For this month’s issue, Inquirer RED Magazine had the pleasure of featuring educator, wife and mother Felicia Atienza.

To complement her natural beauty, we decided to go with the “less is more” look using products by Chanel.

For her eyes, we used Le Volume de Chanel 40 mascara. Chanel’s high-precision mascara provides instant volume and a lush, dark color after just one stroke.

Then we used Les 4 Ombres in No. 42 Seduction, an eye-shadow quad of warm hues that can be applied dry or wet for a more vibrant finish.

Atienza has Asian eyes, so the burgundy and champagne tones opened up her peepers and made her lovely brown eyes stand out.

Her bronze skin was complemented by this beautiful shade that’s not too pink (Joues Contraste Powder Blush in No. 85 Evocation). When brushed lightly on cheekbones, going upward near the eyes, it gives the face an instant lift that leaves it looking youthful and fresh.

For her lips, we used Rouge Allure Luminous Intense No. 125 Indécise. This lip color is rosy beige with a coppery finish.

The trick to natural-looking makeup is choosing a shade that matches the natural color of your lips. We applied Indécise topped with Rouge Coco Shine hydrating sheer lip shine in No. 86 Instinct for healthy-looking lips that glimmer under the studio lights.

“Feli,” as friends know her, is a truly stunning and substantial lady.

Jul B. Dizon anniversary

I have to add that I had the honor of attending the celebration of the 33rd anniversary of Jul B. Dizon jewelry earlier this week at The Peninsula Manila.

I was especially excited to see what jeweler Janina Dizon had in store for everyone. Word was she was unveiling new colors for her gorgeous Tatjana clutch collection. Sure enough, “gorgeous” was the right word. The same goes for the jewelry designs that were on display that night.

Models walked around wearing truly beautiful creations, many of which were brightly colored and almost candy-like in appearance. I thought they were really unique. I also loved the armbands made of stingray (same as the bags). What a casual yet stunning way to accessorize!

Now what was really creative were paintings that had actual jewelry affixed to their surface like they were part of the pictures depicted on the canvas. What an innovative way to showcase jewelry, I thought.

Jewelry-making is a long-standing tradition in the Dizon family, and has been for over six decades. Janina’s grandmother, Paz G. Banas, started the business. Her mom, Jul Dizon, opened her own store in 1978, while Janina now has her “diffusion” line, which she initiated in 2005.

The anniversary showcased new colors of the Tatjana clutch as well as the launch of another handbag line, Tate, which she named after her son. “My handbags, the Tatjana and the Tate, were born out of my love for handbags. I loved the idea of making my stingray line expand from jewelry to bags. As a jeweler, I love the idea of having a diamond embedded in the bag itself,” says Janina.

The jewelry showcased during the event paid homage to four amazing women, namely, Elizabeth Taylor, Tina Chow, Grace Kelly and Wallis Simpson.

“When I design, I think of a strong, independent woman who knows what she wants.  She can be modern or classically conservative but she knows that jewelry always adds the finishing touch.”

I have a lot of respect for Janina as a jeweler and as a tastemaker. It’s wonderful how she moves from jewelry to bag design so seamlessly, and with such flair.