All posts filed under: Beauty School

An anatomy of a makeup bag

Published by

There is no need to lug around a heavy cosmetics pouch – even if you think your life depends on it – if you stick to this check list (provided you already have a full face of make-up on before you leave the house). 1) Cushion foundation For touch-ups throughout the day. Usually lightweight with light to medium coverage, they’re perfect for smoothing over liquid foundation that becomes patchy by mid-day. Plus, most give skin an added glow, so you can also blend the cushion foundation on strategic areas (nose bridge, cheek bones) to highlight them.  And if you do not have much blemishes to hide, the cushion compact works as a concealer too. 2) Blush/ bronzer compact Blush comes off easily, so touching up is essential. To keep your face looking sculpted all day, get a blush/bronzer duo for convenience.  3) Black liquid eyeliner A wing-tipped liner adds drama when you need it. And if you already have black liner on, you could always do with another layer before heading out to dinner and …

New hair, don’t care

Published by

   New year, new hair. But what styles? Not everyone has a stylist 24/7 like Ms Jenner. Eugene Ong, hair maestro of Urbanhair and industry veteran, gives you the lowdown on the 2016 hair trends. 1) Get a ‘melting’ ombre colour         Guess what? The ombre dye job is still in. But harsh lines and a stark difference in shades are out. Roots should be darker, and the ends lighter; while the shades in between meld seamlessly. Unless you are Kendall Jenner and can pull off candy floss pink hair with black roots. 2) Go for pastels, browns and blonde hues. These are the most flattering for Asian skin tones. 3) Match cool tones with warm ones for extra dimension. Chestnut brown with cool blonde. Ash with milky chocolate. Icy blue with warm pink.  4) Like the colours, the cuts should be soft with no hard lines. Texture and some weight (not too much layering) are key to the look. Soft waves (achieved with a digital perm) add body to complete the look.  …

Make-up tips for the bride-to-be

Published by

  So now that you’ve got THE perfect dress, what about the make-up to match? It’s wedding season almost all year round in Singapore.  And because we’ve all seen enough brides with scary make-up, here are some tips for brides-to-be. So they (and us) will be spared from dealing with big-day make-up disasters.  Because even if the dress looked beautiful, everyone will only remember the horrible face paint.  The right make-up artist is as important as the dress.  1) So start looking for one the moment your wedding date is fixed. The most popular artists are booked at least a year in advance. 2) Get word-of-mouth recommendations or pick artists’ whose “work” – (best friend’s/ cousin’s/sister’s bridal make-up) – you have seen up close and loved. And because you want someone who will actually turn up in the wee hours of the morning to prep you for your wedding day; actually seeing them in action before helps.  3) Only pick experienced artists. No fresh-out-of-beauty school or Instagram “beauty guru” wannabes (even if their fees are super affordable) …

Quick tips for clear skin

Published by

Stick to these easy tricks and clear skin is guaranteed. These tips are not new; but I’m sure you need reminders. 1. Truly beautiful skin glows from inside out.  Drink plenty of water to keep skin hydrated. Stay away from fried or processed food, salt and sugar. Eat nutritious foods that are as close to the source as possible. Sleep at least eight hours a day. Exercise to detox the body and skin. 2. Wear sunscreen Protect from sun damage that can lead to wrinkles, sagging skin, enlarged pores and cancer. 3. Relax Stress ages the skin. 4. Keep skin clean Never sleep with your make-up on and exfoliate at least once every two days. 5. Hydrate and moisturise Apply skincare when skin is still wet/ damp from a shower. Day: Essence -> serum -> moisturiser -> sunscreen Night: Essence -> serum -> night cream/ oil 6. Use products that suit your skin type.  How do you pick the right ones that work throughout the month as your hormone levels rise and fall? Seek a …

Beauty School: How to Apply Skincare

Published by

For those confused about the functions of the multitude of skincare products, and the multi-step beauty routine, here is the lowdown. First, the steps. Note that you don’t have to follow all the steps, just what works for you. For each step, only one product is necessary (except for cleansing because you need to get skin thoroughly clean). PM routine (steps 1 to 3 are most important): 1) Cleanse and exfoliate (makeup remover, foamy cleanser; scrub/ cleansing device depending on your needs) 2) Prepare skin for absorption (pre-serum/ essence/ beauty lotion/ emulsion) 3) Nourish (serum/ treatment/oil) 4) Hydrate (moisturiser/cream/oil) 5) Protect (sleeping mask) AM routine (steps 1 to 5 important) 1) Cleanse (a gentle one, like a water cleanser or cream cleanser) 2) Prepare skin for absorption (pre-serum/ essence/ beauty lotion/ emulsion) 3) Nourish (serum/ treatment/oil) 4) Hydrate (moisturiser/cream/oil) 5) Protect (sunscreen) 6) Makeup optional — Here’re some info on what the various products are for. Cleanse The key to clearer skin. Oil cleansers: To remove waterproof make-up. Rub onto dry skin to melt away …