Tricks of the Trade: Keep your look fresh with these hair and makeup trends

I enjoy reading your articles via Inquirer online and I really admire your versatility as a model. I would like to ask tips for how to go about managing my long hair (below shoulders length). You see on the side, I’m into photography. There are days when we do outdoor shoots and I tend to get oily. As a remedy, I tie my hair up in ponytail but I want it to look polished (for a round face). Can you give me more suggestions to control the grease & how to look fresh despite the activity? Thank you. -Mina Flores

I know what its like to be on those outdoor location shoots. Apart from braving the searing sun and humid weather, most of the time you are exposed to dirt, dust and smoke. In just a few hours, your skin turns shiny, your hair becomes greasy and you’re pretty much drenched in sweat. And though this may be just another day in a life of a photographer, you’re right, you should still find ways to look fresh and pretty.

Given you have an extra change of clothes and a mini towel to keep you dry, you can work with stylish but functional hair and makeup looks for days when you have to rough it. I know—how can you possibly wear makeup when you can’t even stay five minutes outside without breaking a sweat? Well, I’m not suggesting you wear a full face of heavy makeup, but use a few products to help keep oiliness at bay. A hair and makeup plan is in order. Read on to get yourself acquainted with the best beat-the-heat tricks you can use for work.

HAIR IDEAS:

Braid your hair. A hair trend that has been dashing in and out of the “it” list from season to season are braids. It doesn’t matter what kind of braids you choose to wear: loose or tight, small or big, messy or clean—these add style to your look in an instant, and yes, you can wear these even on a hot day. Before you pull your hair into a ponytail (again), try experimenting with braids. You’ve got lots of options: choose easy side braids that turns into a chignon, try adding little braids to your hair or simply turn that ponytail into a clean plait. In an instant you can look polished or boho-chic, depending on your look for the day.

Try a top knot. A hairstyle that looks great in both the red carpet and the gym is something you can try, too. Getting the top knot, ballerina-inspired bun right is easy: flip all of your hair towards your face (it helps if you bend forward) and gather until you’ve created a high ponytail. You can choose to make it a clean bun by using a brush to smoothen out hair or try a messy, textured knot by combing hair with just your fingers. When you’ve secured the ponytail, twist the hair onto itself until it coils and creates a bun (again, you can choose to make it loose or tight). Secure the bun with hairpins or use an elastic band. Mist hairspray as needed or a dollop of styling gel will work also.

MAKEUP MATTERS:

Keep it matte. A makeup primer or base is usually what’s recommended to wear under your foundation or powder because it makes skin matte, helps absorbs oil and sweat and prevents makeup from melting. You can use the primer in three ways, depending on the product you choose. You can opt to wear the primer alone, with a layer of loose powder or underneath your foundation or makeup. In your case, I suggest you look for a mattifying primer or powder gel you can use with or without makeup. This should give your skin a smooth, velvety complexion, minimize pores and help control oil production so your skin remains shine-free for hours.

Cheek

Add a little color. A way to instantly look fresh without having to pile on the makeup is by applying cheek tint. Fresh, natural and easy, it gives skin a healthy dose of color and isn’t torture to wear at an outdoor shoot. Usually a little goes a long way—dot the tint with equal proportion on each cheek and spread quickly on the apples of your cheeks. This should last a long time, but if you should need a touch-up, it would be better if you blot your skin with oil-absorbing paper first and reapply.