Put your best face forward with a makeover

------------------ Bruce Emond The Jakarta Post Jakarta ------------------

Ever wake up, stumble into the bathroom and find that the face and hair style of ther person staring back leave you desperately craving for something different?

Sometimes, things can get a bit radical, like having to resist the urge to take a pair of scissors to that uncoiffed mane you have been growing since the age of five.

For others, especially timid souls fearing after-shocks of major changes, something a little subtler will do. We called on the makeup and hair experts at Martha Tilaar's Sari Ayu at Puri Ayu in Kuningan, South Jakarta, to show their stuff in a mini makeover for one of our staff.

The Candidate: Tantri Yuliandini, 26, is a business reporter at The Jakarta Post. She was the first (OK, the only) person to step forward when we asked for volunteers in the Post's newsroom.

So, why throw caution to the wind and get a makeover, risking plummeting self-esteem and public scorn and ridicule if all did not turn out as hoped?

"I'm a virgin when it comes to getting a makeup," Tantri confessed. "I have never put on my own makeup before, other than the basic powder and lipstick and I've never had the courage to have a department store makeover. So I really wanted to see what a 'professional' would recommend for me, in terms of shades, colors, etc."

Makeup Matters: Makeup artist Lucia Pan started out by evaluating Tantri's overall look, from her face shape (an inverted triangle) to her skin color (tawny).

She began with the eyes, often a problem area for women. Tantri has large eyes, but Lucia said there would be a tendency for them to appear "bulging" if the wrong makeup was used.

Lucia applied a brown eye shadow from Sari Ayu's range.

"It's better to use matte colors, and avoid light or bright hues for eye shadow, and do not use eye pencil on the lower lid, so that eyes will stand out without sticking out."

Pronouncing Tantri's full eyelashes "good", the makeup artist used an eye pencil to make them neater and give them definition. Her eyelashes were curled, and concealer was used on the dark shadows below her eyes.

Tantri has dry skin, and liquid foundation containing moisturizer was dabbed on. Lucia then applied blush, starting from behind the ear to give a sun-kissed, full-cheeked look.

"Tawny skin does not take color well, so it's best to stick with dark tones, or the pastels that are now popular -- don't try anything too flashy," Lucia said, noting that cream and gold were among the shades suitable for an office environment.

After shading the nose area to provide more definition, Lucia worked on Tantri's lips, which she said were asymmetrical. She used a lip liner and pencil to define a symmetrical shape of the lip, and filled it in with lipstick.

With five-and-a-half years as part of Martha Tilaar's artistic team, Lucia has learned what makes good skin. Her expert advice is to use moisturizer in the morning (preferably one with a sunscreen) and night cream to cleanse thoroughly and follow with toner, and use a facial scrub every two weeks.

Hair Hints:Tantri's hair is short, but hair stylist Arnold M. Domingus said it appeared flat and heavy looking, with a center parting that accentuates the inverted triangle shape of Tantri's face.

He first used a roll set to provide more volume. He then moved her parting to the left and brought the hair forward, saying her hairline was too high.

"Volume is always better, because it opens up the face and it makes styling easier," Arnold said.

Arnold's recommendations for good hair are to try to wash it once every two days to avoid stripping away precious oils, use conditioner (even people with oily hair should use it on the ends) and rinse their hair thoroughly.

He recommends that people use separate shampoo and conditioner instead of the shampoo-and-conditioners on the market, but warns against overconditioning, which will lead to the hair appearing flat and lifeless.

"Also try to avoid using a hair dryer every day, because it will dry out your hair eventually," Arnold said.

Final Impression:At the end of they day, after having herself tweezed, trimmed and touched up, how did Tantri feel about her new look?

"The overall result was, I think, a bit too 'high,'" Tantri said a few days later. "I could never recreate something like that again, and it wouldn't work for me anyway -- but I learned some valuable tips, such as picking out colors, and how to apply shadows and blush.

"So now," she added, "with a little more practice I'm able to make myself up!"

Interested in getting a makeover? Send your details, including a daytime contact telephone number and your problem areas, to Sundaypost@thejakartapost.com.