Five must-have items in your makeup kit

HI, REGINA!

I’m planning to buy makeup and I just wanted to know what are your five must-have makeup items. The ones you think no kikay kit should be without?                           ALYSSA

If I could only have five items on me, I’d choose to have an eyebrow definer, an eyelash curler, mascara, concealer, and a lip and cheek tint. (Given additional items, I’d throw in red lipstick, black eyeliner pencil, a cream or stick highlighter, and maybe a bronzer.)

You definitely need to have an eyebrow definer because the way your brows look can really change your face. Filled-in, well-defined brows can instantly make you look more made-up.

You need an eyelash curler and a good mascara because it’s also important to define your eyes. Curled, defined lashes make your eyes look bigger; no eyeliner necessary.

I never go anywhere without concealer (I have to admit that I even wear it to work out!) because it’s so great for covering up dark circles and instantly making you look less tired. (Whenever I’m too lazy to use it, without fail, I get asked if I’m feeling sick.) Plus, if you get the right one, you can use it to brighten the under-eye area AND to cover up blemishes.

They’ve really got it all for you: SM Aura’s supermarket features an entire section devoted to local and imported organic products. Say goodbye to hair fall and hello to thicker va-va-voom hair with Avalon Organics’ Thickening Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner with Biotin B-Complex.

Lip-and-cheek tint is a great double-duty product that gives you just the right hint of healthy color, so if you need something handy, this is definitely the way to go.

As for my extras, red lipstick’s a no-brainer; just ask the French. It’s the quickest way to look made-up, and I personally believe that it makes you look and feel more powerful and confident. Black eyeliner is so versatile for creating different looks for day and night. A highlighter strategically blended on brow bones and the tops of your cheekbones can really enhance your natural bone structure and make you look more contoured, and a bronzer can either give you a healthy, sun-kissed glow, or create even more dramatic contouring.                REGINA

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Hair loss, hair regained

DEAR RISSA, 

I’ve noticed that my hair seems to be thinning out. I am using aloe vera to compensate for the falling hair, but it’s not enough.  Please help me. GLADYS

Hair loss is often related to a stressful lifestyle, tiredness, emotional trauma, hormonal imbalance or even an unbalanced diet. Before you panic over thinning hair, keep in mind that a hair fall of about a hundred strands a day is normal. If you feel you are losing more than the average amount, consider ditching your regular shampoo that may contain harmful sulfates. Ingredients such as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) are cheap but effective foaming agents found in products like soap, shampoo, and toothpaste. Although these are responsible for the bubbles as we wash our hair and lather up, they’re in fact harsh and harmful to your personal health. At increased concentrations, they’re known to cause eye and skin irritation and have been found to contain low levels of carcinogens. When I first tried an organic shampoo, the single thing that amazed me most was how significantly less hair fall there was in just one wash. Even friends I know who have switched to sulfate-free, organic, and vegan shampoos confirm the dramatic difference in decreased hair fall.

Another must is to take biotin vitamin supplements (available at Healthy Options). It’s a tip I got from celebrity stylist Charmaine Palermo. When I began losing hair after my pregnancy, I started taking biotin and my hair fall dramatically lessened in just a week! 

If you’re planning to hit the mall soon to search for organic shampoos, do go to SM Aura’s supermarket! My eyes lit up when I saw they had an entire section devoted to local and imported organic products. The beauty junkie in me could not resist buying Avalon Organics’ Thickening Shampoo and Thickening Conditioner. These promise to build body in fine, thinning hair and stimulate the scalp to encourage hair growth. Apart from being organic and free from sulfates, they’re enriched with Biotin B-Complex. So, yes, say goodbye to hair fall and hello to thicker va-va-voom hair!                                                                          RISSA

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Send e-mail to Lucy Torres-Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Trillo at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil. Send Regina Belmonte your questions at vivatregina.tumblr@gmail.com or tweet her @vivatregina.