It will be hard to not notice the vibrant activities and events on the stage throughout the whole Sunday in Midvalley’s Exhibition Hall on Level 3. As we arrived at the venue, there is already an event on the stage, as the energetic host announced and gave away the prizes to winning participants during the De Palma Packages Talkshow. For this event, the organizing company, D’Organiser, had invited quite a number of guest performers, including the artists from ERA.
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And the stage performances are not the only attraction at the front door. The colorful ‘Kolam’ and the baby grand piano, each placed right in front of both entrance, are more than enough as attractions. And the grandness does not stop at the entrance. Magnificent would be an understatement, once you’ve noticed how much effort every participant has poured in to turn their simple booths into an actual wedding ceremony altar or a banquet setting.
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There are photographers, bridal studios, retailers and manufacturers of bridal accessories; though in the end, the ones that got most of the attention are the event planners, organizers, caterer services and hotel banquet services. Gilded chairs, ambience decoration, setting up of the ceremony altar, complete with gold or bronze ware, peacock feathers, miniature ‘kolams’ at their respective booths; not to mention the pastries and symbolic traditional food presented in their best looks, up for display.
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All in all, it is a fulfilling experience, whether if it is for those looking for a bargain, or those who are just tagging along to have a look at the latest trends this is definitely a fulfilling experience for everyone.
In two more days, people worldwide will be celebrating a special day for our own Mother Earth. Earth Day, on the 22nd of Apr is to celebrate the greatness of the planet that has sustained us and various other life forms for millennia. For couples who are conscious about environment friendly, and would like to spend an unforgettable Earth Day moment, here are some simple tips that you can have a look.
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Off with the Lights
As usual, Earth Day’s most significant action—turning off every light and electrical appliance at home, can actually provide for a nice romantic moment. A candlelit dinner at home, or just a little time alone under the dim candle lights is just as precious as a candlelit date in a fancy restaurant. Sharing a Shower While it may not be the best reason to save on water, but sharing a cool shower with your spouse, without the heater on, is another fun and passionate experience. Just remember to turn off the shower after coming out of the bathroom. |
| Sexy, Sustainable Lingerie
Fancy that bright satin undergarment trimmed with sensuous lace? Try to get one that not only looks good, but has the quality to last you for a few years ahead—organic cotton, hemp silk and other renewable fibres. Forget the Car Just for this special day alone (or others, if you and your spouse liked the idea). Forget about the car and instead go for the bicycle ala ‘Tian Mi Mi’ style. For once, you may realize why grandma thinks it most romantic when grandpa took her out for a stroll on his bicycle. |
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Green Gifts
A box of chocolate, a bottle of perfume or cologne, and various other little gifts, add a little more sweetness by getting them ‘green’—as in organic ingredients, cruelty-free sources and fair trade retails. It brings happiness to not only your loved ones, but others involved in its process as well.
BBQ and Outdoor Party
Earth Day evening is the best time to be spent outdoors, when all lights and air-con are switched off. You can make it as a family private function, or just a simple evening picnic for the two of you.
Take a Vacation
And not the shopping spree type. Try something that will bring you closer to nature, such as a stay at a resort, by the seaside or in the wilderness. Eco parks are a good choice, and the choices are abundant in our own Malaysian backyard—Bukit Merah, Borneo Highlands resort; or just the kampong back home. A breath of fresh air will definitely make each moment together sweeter.
Bridal Make-up is an important aspect in the preparation, along with the bridal gown dressing and hairstyling.
For many couples, their wedding is most likely a one-in-a-lifetime experience, with all its sweetness and memorable moments; even more so for the bride, as the queen of the day.
Bridal Make-up is an important aspect in the preparation, along with the bridal gown dressing and hairstyling. Unlike ordinary make-up, bridal make-up actually requires expertise in the field, to match the best style with the bride’s dress and hair, while enhancing her features.
The interview with renowned make-up artist/lecturer of MakeArt Academy Mr. Jason Ooi will provide us with some insights into the art of bridal make-up. Mr. Jason Ooi had various experience in the art of make-up and styling, in a wide range of fashion. He had started his early career as a Make-up Assistant in a bridal studio, before joining the Shu Uemura Cosmetics Malaysia as a make-up artist, and later on, had taken up assignments from other projects including Fashion shows and TV programs. Among the list of his achievements are as the following:
| 2007 – 2008 Bridal House as Makeup Assistant Shu Uemura Cosmetics Malaysia as Makeup Artist Malaysia yearly Fashion Show Salsa Fashion Show Be a Star 2009 |
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An Overview on Bridal Make-up
Bridal Make-up, according to Jason, does have some similarities with the more formal make-up for dinner. Both are to accentuate the most beautiful feature of the person’s face, and both are also meant to last longer than casual make-up, as functions usually last for quite some time.
The main difference between the two styles lies in the overall finishing with the combination of the hair style design and the bridal gown or evening gown worn, with a wider color palette to choose from. Also, to complement most of the gowns, eyes, the ‘windows to a person’s soul’, are usually the feature to focus on, although for some, lips may also be in the feature.
Comparing both day and night make-up, Jason has said that make-up for day occasions (e.g. the actual wedding day) are usually lighter, using lighter shades of colors, as compared to make-up for night occasions (e.g. the wedding banquet), where the dim lighting and yellowish lights of the venue setting may obscure lighter make-up, making heavier make-up the better option.
Step-by-Step Demonstration
In order for us to understand, Mr. Jason had a live demonstration for us, as he explained to us the details regarding bridal make-up. The make-up style which he will be using, he said, is more suited for the dinner banquet, matching the best with simple elegant gowns such as a flowing satin gown.
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The foundation is the foremost important step before applying any make-up. According to Jason, a properly done foundation (with the right type of foundation used) not only helps smooth over skin imperfections, but can also act as a moisturizing layer, keeping skin soft while making the make-up last longer. The image here shows the difference of the face with foundation on (left) and without foundation (right). For this demonstration, Mr. Jason used a gel-based foundation, mixing 2 different hues to come up with one that matches the model’s skin tone. (pic)
After the face foundation, Mr. Jason proceeded to the eye make-up, using a combination of concealer to smooth out lines and puffiness. The colors used for the eyes are purple, magenta and gold, with a suitable amount of black—mainly to accentuate the shape of the eyes, and to freshen up droopy-looking eyes. Purple hues and gold are on the top of the trend now, he added, and are also the right colors to bring out the elegance and allure. (pic) Fake eyelashes and mascara the final touch, adding dimension as well as accentuating. |
Before any make-up is applied, Mr. Jason had made sure to highlight and outline the shape of the face and the nose first with different shadings. This will add more dimension to the nose, reduce flatness, while refining the shape of the face. For the blush, a mixture of pink and orange is used, firstly, being suitable for the model’s skin tone, and secondly, goes well with the overall style.
For the lips, a simple layer of foundation is applied first, to smooth out the cracks, especially if the lips are a bit dry. After that, lip-liner is used to outline and balanced out the shape of the lips, which after that, is filled in with lip color of similar hue, finishing with a touch of shimmering lip gloss. |
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The final finishing is as shown in this picture, where the final change of the gown will complete it all. As one can see the comparison before and after the make-up session, one really has to agree that the skills of the master himself/herself are just as important as product quality and everything else.
And just as Mr. Jason said, the biggest joy a passionate make-up artist gets is when his client shows his/her appreciation for the effort and the end results. |
For those who are interested in learning or acquiring Mr. Jason Ooi’s services, you may refer to the MakeArt Academy website for more information.
