Beauty Picks

Sometimes it’s good to be dense

MANILA, Philippines - Contrary to popular belief, my big hair is not actually as big as it appears. The volume deceives everyone, but it’s just a combination of air and texture. The truth is that my hair is very thin and very fine. (I blame it on years of hair-pulling by my younger brother. I don’t care if that makes no sense.) I have long wished for thicker, denser hair, and I know I’m not the only one.

Enter Kérastase Densifique Absolu, a density activating line (there’s a shampoo, masque, and serum treatment) containing Stemoxydine, and hyaluronic acid to thicken hair and hydrate the scalp. After three months of use, your scalp is purported to be able to grow up to 1,700 new strands of hair, but since I haven’t the patience to count strand per strand, I’m willing to take their word for it. My hair looks thicker than it was and my illusion of volume appears to be at an all-time high, but most importantly, my hair looks and feels healthier, and ultimately, that's what matters most.

Surf’s up

When stress sets in, I like to think about the beach. Clear blue water, warm sun beating down on soft sand; it’s soothing. A moment of calm until the typhoon of responsibilities makes landfall again.

Bobbi Brown’s been thinking about the beach, too, if her latest collection is any indication. (Probably because it’s summertime in the USA.) Called Surf & Sand, my favorites from the collection (which include shadow, sheer lip shades, brown and bronzy pencils, pink-bronze blush, and golden cream shadow) are the shadow palettes: Surf, a mix of sunny shades and light ocean blues; and Sand, a neutral palette with a combination of matte and shimmer shadows that bring to mind sandy terrain — black to white and everything in between.

Sand, in particular, is a versatile set of eight shadow shades that any girl can use year-round, day and night, in a canvas-covered palette that really evokes the summer feel. If you’ve been looking for your neutral palette, this one might just be it.

From A to ZZ

When CC came after BB, we all realized it would only be a matter of time before the rest of the alphabet followed. Now, logically, it would make sense if the next on the list were a DD cream (Damage Defying or Damage Defense, perhaps?), but Happy Skin has made a habit of skipping ahead, first with the SS (Second Skin, a bestseller from their range of skin-friendly cosmetics), and now, beating everyone else to the only possible option for ZZ — Zit Zapping. Their new ZZ Cream is a follow-up to the SS Cream; same comfortable silicone-free coverage, but infused with ingredients that help stave off acne: antioxidant-rich grapefruit extract (to prevent sebum oxidation), yoghurt extract (to minimize growth of existing bumps), and salicylic acid.

The formula goes on comfortable and sheer, and while there is only one shade currently available, it’s fairly universal as long as you’re not closer to the Rihanna end of the skin spectrum. Pair your fresh complexion with one of Happy Skin’s three new Shut Up & Kiss Me lipstick shades: fuchsia Playing Footsie, deep nude Honeymoon Glow, and light peachy pink Just Say Yes.

Nars x 3.1 = Perfection

I went polish-crazy when Nars threw out their lacquer collaboration with Thakoon a year or two ago. And again when the Pierre Hardy polish popped up. I expect when the 3.1 Phillip Lim lacquers hit the shelves this month, I’m going to be waiting, too, because when it comes to designer collaboration collections, Nars knows exactly what they’re doing.

I consider a great manicure to be a key accessory for any outfit, and this month, the varnish du jour is definitely any of the nine that fashion designer Phillip Lim conceptualized. The must-haves (or maybe just my wishlist): Shutter, a black sea green; Insidious, a black bronze, and Other Side, a bitter chocolate.