Ladies, lift that face!

This season's global recession can bring the doom and gloom to our faces. Yet, Hong Kong is a resilient city, and many a new job-seeker has remained optimistic about the future by putting on one's biz suit and heading out to one's favourite cafe to hang out and....erm, look for a [IMPORTANT: LEAD TO] a job.

But the ladies will have to spend a little more time flushing their cheeks and pouting their lips. 

NEWSFLASH! It looks like NARS will be having another make-up tutorial at Lane Crawford, so sign up when you can. If you want to join a group that's got its finger on the fashionista recessionista events in Hong Kong, joing Sassy Hong Kong. For more ladies' gatherings, there's The Helena May, and for those who like to strut their stuff, sing and dance, join the Kassia Women's Choir.

But here are my favourite make-up brands. Some membership packages cost nothing at all when you sign up AND include a free make-up session for formal gatherings and noteworthy events.

1. Shiseido - Membership here comes with one free make-up session, unless the terms have changed.

2. Shu Uemura - No one in this city does your brows as well as Shu.

3. Bobbi Brown - I love the earthy shades on my skin. I look like I'm wearing nothing on my lips, but I get that properly enhanced pout we women put on before dinner. Visit Elements or Lane Crawford.

4. Lancome - Go to the Harvey Nicks branch; I found the perfect RED that suits me there.

5. Clarins - Not for the face, but for the form....if you know what I mean. 

And whenever you feel like mixing and matching shades and brands, there's always the one-stop cosmetics shop all over Hong Kong! SASA!