femalenetwork.com

Who knew a midweek work night could be filled with such glitz and glamour? On October 14, legendary makeup brand Shu Uemura held a cocktail event at the Powerplant Mall to announce the local winners of its Beauty Art Makeup Competition 2009. Out of the 6 semi-finalists, Level 1’s Angelique Dinglasan took home the prize for her ethereal “Dusk” creation, while Level 2’s Grace Deang garnered the ribbon for her avant garde accomplishment “Fluidity.”

The competition, which celebrates the environment this year with its Mother Nature theme, promotes local makeup artists and sends a lucky few to participate in Shu Uemura’s ASEAN regional finals. Both Dinglasan and Deang will fly to Kuala Lumpur on October 28 to represent the Philippines—and hopefully make a repeat performance of their success here.

Dinglasan, who studied design at the London College of Fashion-University of the Arts, gradually made the shift into beauty because she says “Makeup was the best way for me to show my talents.” She is currently making a career as a makeup artist for editorials, advertisements, and wedding events. Her winning entry “Dusk” emphasized the eyes with the glittering reds and golds of a twilight sky, and earned her the additional honor of Photographer’s Favorite.

Deang, on the other hand, “fell into” the beauty industry by initially doing makeup for her friends. Realizing that it was her true passion, she sought further experience abroad with workshops like Il-MIKIAGE and Trmptu in New York and Kryolan in San Francisco. The inspiration behind her entry “Fluidity” was clearly water-based: the wave pattern on the forehead and frothy effect of long white lashes leave you brimming with excitement for what she has in store. “Makeup has to drive you,” says Deang, whose victory as a rookie might just make her the dark horse in the next leg of the competition.

The other semi-finalists included freelancer Tracy Conlin, Japan-based Rey Legarda, former hairstylist Third Octavo, and the night’s Fan Favorite Amanda Padilla.

Aside from their trophies and high spirits, Dinglasan and Deang each left with a Shu Uemura Ultimate Brush Set worth P50,000 and Makeup Box worth P40,000. We wish them all the luck in Malaysia!

I’m no brow virgin. I’ve had my share of tweezing, plucking, shaving, and threading. The problem is, I’m lousy at maintenance, so after a cleaning, my neatly-shaped brows usually morph into big hairy monsters again. So I jumped at the chance to try Browhaus’ Browgraphy service, to see just how good it was: Singaporean brand (think OC trainers) + architectural philosophy (a Bauhaus-based tandem of function and fashion) =  high expectations, after all.

With today’s edgier fashions, the time has come to leave the pearls at home—this season’s adornments of choice are bigger, bolder, and more boyish. Leather cuffs, studded bangles, and cocktail rings are just a few of the hottest sellers from Vita Fede, the luxe accessories brand now all the rage in Hollywood—and soon in Manila.

With its ubiquitous wrap bracelets appearing in countless paparazzi shots, Vita has proven its popularity with celebrity trendsetters. A-listers like Halle Berry, Jessica Alba, and Jessica Biel have been seen sporting the Fascino triple-wrap—a thin leather cuff trimmed with a chain that encircles the wrist in three loops for a multiple bracelet effect. Fergie and Jennifer Hudson, on the other hand, favor Vita’s precious metal bangles and stamped cocktail rings. Leading fashion glossies Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar have also featured Vita in their pages for the brand’s edgy elegance and surprising wearability.