For at least a decade, makeup has been predictable at around this time of the year. There have been two main makeup trends: classic Hollywood neutral eyes with red lips, and smoky eyes with nude lips.

But Bobbi Brown (BB) has given the smoky eyes look a little tweak. Its palette was actually released for summer 2013, but it works well for the cold months. Whereas smoky eyes are usually achieved with black or charcoal gray eyeshadow, BB uses the navy and nude combo.

The effect is softer but no less dramatic.

I love Katie Holmes, BB’s image model; she has dark eyes and hair, and olive-toned skin. So, in using BB, we would more or less see the effect on ourselves.

One great thing about navy is that the blue tone makes the whites of our eyes seem brighter. With this palette we won’t need to own more eye-shadow colors because the trusty universal nudes in seven shades can be used for daytime and casual occasions.

This would make a great Christmas gift for moms and loved ones.

The 2014 color has been announced as well: Dazzling Blue (also the color of Facebook and Citibank’s logos). So, the 2013 palette would still have mileage as it could be worn all year round.

Others who do not want to dive into the palette just yet may want to try a navy shade from their preferred brands. Students on a budget may want to try drugstore eyeshadow brands with a navy line.

Bobbi Brown is available at Rustan’s Department Store and Essences.

Cleansing oil

The gooiest sunblock may keep your skin looking young, while the most waterproof of makeup products are responsible for making you dramatically beautiful for long hours. But if you do not cleanse yourself thoroughly at the end of the day, you end up with clogged pores, breakouts and even bacterial infection.

This is why it was a relief to try my first cleansing oil, which cut through all the binding agents and which was simply rinsed clean with water. It didn’t require multiple cleansing steps and it didn’t feel sticky like cleansing cream or lotion.

But quality cleansing oils are extremely expensive. Midrange good ones are available only abroad and very hard to find.

But Body Shop has introduced the Chamomile Cleansing Oil, and I am happy to report that its price is reasonable. It washes off clean, does not sting the eyes, causes no breakouts, and has a gentle, calming scent.

Cleansing butter

Another surprise is Body Shop’s Cleansing Butter which is ideal for those with dry skin. It slices through the most waterproof mascara that even cleansing oils have a hard time tackling. This is great for those who prefer the texture of cold cream cleansers.

Note: Proceed with the rest of your skincare ritual after the cleansing oil or butter. It is not meant to replace any treatments you may need. Both are suitable for all skin types although my face gets oily faster when I use the cleansing butter.

There are friends of mine with very dry skin who require extra moisturizer after the cleansing oil as they feel their face tightening after an hour of washing.

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