By Aya De Quiroz
Here ye, here ye, slaves of makeup sales and new shade releases! Come on down, “I forgot” makeup junkies! Raise your hand if you’ve ever run out of powder, broke your blush, and all sorts of beauty blunders known to beautykind! If you’re one of these people (or all three), well fret not! Here’s a list of savvy things you can do to save yourself a peso, make the most out of your kikay kit, and be ready for whatever makeup malfunction comes your way.
- No blush? No problem.
Blush is the insta-fresh n’ lively tool that everybody loves. It’s become an essential in everyday looks, but only for its function. In case you find yourself without the actual product, for as long as you have lipstick or lip tint with you, you’re covered. These two give off a similar tint which can mimic the blush effect. Use your lipstick as blush by either putting small circles directly on your cheek or using your finger to get some product. Liquid lipsticks work even better because they give off a dewier and more natural look, for as long as you blend correctly! On the one hand, lip tints still have the most color payoff and lasting power out of all of them. Add a few dots of your favorite lip tint shade on your cheeks and slide upwards or tap away. You can even layer these three to achieve whatever kind of look you want, while also keeping the color on all day. One thing though, make sure you sanitize the products and wash your hands before trying applying anything on your cheeks.
- Mascara Power
Mascaras have more use than you might think. These guys last a good while, but sometimes dry out quickly. Should this happen, you have a number of things to do to maximize this inked wand. For one, you can use it to style your eyebrows. Whether you want to tame your brows for an everyday look or use them to create a bushy effect, the near-dry mascara is your best friend. Apart from laying your brows down to perfection, you can also work on your baby hairs (or pretty much any uncooperating strand of hair!) Brush them to the side or slick them up—whatever you want to do with them, mascaras can do. Best part? They match the most common Filipina hair colors: black and brown.
- Eye see options!
One of the secondary levels of building one’s makeup kit (and skills), is eyeshadow. Eyeshadow can be used for daily routines or for special events. However, not everybody owns a decent palette, let alone use one. The solution? Brow powders, bronzers, and blush! If you use brow powders, they will most likely come in two or three shades and in a palette-like packaging. You can use these to create a lot of looks from a Smokey eye down to a natural bronze. Speaking of bronze, you can also use your bronzers or contour palettes as eyeshadow colors. Add more color by using lip products or blush as well!
- Powder is powder
Powder for the face now comes in different formulas, packaging, and shades. Before you debate between loose vs pressed or neutral vs skin-like, consider another option. A simple yet effective way of achieving these looks is to use the ever-reliable and affordable baby powder! Baby powder, if used properly, can blend in to one’s skin seamlessly. One thing to remember when using this is that less is more. Using too much product can whiten one’s face! But, using just enough powder can brighten under eyes and prove to be a double for setting powder AKA freshness all day long. Baby powder can also do wonders on your hair. While theater folk know that baby powder can be used to make people’s hair appear aged, makeup junkies know that baby powder is the solution to greasy and oily strands! If you’ve put too much hair oil or got haggard on your commute, baby powder can absorb these oils and bring back a more natural finish. Again, less is key, so apply little by little until you like what you see!
