Beauty Picks
Coral me bad
MANILA, Philippines - I stopped using lip color a year ago when my favorite shade of MAC, Del Rio, ran out and I couldn’t find it anywhere, at least, during the two months that I looked. Like a forlorn lover, I swore to never wear lipstick again until I find my next great love, and guys, I think I’ve found it. Coral is a universal shade, so they say. But I didn’t think I could wear coral until I chanced upon Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi, a vibrant coral that seems intimidating until you put it on. It goes on opaque and is surprisingly hydrating. It brightens the whole face and instead of the opposite, which is what many coral shades do. The only catch? The convenient chubby stick requires sharpening. You can try bringing it to the nearest Nars counter and ask them to sharpen it for you –– can’t hurt to try, right? Available at Rustan’s.
Oh, Mama!
Now we know what Avril Lavigne might look like when she’s zero-dark-36. Behold, Jessica Chastain’s ombré, super sleek, super shiny dye job, which she debuted at Paris Fashion Week. Not bad, Avril. But Jessica? We certainly are glad it wasn’t anything permanent (in photos of her holding hands with boyfriend, Italian fashion exec for Moncler Gian Luca Passi de Preposulo, the actress was back in her trademark red). Personally, I think her hair looked great in Mama. Almost as great as Jaime Lannister’s!
Vendos de chanel
Double C-embossed coins, a vending machine at Selfridges…what’s Chanel up to now? Leave it to the French label to transform something as pedestrian as a vending machine into a chic, IG-worthy, mascara-dispensing contraption. To launch its new Le Volume de Chanel mascara, Chanel has put up beauty vending machines at the store. The mascara comes in three shades, Prune, Bleu and Noir, and has plumping, volumizing, separating and lengthening effects. To purchase, at least at Selfridges, you get to use a coin embossed with the brand’s iconic double C logo. A coin for Chanel –– that’s a first!
A floral for men
At a recent trip to Sydney, Australia for Ermenegildo Zegna, a luxury menswear and now, fragrance brand, whose fan base include Chris Hemsworth, Matt Damon, George Clooney and Tom Brady, I got a whiff of their newest scent, Florentine Iris, and tried to convince myself that it was a unisex fragrance. Of course, it is for men, inspired by the Ermenegildo Zegna couture collection. Only one of the five fragrances in the range, Florentine Iris is anchored on Calabrian bergamot, three different iris notes, jasmine, violet and musk. Yes, it is decidedly floral, but not one that should diminish your overall attractiveness. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner. Ermenegildo Zegna is available at Rustan’s Makati and Greenbelt 4.
Here comes the sunblock
Homegrown beauty brand Snoe Beauty recently posted the new packaging for their best-selling sun protection product, Here Comes the Sublock, which has SPF 45, singkamas and arbutin that brighten complexion, whatever your skin color. It’s one of the best sublocks I’ve tried so far, primarily for its super-matte, non-sticky formula. It’s nice when you don’t feel like you’re coated in something, especially in this heat! For more info, visit snoebeauty.com.
