It’s easy to pick up on trends. Everywhere we look, the media, a beauty guru or a YouTuber hypes an item as “the next big thing,” and in a heartbeat we’re flocking to stores to get our hands on it.
The way trends are reported is as boisterous as an impatient driver honking to get ahead. The challenge, really, is knowing what to do with them.
Be as smart as you are stylish. Ease into these current looks like you’ve known them for years.
Do the dew
Following K-pop and BB cream, Korea’s next best import may just be the cushion compact. As much as we love its portability, its shade range can get restricting. After all, these products are made for the East Asian market in mind—their complexion are much lighter than most of us.
But it doesn’t mean we have to keep living with its grayish cast. We can cop Song Hye-gyo’s glow while retaining our skin color. Brands like Etude House, Laneige, Sulwhasoo and even MAC are a lot more generous with shades. Pick from an array of nudes that fit pink, yellow, and olive tones, and provide appropriate coverage for your blemishes.
If you’re looking to amp the glow, trust our humid weather to do it for free. That may be good news for some, but bad for those with combo or oily skin. Prevent your base from melting within an hour or so by prepping your skin right.
First, mattify with a hardworking primer like the Becca Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector, and feign long-lasting sheen with a powder highlighter like the Canmake Glow Fleur Highlighter that catches light and doesn’t produce grease.
Mane attraction
Given the popularity of K-drama series “Goblin” and “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo,” the increasing number of Filipinos getting full or see-through bangs wouldn’t surprise me. The thing with these bangs is, while they look good, they’re so hard to maintain!
The problem starts when they reach past the brows. While you can use rollers to bend them—and effectively shorten them to help you see—the trending trick is to curl them with a mini iron (less chances of burning your face) and part them all to the side.
It’s a great option for those who don’t like the idea of a shaggy fringe or blunt bangs that make their face appear wider. I’ve seen this look done on many K-pop stars, from Twice’s Jungyeon to Mamamoo’s Wheein and ex-f(x) member Sulli.
Super-straight hair is also getting traction. Don’t mistake this for a flat, limp mane, though.
For those who want to get volume with their sleek hair, fine-haired folk should wash it the night before styling it. Use hair essences like the Whamisa Organic Seeds Hair Essence to tame flyaway hair. Wake up to noticeably glossy strands that can be teased to your liking.
Add volume to your roots by spraying on Tresemmé Fresh Start Volumizing Dry Shampoo with mineral clay.
If you have curly hair, blow-dry it and use a round boar-bristle brush to gather your hair on your crown. Apply trusty hair oil like the Shiseido Tsubaki Hair Oil on the lower part of your hair to add some sheen. Use a flat iron to tame the ends further, and scrunch the top from time to time.—CONTRIBUTED