Slimming Style Strategies

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While good diet and exercise remain your two best bets in looking amazing, a few fashionable tweaks to your wardrobe can help virtually nip, tuck and create a svelte silhouette. These simple slimming tips will buy you some time until you write that exercise class into your new year’s resolution!

Take the Vertical Challenge

Wearing strategically placed stripes or all-black clothing isn’t the only way to create a visually elongating effect. Anything and everything that gets the eye gazing up and down can help lengthen and slim, including zippers, long necklaces, open slouchy cardigans, V-neck tops and dresses. The above essentially explains why wrap dresses, originally popularized by fashion icon Diane Von Furstenberg, are one of the best body-skimmers around. When worn in an elegant print or a rich solid hue, you get a figure-friendly finish. The same holds true for A-line skirts, which gently guide the eye up to their skinny tops, and down to their gentle flares.

Belt It Out

“The trick is placing the belt on the smallest point of your middle, which may not be your natural waist,” says Lloyd Boston, style editor and author of The Style Checklist: The Ultimate Wardrobe Essentials for You. “Fashionable women covet the waist-slimming benefits of [the skinny belt]…knowing that it’s for fashion—not necessarily function.” If you’re worried about your waistline or think that by wearing a belt you’ll only be highlighting unsightly bulges, Boston recommends layering the sleek accessory beneath a dark, slimming jacket or blazer. “We only get a peek at it when the jacket is unbuttoned as it visually creates the look of a more defined waist.”

Try Low-fat Dressing

By that, we don’t mean salad dressing. In her book, How to Never Look Fat Again: Over 1,000 Ways to Look Thinner—Without Dieting!, author and journalist Charla Krupp talks about a “menu” of clothing options wherein one can allot one “fattening” piece within an outfit, or go with “non-fat” choices. “Most of us have all three categories—high fat, low fat, and no fat—hanging in our closets and filling our drawers,” she explains. “Just like you wouldn't keep [Chocolate Mallows] in the kitchen if you were trying to lose weight, you shouldn't store fattening choices in your closet if you want to look slim.”

For example, if you’re wearing a floral-print full skirt, choose a top that flaunts and flatters your toned upper torso—such as a stretchy V-neck—rather than pairing it with a blousy white top. Or, skip the puffy skirt altogether and go with a monochromatic ensemble. “[It] doesn't have to be black and doesn’t need to be boring,” says Krupp.

Get Posture-perfect!

“Sit up straight, like your mother told you to,” says Krupp. “When you slouch or relax into a C-curve, your midriff compresses and fat practically ripples. Get in the habit when you’re at the computer, and it will become second nature in public.”

Wear Hair All the Way Up

Now that you’ve got your slimming wardrobe in check, try this neat hair tip, courtesy of image consultant and president of Elan Image Management, Natalie Jobity: “Wear your hair up and away from your face. This is a simple trick that easily adds height if you create volume in the crown and wear your hair in a high ponytail or chic chignon,” she shares. “Wearing your hair pulled back also helps highlight your cheekbones and forehead, all [of] which can make your face look thinner.”

Image courtesy of The Style Glossy. Originally published at http://www.thestyleglossy.com/cobrand/asia.

New Beauty

Welcome to my new online home for all things BEAUTY.

Here is where I'll repost articles, old and new; from print and online publications. I'm still building the site, so do check back in from time to time.

Thanks for reading and browsing. Enjoy!

Lipstain, Explained

FOR QUITE some time, I had resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t a “lipstick person.” I happened to snack often and it only seemed pointless to reapply rouge that would only stick to a piece of cake moments later.

So, lip color was relegated to the bottom of the makeup case, only making an appearance on special occasions (or whenever I remembered) and gone by the time lunch was served.

Revlon Just Bitten Lipstain + Balm

Imagine my surprise when, on a random trip to the drugstore, I stumbled upon Revlon Just Bitten, a double-purpose tube with a nub of lip-softening balm on one end, and budge-proof pigment on the other. I got reminded of Benefit Cosmetics’ Benetint—that classic rose-colored lip and cheek tint which still has a consistent following among lip stain fans (its current existence in the market proving so).

Lipps candy, revisited

Most lip stains on their own leave a straightforward matte finish. In the case of Just Bitten, it applies like a Sharpie marker and the accompanying balm prevents lips from drying, yet doesn’t impart a lot of sheen.

The effect is very much like eating Lipps Strawberry Candy and enjoying the delightful crimson shade it leaves on lips. Or, on a grown-up level, the same hint one gets after sipping a glass of red wine.

Thankfully, the cosmetics industry has successfully isolated these desirable hues. All one has to do is take a trip to the beauty counter or drugstore to get a lip fix.

5 Nail Polish Shades Every Woman Should Have

BASE COAT and clear lacquers aside, here are essential hues every woman should have in her arsenal of pretty nail paints.

1. A Neutral Blush


This is the nail polish you wear when you want nails to simply appear buffed and shiny. Depending on your skin tone, specific shades may vary. I find that the neutral-beige that is flattering among peers makes my own nails look yellow and “dead.” If you notice pinker (versus yellow) undertones in your skin, opt for a shade with a hint of pink, or even purple instead of straight-up beige. OPI, Essie and other salon and specialty brands seem to have a stronghold in this category and for good reason: Their formulas are topnotch; the brushes a breeze to use and make for seamless DIY application; and they have more stringent manufacturing measures that prevent bad-for-you ingredients from making their way inside each bottle. So, when it comes to this go-to shade, invest in the best one you can afford.

2. A True Red

Timeless and elegant, a rich apple-red is a top pedicure-pick, and applied professionally, yields the biggest bang for your buck (since perfectly painted toes take time and effort). It’s also hands-down the classiest shade you could be seen wearing when you go barefoot, say, at the airport security check or when you visit someone’s home where guests are asked to leave shoes at the door.

This is also the nail varnish you’ll use to paint your toes in a pinch, when you find yourself in desperate need of a pedicure, yet have no other shoe to pair with a dressy outfit except for those open-toe heels. From a distance, red-painted toenails look especially neat, even if you haven’t set foot in a nail salon in ages.

If a fiery and feisty crimson is too much for you, try a “cuter” cherry, or even a deeper wine or burgundy.



3. A Hot Pink

No matter how old you are-unless you’re a man-you need an eye-popping fuchsia on tips every now and then for two reasons: First, to easily “transition” from red without worrying about leftover streaks if you’re doing a mani-pedi at home (you won’t have to exert much effort with the cotton pad and polish remover).

Second, it’s a fun and fabulous shade that’s widely acceptable, even in the workplace. And, sometimes, you do need a dose of fun and a punch of color to a bland ensemble.

4. A Lovely Lilac Alternative

Think of this tint as a notch above the neutral hue mentioned in No. 1. It’s what you wear when you first meet your boyfriend’s parents, or what you paint on the night before a friend’s wedding. It’s understated, yet, visible enough to send the message that you’ve taken time to groom your nails.

Skin tone is also key in finding the right lavender shade: Go lighter if you’re fair, and deeper—as in mauve or old rose—if you’re more tan.

5. A Trendy Hue

This is something you can play around with, like that dress with a plunging neckline you’d wear on Salsa Night with friends but never at work (not even on Casual Fridays or at the office party).

You can go from brilliant jewel tones, like the royal sapphire blue popularized by Chanel’s Blue Satin a few years ago and now more widely available via mainstream brands; or super-playful vibrant colors such as lemon yellow or melon orange. If you’re extra-brazen, you could even try neon and electric hues…or even a multi-color combo! They’re all good for as long as you wipe them off by the time you clock in on Monday morning.

Mariel Chua is the former beauty editor of Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, and OK! Magazine Philippines. She is now based in New York City. Visit http://beautyinthebigapple.com and her blog, http://nyminutenow.com.


Photos courtesy of Revlon.com, RMUK Hair Beauty Salon (Essie http://www.blog.rm-uk.com/tag/manicures/), ButterLondon.com. Originally published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Inquirer.net.

Clearly, Clarins

Clarins Huile "Tonic" Body Treatment Oil

AFTER MORE than a year of intending to, I finally decided to treat myself to a splurge at the Clarins counter at a popular department store in New York City.

I’ve always been a fan of the brand because of the premium, plant-based ingredients that go into its products. Plus, the anti-aging lineup seems to be very effective, as witnessed by mature women I’d met in the past who have benefited from years and years of using the skincare line.

If you’re planning to spring-clean your beauty stash, I would suggest the following products, which I’m happy to have purchased (or sampled) as well.

1. Huile “Tonic” Firming, Toning Body Treatment Oil

At the moment, this tops my list of the most aromatic, invigorating and excellently-formulated massage oils out in the market today (next to Earth Therapeutics’ Anti-Stress Bath and Body Oil). The skin-softening and toning salve contains no mineral oil—which, in my opinion, obliterates the whole point of aromatherapy—and boasts essential oils of rosemary, geranium and mint. Applied on damp, post-shower skin, a little of it goes a long way. The 100-mL jar is quite pricey, but is hefty and will last for many massage and body-smoothing sessions.

2. Instant Eye Makeup Remover

You’ll probably get the same mascara-dissolving effect from less expensive brands. But when it comes to gently removing makeup on the delicate eye area, the more effective the formula is, the less likely you are to tug and pull on skin to get the last bit of eyeliner out. If you have extra cash to spare, go for a beauty counter brand such as this one (you can also try Lancôme Bi-Facil, as both share a similar double-phase formula).

3. Extra-Firming Foundation SPF15

Nothing beats getting that second-skin effect from makeup. And the latest liquid face base from Clarins hasn’t disappointed. It’s super-blendable, provides good coverage and feels soft on the skin—like a richer tinted moisturizer packed with just the right amount of pigment to even out blotches. Yet it doesn’t feel like makeup when worn. (During the first few days of trying the new foundation, I kept taking pictures on my webcam just to see how nice and dewy my face looked!)