Rx: Sun protection for you and eye

Dear Lucy,

Is it okay to use the same sunscreen I use for my face on the eye area?

Also, where can I buy cute Gossip Girl-inspired headbands? My 12-year-old daughter is obsessed with them and since she has to wear a uniform to school daily, her only outlet for expressing her creativity and style is through headbands. I have found some in the tiangge, but the quality is not so good, they come apart easily. I am also on the lookout for nail polish in funky colors. My 16-year-old daughter wants a spa party at home with five of her friends and part of the plan is apparently a session where they do each other’s nails. Where should I start looking?

Lastly, where can I find nice linens that are affordable and beautiful, yet go beyond plain white and boring? Nothing against hotel-like pristine white sheets, but I am more into little details now and good thread count, of course.

Ma. Elena

Regarding sun protection for the eyes, I think you can use your favorite facial sunscreen, but just to let you know, Clarins has a really good one called the Sun Wrinkle Control Eye Contour Care with SPF 30 (available at Rustan’s). Sun products made just for the eyes will stave off crow’s-feet and other signs of aging.

Over the weekend, my daughter and I were strolling in Bonifacio High Street and we wandered into Aldo Accessories. I needed some cocktail rings for my TV show, and I found plenty to buy and take home but aside from that, we also ended up hoarding the cutest Gossip Girl-inspired headbands! My eight-year-old could barely conceal her delight and soon, as we stepped out of the shop, she took off the one she had on and replaced it with the purple bow-decked one made of grosgrain ribbon. There are many to choose from — headbands with blooms and bows and some soft elastic versions that you can put on and practically forget about because they will never hurt or pinch. During that stop alone, I was able to do more than just a little bit of Christmas shopping for some of the many pretty little girls in my Christmas list. Also check out Evita Peroni for really adorable hair accessories and little hats that channel chic old-world charm. You will not be disappointed.

We also went to the Face Shop because I had run out of my favorite and absolutely indispensable Herb Day Cleansing Wipes and once there, I could not say no to some bottles of nail polish in the most adorable colors. There were orangey-peachy ones with a hint of shimmer, and blues and purples that looked like diamonds were crushed into them. Metallic gold and silver ones were smiling at us, too, and there were nail stickers in many different designs. I’m sure your 16-year-old daughter and her friends will be delighted.

May I suggest to you the linens by Daphne Oseña Paez? They are tastefully designed, with good thread account (over 300), and are such great value for money. I also know she recently came out with new designs that complement each other in an interesting way (think graphics and prints that you can mix and match, design- and color-wise). Her line is available at SM Homeworld. She also has a classic line although I am inclined to think you will go for her more current Clash and Chic line because you want to veer away from the classic look and go for color.

Lucy

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Hair’s to Grease-Free Scalp

Dear Rissa, 

It’s part of my routine to use a styling serum before leaving the house. It helps make my hair shiny and tames any frizz. But sometimes, I accidentally overload on the product and my hair becomes too greasy. What’s a quick solution to undo this? I also use the flat iron and blow- dryer to style my hair. Is there a styling serum meant for hair that goes through a lot of heat and styling?

Rosalyn C.

To undo this beauty mishap, dust your hands with baby powder, rub them together well, and scrunch the greasy section. Doing this will absorb the excess grease. You can do this also with dry shampoo. Dry shampoo is a quick-fix in cleaning the hair without the use of water. Knowing how to clean your hair without water comes in handy especially when you don’t have access to water such as if you’re camping in the wilderness, you’re on bed rest, or if you’re just in a big rush. Usually in powder form, it absorbs sebum — rather than rinsing it away which regular shampoos do — and is brushed out, leaving your hair cleaner and lighter. I haven’t found any here, but you can easily find it in the US. And you can easily improvise by looking through your own kitchen cabinet. Some of your options are pasta flour, ground oatmeal, cornstarch, and baking soda (which helps minimize any odors). Another trick is to blot your scalp and the greasy area with an oil-absorbing sheet — yup, the same ones you use for the face.

 Try the Vitress Cuticle Coat Heat Protect variant (available at leading department stores, drugstores, personal care stores, and supermarkets). This proudly Pinoy product is a pocket-friendly beauty find. Aside from giving your hair a glossy shine and smoothening dry and dull hair, it’s built in with Thermo-Shield Complex that protects your hair from styling stress. Perfect if you always style your hair with flat irons or blow-dryers. Check out their other variants, too.

Vitress Cuticle Coat Instant Relax helps flatten curly and wavy hair, giving it a relaxed look.  For hair that has gone through coloring, perming and the like, the Vitress Cuticle Coat Hair Repair restores moisture and nourishes the hair.

Rissa

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How to Wear a Tux

Dear Ms. Tingting,

I want to wear a tuxedo to the Tatler Ball. Being an innovative idea, please tell me about it.

Fashion-Conscious Gal

From the book The One Hundred: A Guide to the Pieces Every Woman Must Own by Nina Garcia: “The tuxedo jacket is often referred to as le smoking, because of the original English term ‘smoking suit,’ referring to a suit intended for indoor use.

“The tuxedo jacket was strictly men’s property until 1966, when Yves Saint Laurent turned out a Spring/Summer collection that invited women into le smoking world. In a revolutionary-style instant, Saint Laurent sent his models down the runway in tuxedo jackets, turning the fashion world on its head. Overnight, he redefined the female silhouette and offered women a daring alternative to the little black dress. Countless style icons became instant and adoring fans: Catherine Deneuve, Betty Catroux, Francoise Hardy, Liza Minnelli, Loulou de la Falaise, Lauren Bacall, and Bianca Jagger.

“YSL’s tuxedo jacket made androgyny chic and elegant. It gave women a sense of power and changed the way they saw themselves. As Catherine Deneuve once said, ‘It really does make you feel different as a woman; it changes gestures.’”

It should not fit like a man’s tuxedo jacket, but rather should be slender and fit perfectly. Try double-breasted if you are tall.

Put a flower brooch on the lapel. If you are feeling daring, don’t wear anything underneath.

Tingting

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