Paige Hunter Blog

Ever since Kylie Jenner did for lips what Cara Delevingne did for brows (a.k.a. started the whole the-fuller-the-better trend), people have been searching for the single product or procedure that will help them achieve that same plumped-up look. We know that Jenner's lips are the result of injections—and one of the latest trends is nearly as extreme: lip tattoos.

After a brave writer for Cosmopolitan Australia got her lip liner tattooed, we needed to know more about this procedure. We asked Amy Kernhan, a permanent makeup artist in New York City who's tattooed brows, eyelids, and lips for ten years, to fill us in (no, not literally). Here are the 10 things you should know if you decide to enter the world of permanent makeup, according to her.

Lip tattoos are meant to enhance lips, not create actual fullness. This procedure is designed to define lips, not create volume or puffiness, say Kernhan. "It will just give you the appearance of a full lip," she says. "Since part of the process is outlining right on the border of the lip, I'm only helping to give your lips the appearance that their fuller." It's all about the illusion.

The tattoo doesn't just go around your lip like traditional lip liner application. "I do an outline on the border of the lip, but I'm also shading the color down into the middle of the lip in a circular motion to give it more of a blended look," says Kernhan. "I leave the interior part of the lip without color."

It's possible to get a color that's close to your natural lip color—but that means it won't last as long. "The more natural the color, the more frequent your touch-ups are going be," says Kernhan. "If someone comes in and says, 'I love my color; I just want it to be a hint more,' they're probably going to have to come in once a year for touch-ups to refresh that color." Kernhan suggests tattooing your lips one or two shades darker or brighter depending on your natural skin tone.

Most places use pigment instead of traditional tattoo ink (which is why it fades). Years ago, permanent makeup was applied with regular tattoo ink. That's why it often looked so unnatural. "When you get a body tattoo, it's usually done with ink, which has a very watery consistency," says Kernhan. "Pigment is thicker, so it gives that more natural powdery finish. But it does exfoliate out of your skin after 12 to 18 months. And since you eat and drink with your lips, it's going to happen faster."

Yes, it's painful. Lips are especially sensitive, so if you're considering getting this done, you may want to pay extra for an anesthetic to block the pain. "Since lips are very vascular, I share office space with a plastic surgeon and my patients have the option of paying an extra $150 for that," says Kernhan. "If they choose to have an anesthetic, I can get the procedure done much faster."

The healing process takes about ten days. Kernhan advises her patients getting lip tattoos to schedule the procedure for a Thursday, so they can let the swelling and dryness die down over the weekend. "The lips will look very dry and chapped as they heal," says Kernhan. "The color gets lighter, and then as the skin heals, it comes back. You usually see the full, truest color after about two weeks."

If you're prone to cold sores, make sure you're taking medication to prevent them. "The stimulation from the needle can bring out cold sores and that can really ruin the procedure and make the healing process much worse," says Kernhan.

It doesn't work on every skin tone. "I have to turn away a lot of people that have that darker skin tones, because they can hyperpigment. The needle abrades the skin, so when they heal, a lot more pigment is produced, and their lips could actually get darker," she explains.

Lip liner tattoo lasts longer than temporary lip fillers, but it costs more. Temporary lip fillers cost anywhere from $750 to $950 and they last six to nine months. Kernhan initially charges $950 for the lip liner tattoo procedure, and it's a two- or three-step process. She charges $200 for the second visit. And for yearly touchups, she charges $350.

If you don't like your tattoo, you can get it removed with a laser. "If anyone asks me to tattoo outside of their lip line, I won't do it. If they don't like their natural lip line, I tell them to go get a filler first," says Kernhan. And if you absolutely hate your lip liner tattoo, there are laser treatments that can sometimes remove the color. But that involves more money and more pain.

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What do you wear to the beach? Are you comfortable wearing a bikini, or do you prefer a less revealing one-piece?

Well, now you can cover up as much as you want. Several brands of swimwear are offering full coverage, rashie-type swimwear with built-in skirts or capri pants and high necks. The suits will hide your arms, legs, cleavage and bum – all those body parts we insecure women have traditionally been scared of showing.

But what kind of forces make women want to hide their bodies at the beach?

The ranges of 'modest' swimwear were all originally designed Orthodox Jewish and Muslim women who are forbidden from showing their bodies in public. They have, however, had much wider appeal. Larger women, new mums and elderly ladies have all bought the full coverage suits, presumably because they feel uncomfortable in regular swimwear.

Now the swimwear labels are actually marketing their products to new mums, knowing that so many will choose to cover up their bodies at the beach rather than be seen in a bikini.

And this made me sad. Obviously there is nothing wrong with covering up for religious or health reasons. But it does worry me that women – particularly new mothers – could feel compelled to wear full coverage swimwear because their bodies are less than perfect.

I remember vividly the feeling of stripping to my swimsuit shortly after my third baby was born. She was a summer baby, and we were on a beach holiday just weeks after she arrived. I bore a visible caesarean scar and had significant tummy overhang from my pregnancy, plus varicose veins, stretch marks and extra weight. As a result, I wore a rashie top over my bikini for the first time in years; I was far too self-conscious to let my loose stomach hang out.

But I wish now that I had been braver. I wish now that I had fought that desire to cover up. A post-partum body is as natural and normal as any other body. And when people like me hide ourselves under rashie tops and 'modest' swimwear, we perpetuate the notion that less than perfect bodies are shameful and embarrassing.

It's a difficult issue because I know how hard it is to resist that societal pressure. It is hammered into us through the media and our own insecurities to be ashamed of our imperfections, including those arising from pregnancy and birth. We are supposed to 'bounce back' to our pre-pregnancy states within weeks, to be thin, toned, tanned and unblemished. And so we cover ourselves up when we don't meet these standards, out of our own discomfort, and to protect other people from the horror of our less-than-ideal bodies.

And we shouldn't have to. Those of us with imperfect bodies have just as much right to feel good in a bikini as supermodels. And the more flawed bodies we see, the more we chip away at the body image ideal.

I don't believe that every new mother has a responsibility to be a body image pioneer. If it is too confronting or uncomfortable for you to show off your body, then by all means wear a rashie. But marketing modest swimwear specifically to new mums just spreads the idea that post-partum bodies aren't good enough.

And really, our bodies are as awesome and beautiful as the bodies of the babies they created.

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He travels across the world, visits places which still have kept their past alive and draws inspiration from the most prized heritage edifices. Finally, these experiences go into his creations around which is woven an engrossing narrative. For the seventh edition of BMW India Bridal Fashion Week, the couturier, who is actively involved with the fashion week and even made his presence felt on the announcement of the event, has prepared a collection which seems to have an Indian connect but is closer home. “For every collection there is an inspiration that motivates us to use our imagination. This time round the inspiration comes from the Ottoman Empire. The collection is almost like looking at an old Ottoman empire tapestry. One look at the Topkapi Palace and one realises how beautiful it is.”

The focus of attention in the finale collection will be the Topkapi Palace, which epitomises the grandeur of the Ottoman Empire. Perhaps the gargantuan palace would be done up on the stage.

“It is a large palace in Istanbul, Turkey. It is now a museum and is the finest examples of Ottoman Empire,” says Suneet. Inspired by the tapestries of the palace, he has made long silhouettes, embroideries in zari and resham. The colour palette is Persian blue with an amalgamation of rose, ivory and beige. There will be saris with long sleeve blouses, soft skirts with cutwear embroidery, apart from lehengas and anarkalis.

Suneet has drawn inspiration from the dazzling architecture of the palace and given a feel of the monuments of the bygone era in his collection because he is aware that Ottoman Empire’s influence is palpable in the architecture and designs of Mughal-era monuments. That way, there would be an instant connect with the audience.

Noting that it is a chaotic place he lives in, Suneet says, “From the inspiration, to the sets, accessories and the music of the show it builds up like an enormous surge and I treat it like a vast ocean of endless possibilities. For this show, I have seen that craftsmanship and quality stand out. Indian weddings are joyous occasions. Attending them gives one an emotional unforgettable experience. This is what I am striving.”

Pointing out that he does not do things half-heartedly, Suneet says, “If I am in love with a theme I am totally involved with it. I was in London doing a trunk show. And there a lot of Indian girls came to me showing the mirror work that I had showcased on their Instagram account. They asked me to make something like that. I was tempted to do the mirror work again. The fact that mirror work didn’t just work for India but everywhere in the world.”

Shedding light on the fabric and accessories he has used in making bridal outfits, Suneet says all the accessories are actually handmade using Swarovski crystals in the studio. “The Ottoman Empire introduced the Persian blue to the world. Therefore we are using all shades of blue. You can see a lot of sage green, beige, navy and grey. There will be a lot of bridal collection that will be mostly maroon and red.”

Lace effect

Suneet is tempted to have Sonakshi Sinha as his showstopper as the sari created by him, which she wore it on the announcement of the BMW India Bridal Fashion Week, has generated tremendous response from fashion-conscious netizens. “The sari worn by Sonakshi is from my new collection. It is actually on a silk net fabric. Resham embroidery has been done on it to give the sari a lace effect. It is light in weight, it is very ornamental looking. Sonakshi prefers wearing traditional yet light dress.”

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Bollywood actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returned to the ramp after five years with friend Manish Malhotra’s collection The Empress Story, showcased at the closing of the Amazon India Couture Week 2015 in New Delhi.

With the collection, Malhotra celebrated 25 years in the industry and 10 years of his label. The Empress Story was also a preview to the Manish Malhotra London label, his newly launched limited edition pieces, and a men’s wear capsule, and announced the opening of two signature stores in Dubai and in London.

The collection, a tribute to a self-confident and spirited woman, saw models dressed in western gowns with voluminous skirts, yet with an Indian touch in their gold embellishments. Malhotra accessorised each garment with chunky gold jewellery by Dedhia Jewellers and golden masks. Mostly in silk and velvet, the colours ranged from silver and gold to deep burgundy and delicate mauve in raw silk to grey and coffee brown, which showstopper Rai Bachchan walked the ramp in, despite running a high fever.

Keeping her makeup and style simple, the former Miss World allowed the garment to take centre stage, despite the fact that she was returning to the world of fashion after five years.

“It’s always a pleasure to wear [Manish’s] clothes but his visual presentation is a treat. His success story is a statement itself. You can imagine 25 years today and 10 years to his label. People across borders have enjoyed his work. They’ve touched our culture through our cinema,” said Rai Bachchan. “I had to be here. Manish is a very, very special person. As a professional I’m sure you all know him but to me it’s more personal. I’ve known Manish right from the beginning, since 1993. We started out there and he pursued his passion for movies — he’s an encyclopaedia — but that apart his absolute passion for giving direction to his creativity, he has this wonderful vision”.

Three-dimensional embroidery in the shape of huge flowers and bird motifs in delicate threadwork covered the dresses. For men, the embroidery and gold sequin work continued in the structured jackets and trousers in midnight blue and black. The gold embroidered matching shoes marked Malhotra’s entry into accessories.

“2015 marks an important milestone as the Manish Malhotra label celebrates 10 years and 25 years a costume director,” the designer said in a post-event written statement, preferring to give the stage to Rai Bachchan after the show. “The Empress Story is a special collection as it not only ends the beautiful decade that was, but also represents the beginning of a new phase for the brand. It captures the excitement and thrill of taking the next step, while taking pride in its foundations. With it I return to my love for timeless aesthetics and structure along with fine craftsmanship that has taken months to translate onto fabric. All the elements in the collection do speak a common, universal language of elegance and elan. Much like the power of femininity, these will never go out of style.”

The closing event of the Amazon India Couture Week at The Leela Palace Hotel was well attended, including Rai Bachchan’s mother-in-law, veteran actress Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi. Heropanti actress and Monisha Jaising’s showstopper Kriti Sanon too was in the front row with actress Aditi Rao Hydari and Sophie Choudhary.

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For much of his career, the brand Bonia meant little to ex-Burberry designer Pepe Torres.

Now, the 49-year-old lives and breathes the Singapore brand as its creative director.

It was on a personal visit to Singapore two years ago that he first encountered the 41-year-old accessories brand while shopping. What struck him about it was its attention to quality.

"I started asking material suppliers in Italy what they knew about Bonia and I heard very good things," says the Spaniard during a phone interview with Life from Hong Kong, where he was on a personal trip.

A few months later, he met Bonia's executive director, Mr Daniel Chiang, in Paris by chance when a friend introduced them at a lunch. This meeting led to his appointment as creative director last year. Mr Chiang's father, Mr Chiang Sang Sem, started the brand.

Mr Torres, who has spent more than two decades in the fashion industry, has been tasked with revitalising the brand and making it attractive to a new generation of consumers, says a Bonia spokesman.

"A lot of people have this impression that we make bags for older women, but it's changing. Our goal is to create something more fun," says Mr Torres.

Bonia's signature monogram fabrics have been closely associated with "aunties", who are attracted to the brand's affordable prices, which range from $300 to $400, and functional designs. Sales have been brisk at the public-listed company. Profits rose year-on-year between 2010 and last year. Bonia Singapore saw a turnover of $25.6 million last year.

Globally, the brand has 57 stand-alone boutiques and 412 points of sale in countries such as Malaysia, Japan and Cambodia.

In Singapore, it has six stand-alone stores and 18 other points of sale, which contribute about 20 per cent to its global sales.

In his first collection for the brand, which will be launched in September, Mr Torres has created a wider offering of clutches and new colours to appeal to a party- going crowd.

"I have very ambitious plans for Bonia. I want to create a lifestyle brand, but this will take time, " says the Barcelona-based designer, who also runs a fashion consultancy there. With Bonia occupying most of his time, he says he flies to Kuala Lumpur at least four times a year, where the bag company is headquartered.

He spent 10 years at British luxury brand Burberry, where he was head designer for womenswear, menswear and accessories, before moving on to Spanish luxury label Loewe. Earlier in his career, he worked within the design teams at Mango, Antonio Miro and Carolina Herrera.

He says that his experience at established heritage brands such as Burberry and Loewe has taught him how to build brand icons that will stand the test of time. For example, he updated the design of Loewe's Amazona bag in 2003. The bag was first launched in 1975 and has gone through several incarnations. It is now among Loewe's bestsellers.

In his opinion, Bonia's Sonia bag, which was launched at the end of 2013 and named after Taiwanese model-actress and Bonia ambassador Sonia Sui, will be valued in years to come because of its unique hat-like shape. In fact, he hopes for it to become a classic like the Hermes Birkin.

"The Hermes Birkin is a bag from the 1980s, but it is still relevant today and carried by women of various age groups. Similarly, we want to keep the Sonia and constantly refresh its image by crafting it out of different materials," says the bachelor.

The upcoming Autumn/Winter 2015-2016 collection will see the traditionally leather Sonia bag come in an embellished version for the first time, with embroidery and beading.

Torres says: "I'm not here to start a revolution, I'm creating an evolution."

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Vera Wang has officially enlisted Evan Lysacek as a creative consultant for her storied fashion house.

Wang has previously designed costumes for figure skaters — including Lysacek, Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan — and was even inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2009 for her contribution to the sport as a costume designer.

Lysacek previously spent a few days shadowing Wang in the final stages of one of her spring collections, WWD reported.

"I've learned quite a bit through Vera," he said at that time, the trade publication reported. "It's really interesting to see what goes into a collection. That kind of creativity is extremely important, especially now in a world that is less about money. People can set themselves apart by the clothes they choose to wear. That's an easy way for us to express ourselves every day."

Wang has a long history in the fashion industry. She launched her namesake brand after designing her own wedding dress in 1989, the designer opened her own design salon in the Carlyle Hotel in New York City. She has since opened bridal boutiques in New York, London, Tokyo and Sydney, Australia.

Wang has designed wedding wear for celebrities such as Chelsea Clinton, Ivanka Trump, Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Victoria Beckham, Avril Lavigne, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Garner, Hilary Duff, Uma Thurman, Jessica Simpson, Kate Hudson, Khloe Kardashian and Kim Kardashian. In 2011, she launched a collection for David's Bridal, with gowns ranging from afforable $600-$1,400.

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The event: The Hammer Museum celebrated two new exhibitions, “Mark Bradford: Scorched Earth” and “Perfect Likeness: Photography and Composition,” with a jampacked weekend of events. Festivities began with Friday’s summer supper for artists, collectors and other VIPs and continued Saturday with curator-guided walk-throughs and receptions for museum supporters, patrons, directors and members, culminating in a shindig for 1,600, complete with a DJ set.

The scene: At Friday’s supper, guests seated themselves at long tables in the Hammer’s open courtyard, and museum director Ann Philbin addressed the crowd. Aside from thanking donors, she proposed toasts to the artists before guests dined family-style on barbecued brisket, lemon-marinated chicken, penne pasta and various veggies.

Noting that the day included not only the night’s celebration of the Hammer’s new shows, but also the Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize same-sex marriage and a historic eulogy by President Obama, Philbin talked of “this extraordinary day when we are replacing the Confederate flag with the rainbow flag and when our President sang ‘Amazing Grace’ at the funeral in South Carolina.” She then congratulated Bradford on his timely, powerful and fearless work.

The Bradford exhibition: In “Scorched Earth,” his first solo exhibition in Los Angeles, Bradford dug through layers of previous artwork painted onto a museum wall to create a map of the United States, each state showing numbers to represent people living with AIDS. Also featured are 12 new works influenced by the aftermath of L.A.’s uprisings in 1992 and a multimedia installation of an off-color comedy routine.

The photography: “Perfect Likeness: Photography and Composition” examines contemporary photography through 53 works by 24 artists who have consciously arranged images with forethought and attention to detail, more like a painter might compose an image than like a street photographer who would capture spontaneity, according to adjunct curator Russell Ferguson.

The crowd: Bradford and his partner, Allan de Castro, joined more artists, many whose work appeared in the photography show, including Catherine Opie, Thomas Demand, Lucas Blalock, Roe Ethridge, Elad Lassry, Sharon Lockhart, Charles Gaines, Kenny Scharf, Edgar Arceneaux, Toba Khedoori, A.L. Steiner, Sam Durant and Ana Prvacki, Mary Reid Kelley with Patrick Kelley and Francesca Gabbiani with Eddie Ruscha. Museum supporters included Eileen Harris Norton, Rosette Delug, Joy Monkarsh, Linda Janger, Ari Emanuel, Alan Hergott, Curt Shepard, Christopher Farr, MOCA director Philippe Vergne, Getty director Timothy Potts and Marc Porter, chairman Americas of Christie’s, the summer supper sponsor.

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Little Mix all got their favourite smells into new perfume Gold Magic.

Perrie Edwards had to trust her bandmates' judgement when it came to choosing their new perfume.

Little Mix launched their debut scent, Gold Magic, earlier this week and all have described it as a dream come true.

However Perrie had a little trouble mixing together different perfume notes, as she has no sense of smell. Luckily Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock were on hand to help.

"We all like certain smells. Me and Jesy are very much into the fruity, watermelons and a bit of floral as well. And we kind of combined that with the muskiness that you guys [Perrie and Jesy] like," Jade told Cover Media.

"And obviously our Pez cannot smell, so she had to trust our judgement. So there's a bit of lemon meringue, because she likes that. So it's got that little tone to it."

As well as exciting their fans, the perfume has had the thumbs up from the band's family.

Perrie jokes her mother has already got a bag full, and that her brother Jonnie couldn't get enough.

"It's always nice to get a compliment. I was wearing it and my brother, my brother is hard to please you see, and when he came in he was like, 'Ohhh,' and I was like, 'Alright kid, sniffing us,' and he said, 'That's gorgeous,'" the blonde laughed.

"My dad really liked it. So it's got a man's approval," added Leigh-Anne. "I think it's got that lasting smell to it. Where if you do walk past, it's really nice."

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