How To Look Great In An Instant

KEEP IT YELLOW Ever wonder why candlelight dinners are so romantic? That’s because men can’t help but swoon at the beautiful woman sitting in front of them, thanks to the soft shadows playing on her cheeks cast by flickering candlelight. Yellow lighting is more complementary to your features compared to harsh fluorescent lighting. So whenever possible, appear in yellow lighting to look more enchanting. Why do you think stage actors always use yellow spotlights and not fluorescent lighting?

BE PHOTOGRAPHED ONLY ON YOUR GOOD SIDE Models know only too well about the importance of being photographed on their good side. Study celebrities and supermodels on the red carpet and notice how they always strike a pose on the same side when cameras are clicking. “I always focus on a model’s better side during a beauty shoot to bring out the best in her,” says professional photographer Meng. Most of us are not born with the desired symmetrical face but we can always put our best face forward, literally. To find yours, pose in front of the mirror or better yet, snap a picture of yourself on both the right and left sides, then get your friends to help vote on your best side.

TURN YOUR BACK ON THE SUN This is especially useful when you’re out on a lunch date. Sit with your back facing the sun (choose a window seat) so that the sun’s rays create a luminous halo around you instead of shinning on that zit. The sunlight behind you also adds an aura of surrealism to mesmerize your date!

WEAR YOUR JACKIE Os From the late Jackie Onassis to Angeline Jolie, famous women hardly step out of the house without their big framed sunglasses. Hot favourites are the Jackie Os (spotted on Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham) and aviators (spotted on Angeline Jolie and Madonna). Worn in traditional fashion or pushed up to the crown to hold your hair back, it gives you instant movie-star glamour. There are also women who specifically buy sunglasses that sit well on top of their heads because they know it looks glamorous that way. Oh, and as if you don’t already know, shades are great for protecting eyes from the sun, hiding eye bags and dark circles, when you’re too lazy to apply eye make-up.

HEELS UP Let’s face it, there’s a very good reason why we subject ourselves to those bunions and achy calves- high heels make even the chunkiest of calves look lean and the shortest of legs look miles long. It adds height for elegance and enhances the fit of a pair of slacks or jeans. Plus, strutting around in stilettos helps exercise those muscles – and we love well-toned legs. Perhaps the most convincing reason is that stilettos create the illusion of longer, thinner legs on the wearer. “High heels give you a boost and slim the meatiest calves,” says Lisa Norris, UK’s TV celebrity booker and author of Get Glamorous. “We girls must view our bunions as our badge of glamour. Besides, one of the greatest pleasures of stiletto addiction is coming home at night, pouring a glass of pink champagne and slipping them off,” she says.

FRINGE BENEFIT You’ve perhaps admired a model’s sexy side-parted fringe in a shampoo commercial or wish your hair would move with the wind like the models’ on a runway. With a little help from your hairstylist, you can stop coveting. Get him to give you a side-parted fringe and wispy layers on each side of your face. The first helps to slim the face and instantly ups your sexy barometer. Wispy layers on both sides will give you the ‘wind in your hair’ effect. “When styling your hair, let wisps of hair fall over one side of your face. This is easy when you know which side of flattering. I’ve transformed many women’s hairstyles just by applying that simple trick,” says hairstylist Ivan Cheng. “Most of them love the seductive allure that a hairstyle can create. It gives them the confidence that they look good and will make them begin to take better care of their hair.”

TRY SHOULDER-DUSTERS you’ve probably see
Charlize Theron or Nicole Kidman work this trick at the Oscar’s to up the ante. We’re talking about wearing big, bedazzled, shoulder-dusters earrings that add instant glamorous on a glitzy night out. It works like a charm every time, especially when you are sporting an updo. “I revel in the way it grazes my shoulder whenever I move around. I don’t know whether it’s the cold metal on my skin or the way the jewels rattle against each other as the earrings swish around, but it makes me feel regal,” gushes Cynthia Johnson, an avid fan of drop-earrings. Even inexpensive earrings can effortlessly make your outfit look expensive.

INVEST IN HEADGEAR JLo made the large-rimmed summer hat (usually reserved for farmers) look cool again, while Britney Spears showed that berets can be stylish. At one point, these were their signature styles. You may complain that our humid weather makes it uncomfortable to wear hats but try shopping around for ones that are made of lighter fabrics. They actually help block out UV rays which contribute to darkening your complexion and fading your hair colour. Stylish protection doesn’t come any easier. You don’t have to look like you’re trying too hard by donning a big hat a’ la old-Hollywood glamour but opt instead for current fashion favourites such as the striped fedora hat or camel-coloured beret.

RUN LADY RUN! Exercise does your skin a lot of good. “What many people don’t realize is that our skin is the largest organ of our body, and thus, the benefits can be enormous,” says Audrey Kunin, dermatologist and author or The DERMAdoctor Skinstruction Manual. “Among them is increased circulation and delivery of nutrients to skin cells, whooshing away potentially damaging toxins. Another is giving skin the optimum conditions for making collagen, the support fibres that help keep wrinkles and lines at bay,” says Kunin. There’s nothing like a bit of dancing, a morning job around the park or romp on the bed to bring out those rosy cheeks. When you exercise, your oxygen intake increases, rejuvenating your skin and promoting better blood circulation that will translate into a healthy flush. Toning exercises such as yoga and Pilates further help to reduce appearance of cellulite and tighten skin, inevitably giving you anti-ageing benefits. Also, those headstands and downward dog poses boost rich blood supply to the face giving you pink cheeks.

SMILES There will always be things that make you frown and want to throw a fit, but there’s nothing like a big smile to turn things around. Just like you, people are only attracted to cheerful personalities. You can’t expect to be attractive, approachable or well-liked if you emit negative energy all the time. Smiling is the best way to release anger and anxiety. A smile is programmed to exercise the facial muscles, making the face glow and become more firm and supple. A smile coaxes the brain to produce endorphins (feel-good hormones and natural painkillers) and can instantly light up your face. Result : people around you will find you irresistibly beautiful. Remember the expression – smile and the world smiles with you!