Always make sure there are no harsh lines, otherwise your eyes will look small and seedy.
LUCY
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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.