Light is Might

CEBU, Philippines - Surely, designers near and far prefer the ultra-dark, smoky eyes and matching lips that are invading the runways from Peru to Cebu, Paris to Milan. But, hey, have you checked yourself in the mirror lately? Those kohl smudged eyes can make you closely resemble a cornered raccoon. And, with those dark stained puckers you might as well join the brides of Dracula. Bottom line, it is purely for the runways and only a few brave souls can get away with that look.

Hello! Summer is here whether you like it or not, and unless you have been living under a rock for well about 200,000 years, you that Cebu is a tropical island paradise where the ambient temperatures put this paradise perennially in summer. Given that, it is de rigueur for lightness (in makeup, that is) to prevail. Makeup maven Wenwen Zaspa offers good advice on how to achieve beauty that works - and morphs from daytime to evening! - for the humid days in our characteristically hot part of the globe.

Fresh and dewy.

Yes, wide and defined eyebrows a la Brooke Shields are here to stay. For those too young to remember Brooke, think Lily Collins from the Mirror, Mirror flick. Eye shadow is merely but a shadow in earth tones like terra cotta or camel. Lip color is also merely a hint of pink, and cheek rogue is barely there. How to achieve the dewy skin? "Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize," Wenwen Zaspa emphasizes.

Summer siren.

The beach beckons with the waters tempting you to take a splash, and that can mean many attracted eyes may be around. The siren-of-summer look is easily achieved by going a shade darker all throughout. The brows are not so defined, eye color still muted earth tones but lips are fuller now in a bright pink shade. Cheeks are generously splashed with a sizeable amount of color like coral or melon. Says Wenwen Zaspa, "There are lots of bronzers out there, like Jergens, with splashes of gold glitter that one can lather all over the body!"

Hot nights.

Imagine local celeb Anne Curtis minus her signature red lips and all you have is a pale, overworked actress with a shrill voice. But add a bright fire-engine red or even scarlet to those famous puckers and you have a femme fatale. Such is the power of red lips that made those Hollywood stars of the bygone era even more desirable - and, thus, famous - most especially when the sun was down. But Wenwen Zaspa warns, "One has to balance dark red lips with minimally enhanced eyes, so dark brown eyeliner and less wide brows are ideal."

Exotic evenings.

Another take for dramatic evening soirees is this exotic concoction. A balanced though lightly smudged eye color always in earth tones and a fuller shade of carnation for the lips finished with generous amount of gloss. Picture Catherine Zeta Jones as Elena Montero in The Mask of Zorro and you're sure to unmask any man within a one mile radius.

"You now have the look, so match it with the right attitude - flirty and fun!" concludes Wenwen Zaspa. (FREEMAN)