MANILA, Philippines?Due to sleepless nights lately, I have very dark circles around my eyes, and I?ve noticed that my skin has been blotchy and pale.

I need very good cover-ups! For summer that normally means tunics, skimpy dresses worn over bikinis, board shorts, etc. But not for me.

Luckily, when Shu Uemura?s chief makeup artist Xeng Zulueta came to visit my baby I was able to voice out my concern. She promptly got her makeup box and proceeded to give me a free demo of new products that could help my tired-looking skin.

It didn?t take long, but in the end, my skin did look much, much better!

Shu Uemura?s range of eye correcting pro concealers come in four shades, each one specifically made for the type of discoloration that can appear in the eye area. As an eye shadow base, its mauve color also enhances light-colored shades and makes the eye look brighter.

The orange eye concealer may be used all over the eye to hide dark pigments. The white and yellow concealers help in facial structuring. If you want to look sharper, this illusion may be obtained by patting some white concealer on the eye?s inner corner. The yellow shade, meanwhile, is a natural highlighter for yellow-skinned individuals.

Flawless canvas

A flawless skin canvas is what most women desire.

This is easily achieved with Face Architects Smoothing Fluid Foundations. Available in 19 blendable shades, it gives your skin a smoother natural finish. You may use more than one shade to enhance facial structures and fix imperfections.

Blemishes are easily swept out of sight with just a dab of a spot concealer that comes in five shades. Pro concealers will take care of uneven skin tone, and their cover crayons are perfect for those who stay under the sun, with their skin tones always changing.

Tips

Remember, when using foundations or any of these products, just cover the area that needs the coverage.

Go easy on using cover-ups during the day.

To put on foundation, start at the center of your face going outwards. Before buying a foundation, make sure to do a product test. The foundation should disappear like second skin, and should be of the same skin tone as your face and neck.

Concealers should go before foundations.

Use the right tool?either a wedge sponge or a brush, whatever you?re comfortable. It is not advisable to use your fingers, since you may end up pulling your skin too hard. However, when it comes to concealers just use your ring finger and gently pat on. Never swipe.