Little things every girl should have

I’m sharing with you a list of nice little things every girl should have. They may not be essentials in the strictest sense, but they sure are fun to use. They will make you look prettier, smile brighter, and feel better about yourself. A lot of them are inexpensive: some are cheap for what they actually are (read: very good buys), while a few may pinch the wallet painfully but are classics that will stand the test of time.

Read on, and hopefully be inspired to rush to the beauty counters nearest you. Remember, you never need to have a lot of beauty products. A few really good ones will do the job just fine.

• My top three favorite compact foundations: Lancôme Blanc Expert Mela-No Cx Advanced Whitening Compact Foundation, Shu Uemura Velvet Perfect, and Shu Uemura White Recovery.

All three really deliver on their promise to even out the complexion, while makeup looks beautifully pure, fresh, and translucent all day long. These have become a staple in my kikay kit ever since I tried them. They give beautiful, flawless coverage that will allow the radiance of your skin to still shine through. I am a fan of Japanese skin-care brands; somehow, they really are experts when it comes to making skin look naturally flawless.

Lancôme’s Blanc Expert Compact and Shu Uemura’s White Recovery I always use dry, while Shu Uemura’s Velvet Perfect I sometimes also use with a wet sponge when I want really full coverage.

Just how good is it? I told a friend of mine to try it and, after having her warts removed, she used the Blanc Expert Compact from Lancôme to make her spots less visible as she waited for them to heal and fall off naturally. She was able to gracefully tide over the natural healing process. Attribute that to the fact that Lancôme’s formulation boasts four different light-reflecting pearls designed to correct skin imperfections, like brown spots, redness, and a yellowish appearance. The skin is left with a natural, skin-like finish.

Another thing I love about the aforementioned compact foundations is that not only will they match your skin tone perfectly, they are also formulated so well you really do not have to retouch as often as you would normally. Best of all, they all come with high SPF, too.

Both Shu Uemura and Lancôme are available at Rustan’s Department Stores.

• Liquid foundation: Lancôme’s Teint Idole Foundation is wonderful. It gives good coverage that makes your skin look naturally radiant and is retouch-free as well. I like using this because you actually look like you do not have any makeup on. It literally disappears into your skin. I use it alone. I do not bother setting it with powder because it sets oh-so-beautifully.

• Inexpensive body scrubs: I came across this Milk and Honey Salt Scrub from Mistine. It is very inexpensive, but it works really well! The salts, a unique composition of minerals and trace elements, have soothing effects on the skin. It is also enriched with natural milk protein and pure honey extract from longan flowers to soften and smoothen skin. It is also formulated with Dermawhite, a skin whitening agent, and allantoin, a substance that helps reduce skin irritation. I like bringing it when I travel because the packaging is break-proof and the granules really polish the skin without scratching and hurting it.

Mistine is available at health and beauty counters in SM Department Stores and Robinson’s Galleria.

Totally Juicy Hot Sugar Body Scrub in Apple is something I chanced upon while shopping at Cost-U-Less. I cannot remember the exact price, but I do know that it is less than P200. You’re supposed to use it on dry skin and the granules heat up as you rub it on your skin. It leaves your skin really smooth, and you end up with a delicious apple scent lingering on your skin.

• Shimmer powders: Shu Uemura’s Water Lily is an iridescent powder that makes your skin look luminous in the most natural way. It is usually the last thing I brush over my cheek blush to make it set beautifully. I also like using it as a highlighter for the bridge of the nose, eyes, and cheekbones.

The Body Shop Shimmer Wave is another iridescent must-have. It comes in two shades, but I always get the paler shade in 02. It gives skin a youthful glow. Just a little will go a long way.

Last but not least, Dior Glam Face and Eyes Highlighting Powder in 001 Iridescent Satin is lovely. And it comes in a glamorous case, too, that you will want to keep long after you have emptied out the last bit of powder.

• Lipsticks: During a recent photo shoot, I came across a shade of red lipstick that I fell in love with. My grandmother used to always wear something like it, and I remember it was called Wine With Everything. (I cannot remember, though, if it was made by Revlon or Max Factor.) This one is the kind of red I have been searching for for quite some time now: Rouge Color Fix Lipstick in RD662. It is beautiful worn against a canvas of luminous skin, cheeks contoured very subtly, and lashes curled to its maximum potential.

I also like the DiorAddict lipsticks because they smell good enough to eat. They also give out vibrant color with a light feel.

• Eyeshadow: Another beautiful product under Shiseido is their Hydro Powder Eyeshadow. It is a crease-resistant, moisturizing creamy shadow that transforms into a long-wearing, lustrous powder. The shade I am using is Tiger Eye H3.

• Lip glosses: I really can’t do without lip gloss. They are just the easiest to use and they keep lips moisturized and looking so kissable. My current favorite is from Awake: their Stardom volumizing lipgloss in a shade called Sugar Candy. I love how it makes the lips look pouty.

Another nice one I am loving now is from Shiseido, in a shade called Mango Passion.

• Lip pencil: In a neutral shade, my new favorite is Spice Wood from Awake.

• Acne drying solution: One name tops almost everyone’s list – Mario Badescu. It is amazing how you will see an improvement overnight. No wonder this pink lotion has a cult following. It really works.

• Soap: Luxurious bath soaps, in particular. My grandmother used to say that we should never scrimp on soap; every girl deserves a good bar to lather up with. First Aid in Greenbelt carries this handmade soap from Falco, and in the cutest packaging, too: huge blocks of handmade vegetal soap that leave your skin smooth and smelling oh-so-good, in variants such as Carrot, Eggplant, Pomegranate, Pear, Tomato, and Plum. It’s hard not to get hooked once you start using them.

Another new favorite is the papaya soap from Bench. A very inexpensive way to get smooth skin, its Papaya Whitening soap with Shea Butter comes in two variants: the green one is with seaweed extract for firming, while the white one has milk to moisturize and soften skin. I love using it as bath soap because it does not leave the skin dry, and the scent that lingers is so fresh. Apparently, it has become such a hit that balikbayans actually hoard boxes of it to bring abroad. (Available at Bench stores nationwide.)

• Body lotion: I use Clarins’ Toning Body Balm after my shower at night, and it makes my skin feel really silky. It has a decadent feel, plus the scent transports me to some luxurious spa right in the comfort of my home.