How To: Demi Moore’s Hair At The Oscars

If you watched the recent Annual Academy Awards, you’ve probably noticed Demi Moore’s messed up yet stylish hairstyle. Demi is undeniably stunning even at 47.

The makeup was clean and simple, which complimented the hair. The eyes were accentuated yet the  lip color was subtle. If you try out a more dramatic makeup with this hairstyle, it may look distracting and the overall effect will be totally  messy. On the other hand, if this hair goes with a too faint makeup or no makeup at all, it would look as though you just came out of bed and are off to do some house chores. Demi’s look demonstrates one principle of good design, which is balance.

If you want to recreate her look at the Oscars, here is a youtube video showing how it’s done using a Hair Donut:

This video is quick but also copies the hair-do using rubber band:

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A Newbie’s Guide To The Make Up Counter

I received emails asking for advice on which make up products to buy as a make up student or as a budding new artist. For your reference, please check out my old post on the basic make up kit to serve as your checklist on things to purchase.

While you see most make-up artists tugging trolleys around, you don’t need that as a beginner. When I bring my traincase, it’s usually during shoots when I don’t know what the photographer has in mind so I have the colors and tools that may be useful for the shoot ready.  When I go to wedding gigs, I choose a smaller bag because I leave the avant garde materials at home. Frankly, even with the small bag, I don’t need all the makeup I bring. There are only a few essentials while the rest are security blankets. Even from the separate kit I prepare for my assistants, only a few make ups are used. The tendency for newbies is to haul on every single makeup despite the ridiculously steep price, (which if  combined together, could probably amount to something worth a Newport Beach Real Estate)  even they don’t need really need it in the end. Thing is, you need only the essentials to start a make up career!

If you’re specifically hunting for brands that are affordable yet effective, here’s my list:(Sorry if some of the prices are not accurate, I forgot them already but I know they were cheap when I bought them)

1. Foundation
Liquid- Revlon Color Stay (Php 800 something)
Cream to powder- VOV cover foundation (Php 300 to 400)
Mousse- Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse (Php 300 to 400)
Cake- Fanny Serrano Two Way Cake Foundation (Php 200 or 300?)
Base- Face Shop Professional Makeup Base (Php 300 something)

2. Concealer
Fanny Serrano- (Php 200 to 300?)
Fashion 21 Perfect Stick (Php 150- 200)
Body Shop pencil concealer (sorry, totally forgot)
Note: I have yet to find a cheaper concealer with the consistency of Laura Mercier or YSL Touche Eclat that you can use under the eyes without creasing. If you know a good brand, please help me out. Thanks!

3. Powder
Mineral Makeups- check out Ellana or Luminare ( some makeup artists find mineral makeups chalky and form a white cast on flash photography due to the titanium dioxide. They can also settle in fine lines if not blended correctly)
Fasio – (crap, I forgot)
Face Shop Phytogenic Pressed Powder (Php 600?)
In2it- (P500 to 600)

4. Eye brow/ Eyeliner -
Pencil- Nichido (less than Php 100)

• Angelique (Php 10)

Powder- In2it Brow kit (Php 300 something)

• Tip: use your eyeshadow colors!

Gel liner- Fanny Serrano (Php 200 something)

5. Mascara-
Cover Girl lash Blast- (Phpp 500 to 600)

6. Eyeshadows-
PAC- sounds like MAC but is just as FAB (around Php 200 per color)
Elianto- Php 90 to 300 per color, the pricier ones are of the baked variety
Baxi- (Php 40) usually found in places like Divisoria or Baclaran
Generic Palettes- those coastal scents palettes ranging from P600 to Php 1k plus, get them locally from multipy sellers.

7. Blush or Bronzers
Ever Bilena- (Php 150)
Mineral Makeup blush- My fave blushes are from mineral makeup lines (Price depends on size, from less than Php 100 to Php 500)
Generic Palette/ Coastal Scents type (Php 850)

8. Lipstick

NYX- got them for $.99 each online from the U.S. but are available locally in multiply stores
Generic Palette- Check out Doll Face (Php 650)

9. Brushes
Suesh- (Php 1500 to Php 4500 per set)

10. Sponge
Assorted- from P88 store
Sea Sponge- P60 each

Ok these are just some of my recommendations. Will update this post every once in a while to correct the prices and add make up brands worth checking out.

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Makeup For Protruding Eyes

After giving out tips on applying makeups for  both small and prominent eye shapes, we proceed with the tricks on receding those of the protruding kind. We are skipping the part on almond eyes for the meantime because any makeup design would work on that eye shape, anyway.

We had Cherry Pie Picache as an example to illustrate this classification in our post on the Different Eye Shapes, and this time, we have Sharon Cuneta’s picture with the eye makeup that shows how it is done.

Protruding eyes have an exaggerated bulge from the sockets, or the opposite of deep-set eyes.  These can be downplayed by applying these makeup techniques:

• Use a medium to dark matte eyeshadow from the upper lash line towards the crease. Avoid shimmery shadows on this part because it will pop out the eyes further.
• On the crease line, use a darker matte shade to create the illusion of pushing the socket deeper. I  Blend downwards to shrink the size of the mobile lids.
• Beneath the brow bone, apply a lighter shade to highlight. Shimmery colors may be applied sparingly on this area because it is already above the socket line.
• Apply a thick line the upper lash line and smudge it. Line the lower lash line as well. No smudging necessary on the lower part if your eyes are prominent in addition to protruding.
• Curl your Lashes and apply a thick coat of mascara to partially hide the bulging lids.
• Shape your eyebrows.

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Breaking The Dry Spell

Identifying the causes was our first step in beating the perennial problem of dry lips. Please check on this previous post, in case you haven’t read it. If you have isolated the possible culprits, avoid them and observe for any signs of improvement.

If you are suffering from allergic reactions or medical conditions that give rise to the smoocher issue, be sure to consult your doctor about it. Otherwise, these tips should work for uncomplicated cases of dry lips:

1. Brush it off. When brushing your teeth, include your lips in the routine at least once a week to facilitate exfoliation.

2. Lip exfoliators. Philosophy, Benefit and Smashbox are among the brands that offer these products which are to be used on a weekly basis. These usually contain scrubbing beads and emollients.

3. Drink up. The lips will talk if you are not getting enough hydration, as though it were a live chat software. Water is a cheap yet effective means to a healthier and well-hydrated body.

4. Use Protection. When going out on a sunny day, apply a lip balm with sunblock of at least SPF 15. During the cold season, seal the lips with a protective lip wax or conditioner containing lanolin.

5.Watch Your Mouth. If you sleep with an open mouth, dab a lip emollient before hitting the sack. Besides preparing your lips for a possible smooching episode on dreamland, this will prevent drying up your puckers during the whole snorefest.

6. Soak it up. Add one teaspoon of salt to a pint of water. Get a washcloth and soak it in the solution before leaving it on your lips for 30 minutes. Pat the lips dry and apply your favourite moisturizer or vitamin E oil. This should be done daily for a week as a symptomatic solution to flaky lips.

7. Choose Your Tools. Save the long-wearing lipsticks for special occasions. Lip pencils and matte lipsticks may last longer but they suck the moisture off your lips. For daily use, stick to the moisture-rich variety or lip gloss even if needs to be re-applied more often. When the dryness is severe, it would be wise to go on a lipstick vacation until your puckers recover.

8. Makeup technique. If you must apply lipstick, minimize the appearance of the lip lines by going in one direction. Strokes that go everywhere will only emphasize the dryness.

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Smacking Dry Lips Goodbye

Flawless skin- check. Well blended eye makeup- check. Contouring of cheeks- check. Lips- Eeek!

When the dryness of your lips prevents you from perfecting your beauty routine, it’s time that you address your pucker issues. Why be bullied into suffering the consequences when you can do something about it? Let us get to know the causes, find remedies, and minimize its appearance through some makeup tricks.

The Culprits:

1. Dehydration- are you getting at least 8 glasses of water a day? Would you rather ingest 8 bottles of soda or 8 cups of Capresso instead of the good old water? While they are undoubtedly the more yummy alternatives, they do not replenish your needs for adequate hydration. Caffeine is a diuretic that can further increase fluid loss. Your lip condition could be a reflection of your hydration status.

2. Environmental factors- Extreme weather conditions can cause the lips to lose its capacity to retain moisture. While exposure to the cold weather can leave the lips prone to dryness, the hot season can be dehydrating, pointing us back to number 1.

3. Expired lip products- lipsticks and lip glosses are the earliest to go from your beauty kits. Monitor the dates they were bought and examine the consistency, odor and taste of the lip product. If it has turned rancid, toss it to the trash bin. No matter how pricey that lipstick was, risking untoward reactions on your lips won’t be worth it.

4. Allergies- When you’re prone to hypersensitivity and certain ingredients come in contact with your lips, expect reactions to come in various forms, and flaking happens to be one of them. Common lip allergens are dyes, phenyl salicylate, and  propyl gallate in lipsticks, sodium lauryl sulfate in toothpastes and metallic items that you unconsciously place near the mouth.

5. Medications- The drugs that you take could have  dryness of the lips as a side effect. Among these are Vit. B12 supplement, which contains cobalt, which in turn, may trigger allergic reactions to the lips.  Too much intake of Vitamin A could also lead to crusting while some Beta blockers and Chemotheraputic agents yield the same effects as well.

6. Lip Smacking- While saliva is a fluid, it doesn’t help alleviate the condition when you habitually lick your lips. Unlike water, saliva contains enzymes that are meant for digestion, thus leading to the appearance of those partially-digested lips.

7. Sleeping Habits- If you’r the type who slumbers with an open mouth, chances are, you dry up your mouth easily and wake up with dehydrated lips.

8. Citrus fruits- the acidic content can be irritating to the lips, inducing a phototoxic reaction giving rise to dryness and fissures.

9. Smoking- Need I say more?

10.  Concomitant diseases- The presence of medical conditions like Hypothyroidism, Autoimmune diseases such as Psoriasis, Lupus and Sjogren’s syndrome, Pre-cancerous lesions and Fungal infections could leave your lips dry, scaly or fissured.

Which among these culprits above do you suspect to have caused your dry lips? Once you have pinned them down, the first step would be avoiding or treating these lip criminals. If prevention doesn’t do the trick, hang on for our tips how to relieve chapped lips on the next post.

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