Thickening sparse eyebrows: A brow-by-brow account

Dear Rissa, 

I have sparse Asian brows and I want to fill them in with pencil or powder. The problem is, most brow products have red tones in them that I dislike. Can you recommend good ones from low to high price points?

Also, what facial sunblock do you recommend for girls with oily skin like mine?

Mimi

Your dilemma reminds me of my friend Wilma Doesnt. Like you, she has really sparse eyebrows and the one makeup product she can’t live without is her eyebrow pencil. Drawing on her eyebrows is the first thing she does each day and she can’t leave the house without doing so. She once shared that she has been using the affordable eyebrow pencils of Fashion 21 for the longest time (available in all leading department stores nationwide). She says that whether she’s working out, sweating or swimming in the pool, it doesn’t get off. Her tip? When in the water or working out, be aware not to wipe off or rub your brows. She explains you may be unconsciously wiping them in the middle of a workout or swim. In choosing the right shade, black is too harsh for most faces — even if your hair is jet black. Choose a color a few shades lighter than your eyebrow hair. A dark brown or blackish brown shade looks more natural. But light brown shades will all the more brighten up the face. You can try Shu Uemura Eye Brow Manicure (exclusively available at Rustan’s). It’s like a tinted mascara wand meant for the eyebrows. I get mine in Palm Beige. Another product to try is MAC eyebrow mascara in the shade Sophisticated (also available at Rustan’s). With these two, I love how their light brown shades give a glow to facial features and naturally define brows.

If you’re more comfortable with an eyebrow pencil, MAC also has a great shade in Fling. It’s a mechanical crayon pencil that will never need sharpening. 

The Face Shop has an eyebrow pencil that comes with a handy brow brush on the other end (stores located at Bonifacio High Street, Fort; Glorietta 2, Makati; SM Mall of Asia; and SM North Edsa). Brushing your brows with an eyebrow brush (or an extra toothbrush) in an upward motion, following the natural arch of the brow, helps you groom your brows before you fill them in with a pencil. Get The Face Shop eyebrow pencil in the shade brown. Keep in mind that if you’re using a pencil, never draw a continuous line. Use strokes in the direction of growth to resemble your own hair growth. You don’t have to fill the entire brow. You shouldn’t because it can come off as looking too harsh. 

Another affordable eyebrow product is Fasio Waterproof Eyebrow Mascara (P295, available at Rustan’s Essenses). Containing micro multi polymers, this is a perspiration, water and sweat-resistant waterproof eyebrow mascara that won’t come off even if rubbed. It comes in different shades to match your brow and hair color. When makeup artist Sabs Hernandez used it on me backstage for a fashion show, I fell in love with it! It goes on smoothly and coats all brow hairs evenly. Try it in light brown and golden brown. 

Also check out Model Co. Eyebrows Designer Brow Kit (exclusively available at Beauty Bar). It contains all you need in one kit to create the ultimate arch — a selection of four eyebrow stencils to guide you (super fine, fine, natural or full), duo brow wax (to define, shape, and hold your brows in place) and powder (to naturally enhance the color of your brows), two angled head brushes for a defined application, a grooming wand, and precision slant tweezers. If your eyebrows are really sparse, try Model Co. More Brows (also available at Beauty Bar). When Model Co. received repeated pleas for an eyebrow thickener from women whose brows had thinned through age and overplucking, their development team came up with More Brows, a cleverly conceived clear gel with tiny microfilaments (they look like real, natural hair) which when applied fill out the brow. It stays on even under the rain, until removed with a cleanser. It’s a really clever application that gives you instant eyebrows. This quick dry gel formula contains hair-like particles that can be applied to the brows to extend, re-shape, and thicken. When I met Sophie Baker, international marketing director for Model Co., she explained that this wonder product is used even by cancer patients and burn victims. 

Another product to try is Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector (stores located at Shangri-La Mall, SM The Block, and Bonifacio High Street). This waterproof eyebrow corrector is made up of a tube of corrector and two small tweezers — perfect for those who want to lengthen, redesign, and intensify the natural line of your eyebrows. The creamy texture allows you to create natural-looking, discreet corrections that remain flawless throughout the day. The result holds up under all conditions even through water and heat. Make Up For Ever also has its eyebrow pencil which is highly concentrated in pigments and ensures a long-lasting hold. It’s perfect for women whose eyebrows are too light-colored, sparse or uneven.

One last tip for long-lasting eyebrows: After drawing in your eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil, you can also brush your eyebrows with a clear waterproof mascara. This will help keep unruly brow strands in place and make your arches last longer. 

For your sunblock, try Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock SPF 50+ with Helioplex (available in leading department stores, drugstores, and personal care stores). This sunblock is equipped with quick-dry properties and is wonderfully oil-free and waterproof. No need to wait extra minutes for the sunscreen to be absorbed. I tried it and my skin absorbed it the moment I was putting it on. The result was a smooth velvety texture that felt so light and weightless. What I love most about this is it also boasts of grease-absorbing and mattifying properties. 

Another favorite of mine is Dermalogica Oil Free Matte Block SPF 20 (available at Rustan’s Essenses). This sunscreen is recommended for skin prone to excess oil and breakouts. This boasts a microsponge technology that absorbs oil and leaves skin with an all-day matte finish. It prevents shine without any powdery residue. This oil-free formula also contains soothing green tea to help calm inflammation caused by breakouts. If you have sensitive skin prone to breakouts, Dermalogica Oil Free Matte Block contains no artificial fragrance or color. 

Lastly, check out VMV Spring Fresh Oil-Free Nourisher SPF 15 (available at VMV Skin Specialist boutiques at Power Plant Mall, Robinsons Galleria, Bonifacio High Street, and major department stores). The great thing about VMV products is that they are hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, preservative-free, and non-comedogenic (meaning it doesn’t clog the pores). Created for oily skin, this VMV sunblock is extra light, fresh, non-greasy, and fast-absorbing. It’s oil-free so it hydrates, protects, and softens without the shine.

Rissa 

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‘Kikay’ But Okay Kit

Hi, Lucy!

More and more, I see my fashionista friends indulging in branded toiletry bags or kikay kits that they bring in their bags every day. I am tempted to buy, but I feel guilty for spending a few thousand pesos on a little pouch that holds my daily makeup. What do you think? When I do have my kikay kit already, what should I put inside it that will set me for the day?

Jessica

Buying is a personal experience, a personal thing. I say do not be guided by the brand. More than that, you should like a kikay kit because it is pretty, is of good quality, and you feel good about buying it and using it. Why does it have to be pretty? Very lightly but very truly, too, simply because a thing of beauty always delights and brings forth some measure of joy, no matter how fleeting. And also because you whip it out of your bag many times a day when you touch up your makeup. And if it is stylish enough, it can even double as a clutch, especially when you are travelling.

Do not buy anything “disposable” (cheap but of very poor quality). In all that you buy, especially now that times are hard, be guided by quality. It will give value for your money.

In terms of what to carry in your bag: a small compact, cheek and lip tint in a foolproof shade (like Nars Multiple in Orgasm), face blotter, hand sanitizer, curlash, mascara, a nice clip and elastic for your hair, extra panty shields, a small comb or brush, mints. Be sure to get all these in small sizes so that they can fit easily into the smallest of kits.

Lucy

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Scents And Sexual Chemistry

Dear Ms. Tingting,

I read about this thing called pheromones used as an ingredient in making perfumes and fragrances that claim to enhance sexual chemistry. Could you tell me more about this?

First, what are pheromones? They are chemical substances excreted by animals to trigger a reproductive behavioural response from recipients of the same species, says Dr. Winnifred Cutler, a biologist who has studied the effects of these chemicals on sexuality. It is believed that pheromones are detected by receptors in the nose and that women first begin producing them during puberty.

There are some companies, one is Perricone’s, that claim to have created products containing synthetic pheromone, like Nicholas Perricone’s new synthetic pheromone fragrance Synergy (log on to nvperriconemd.com). According to Perricone, the pheromones and neuropeptides (short chains of amino acids that act as messengers in the human body) in Synergy intermingle with your own set of pheromones. The wearer, sensing this blend of chemicals, will in turn feel more confident and calm. Users are advised to dab the product beneath their nostrils to boost these calming effects which have antiaging benefits as well.

Perricone claims that the pheromones and neuropeptides in Synergy are also designed to act on those around us, to pique interest from the opposite sex.

Tingting

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Send e-mail to tingtingcojuangco@yahoo.com, ltg@pldtdsl.com, and stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com.