Dream cream for stressed skin

DEAR REGINA,

I’ve been so busy with work lately that I haven’t been getting much rest, and unfortunately, it’s starting to show on my skin. I look so horrible in the morning! Is there anything I can do to rehab my skin, or even to just give it the illusion of health?

RACH

Oh, believe me, all of us career girls know the feeling! Sleepless working nights start in college and then never let up, except we’re not as young as we used to be, so it just manifests way more obviously in the way we look. (And have you noticed that it’s so much harder to pull those all-nighters now? Aging, the horror!)

On nights that I come home crazy stressed, or, conversely, on crazy fun nights out with friends when I come home closer to sunrise, I bring out the big guns: my stash of La Mer. (I honestly cannot afford the stuff myself, so I reserve my pots of Creme de La Mer and The Eye Concentrate for Emergencies, with a capital E.) I don’t usually use moisturizer, but I do when my skin feels stressed; I dab a small amount on my face (avoiding the T-zone because it’s an oily area), and use the metal-tipped wand to massage eye cream into what will inevitably be my morning dark circles. Even on just a few hours of sleep, I wake up looking more refreshed than I feel. I know the feeling of being too tired and lazy to do your nighttime ritual, but it’s on those days that you absolutely must not skip! Use whatever moisturizer and eye cream you have on hand.

As for faking it, well, under-eye concealer is a given (go for something with a hint of hydration, like Covergirl and Olay, or Benefit’s Fake Up), but a little well-placed luminizer goes a long way. I apply a small dab of MAC’s Strobe Cream on the tops of my cheeks to emphasize my bone structure and to make my skin look fresh and glowing. It never fails!

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Your sister in stress,

REGINA

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Quick beauty fixes

DEAR RISSA,

I know this might sound a bit backward, but my officemate still thinks using toothpaste on her pimples helps get rid of them. How can I explain to her that this is not true? 

WANDA 

Funnily, this myth persists no matter how many times experts debunk it. Yes, the baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, menthol, and triclosan do dry up the excess oil BUT this is actually a harsh combination of ingredients, which causes peeling and irritation, even worsening the pimple! For some women, irritations like this can also lead to scars and darkening. The medicine cabinet is actually home to better quick beauty fixes: Use eye drops for red eyes, which contain a gentle anti-inflammatory. Press on a cotton swab soaked with the eye drops; this will help reduce the size and redness of an emerging zit. You can also crush an aspirin, add a few drops of water and apply it to the pimple overnight. But your best bet to get rid of pimples is to maintain good habits — stop touching that zit no matter how tempting it may be! Remember that your fingers are a breeding ground for dirt and bacteria. 

RISSA

Fashion is a very personal thing

DEAR LUCY,

I am in college and I have a penchant for chunky jewellery. I like big earrings, big watches, but my mom says they age me. She says I should wear more dainty stuff because it is more ladylike.

Also, I like wearing plain T-shirts to affairs we attend, but my conservative aunts say there is no way I should wear a T-shirt. A celebration always calls for satin, lace, shimmer. What do you think?

BRIT

I remember when I was in college, I also liked wearing big rings, men’s watches, chunky earrings, and I met more than just a few people who said I should wear accessories that just disappear. But see, fashion is a very personal thing. I think more than anything, you should be comfortable, and happy with what you are wearing. Over and above that, it has to look good in the sense that it highlights your strengths and downplays problem areas.

In terms of dressing up a T-shirt, in this time and age, yes it is very doable. Get a nice white shirt, tuck it into slinky jeans and wear stilettos. It will look very chic. Highlight just lips or eyes, keep hair relaxed. Edit your accessories — just a stack of bangles or a beaded collar or nice earrings. Especially at your age, fashion is fun and you can afford to experiment, make and learn from mistakes.

LUCY

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Send e-mail to Lucy Torres-Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Trillo at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil. Send Regina Belmonte your questions at vivatregina.tumblr@gmail.com or tweet her @vivatregina.