Good Lookin' Out

My so-called-Beauty Editor-Life: Bright on!

2011-05-19T12:05:00.000+08:00


Shoot I did for Asian Dragon. Loving the peacock eyeshadow on Shawn! In reality, this girl doesn't wear any makeup except for when on tv or for magazines, but I think the colors look awesome on her. Photo by: Dix Perez


This was for the September 2008 issue of Metro, where I worked for 3 years as Beauty Editor. One thing I loved about my old job was that I got to work with one of my best friends, Sarah, ALL THE TIME. This was shot in Bella Roca and her makeup was by another close friend, Jigs Mayuga! Photo by Paolo Pineda

This was shot with Jigs doing makeup again! This time with Monica! I spent many years going to gigs and gossiping with this girl, and would also book her for shoots regularly. Pays to have pretty friends! haha! This was for Metro magazine. Photograph by Dix Perez

I chose these particular photos because of the bright colors. We still have a few weeks left before summer is officially over, so keep those juicy orange and hot pink lip colors out and rainbow hued eye shadows out for a little longer!

Relax: Bliss Nail and Day Spa

2011-05-04T21:42:00.001+08:00

My nails were in dire need of a manicure and pedicure. The past month was so busy for me that I totally just neglected them and they were a few days shy of being totally embarrassing. I'm based in the south for most of the week nowadays, but weekends are still spent in Katipunan, so last Sunday I finally got to try my friend's nail salon. Say hello to Bliss Nail and Day Spa.

I love how you feel like you are sitting in the middle Tiffany and Co. box while getting your nails done. Great color choice for the spa, it's very relaxing.

They use mostly Essie nail polish and gave me a whole basket to choose from before starting.

I think it's noteworthy that they have lacquers that are safe for pregnant women. When I was pregnant, this whole formaldehyde, toluene and DBP free thing didn't exist yet.

My one suggestion is to have more out of the box colors. They are very complete with the regular colors though so no worries for most people...but I'm not a normal girl lol ;p Would have loved to see more hyper colors, blues, greens, black etc.

I chose a pinky coral for my toe nails :D (Btw, still loving my tat. Looks good after 3 years!)

And for my fingers, I used the same shade but mixed with this seafoam green shade that I brought with me that I got from Sydney.

It was an awesome afternoon and long overdue. I'm always so stressed out so a couple of hours of pampering really was BLISS.

Bliss Nail and Day spa is located at G/F Elizabeth Hall, Katipunan. Make at appointment by calling 5020257

Beauty Profile: Vicky Herrera

2011-02-10T13:55:00.000+08:00

Here's someone you shouldn't sleep on. She's young, beautiful and talented. Yeah, I know people like that are a dime a dozen nowadays. What sets her apart is that she is also down to earth and intelligent, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. You hear her distinct giggle from a mile away, but this chick is serious when it comes down to business. She used to be Sarah Meier's partner in crime in the now defunct (but why?!) show The Dollhouse on U92. Oh, and did you know she's a Paredes too? That makes us cousins....Say hello to Vicky Herrera!

What's the ONE thing you can't live without?

Vicky: Mascara. Maybelline. I'm a simple girl! But I really love how mascara brightens up your look.

What do you think is different about Filipina beauty?
Vicky: There is a certain unexplainable warmth about Pinay beauties. I always think it comes from their heart and shows in their eyes.

What do you think about advertising for beauty products and their direct relation to how women view themselves?
Vicky: I think in some way media defines what is beautiful for the moment. But in reality the definition of beauty has changed over the centuries. (From curvy to skinny to light skinned to dark skinned to straight hair to curly hair etc.) If you listen to the changing trends you'd go crazy! What's important is setting your own definition of what is beautiful and stick to that. You shouldn't love yourself any less because you look different. In fact, love yourself even more.

Do you think media sets an unrealistic standard for beauty?
Vicky: In some way, yes. I think people need to also see the other side of the coin. There is a whole team dedicated to making women look perfect. There is makeup, lighting, photo shop, camera angles etc. There is a lot of work in creating that perfect picture. If we start to compare ourselves on how come we don't look as perfect in reality, we will become disappointed and stop appreciating what we have. There are a lot of beautiful women I know who don't see themselves in a positive way, which is sad. Once there are more positive role models out there maybe we won't be worried about the next generation growing up insecure. Beauty also can't only depend on someone's looks. Personality, intelligence, confidence, values; they all play a huge role as well. Sometimes it can be a simple matter of how someone feels on the inside. A happy person naturally shines.

What's your take on plastic surgery?
Depends on the reason. I mean, some people need it in the sense that they went through something physically traumatic (accidents etc) and they need it. I think if you need it for a health reason then its acceptable. But if you turn to plastic surgery as a quick fix for an insecurity, I think its better to talk to someone first before you decide to get anything done. How you feel about your self.... your insecurities and issues, those feelings wont instantly go away. At the end of the day I always believe it's better to just be real about who you are.

Beauty Profile: Jigs Mayuga

2011-02-06T13:57:00.000+08:00

Time for another feature on another one of my favorite people that can definitely land a spot on any Most Beautiful list---Make-up artist, TV host, Music Enthusiast and now blogger, Jigs Mayuga!

What is your "beauty routine" Most men don't have one, but what would kind of routine do you recommend for guys?

Jigs: MY routine is very simple. i use a face wash day and night and i use a moisturizer with SPF. I also exfoliate and shave every two to three days. I use a hair product on days when i want my hair brushed up otherwise i just leave it au naturel. :-)

What's your favorite fragrance?

Jigs: Right now i'm using Bang by Marc Jacobs

What do you think about makeup on men?
Jigs: For one, i don't wear makeup unless i'm gonna be on TV or am posing for a photo shoot. Even then i rarely use foundation/concealer on myself unless i need to conceal a pimple or a mark. If you have great skin i don't think guys (straight or gay) need to wear makeup.

If you could only pick one look---natural and innocent or dark and vampy, which would you pick?
Jigs: Natural and innocent. it's easier to pull off and it doesn't take mad skills to achieve this look.

Best beauty advice anyone ever gave you?
Jigs: Get lots of rest, drink plenty of fluids and loads of exercise. It'll do wonders for your skin. :-)

Jigs' Must Haves:
1. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara (Waterproof)
2. Sh Uemura Eyelash Curler
3. M.A.C. Boy Girl Brow Set

Find Jigs at truccatore.tumblr.com

Beauty Profile: Ala Paredes

2011-02-04T13:15:00.000+08:00

I have beautiful friends and family. From time to time (actually quite often probably) I will be featuring them in this blog. Just short Q&A's and some photos of them. Let's start off with my sister, Ala :)

Living in a country where there are so many different races, how do you think Pinay beauty stands out?
Ala: I think our naturally young-looking skin really is a stand-out here. Also, many Pinoys are of a mixed heritage which leads to many people trying to determine where we're from. People definitely think we're an interesting mix.

Describe your beauty routine.
Ala: I don't use soap on my face as it dries my skin out. I love Cetaphil. I use an eye-makeup remover for my mascara but I find Cetaphil does the trick for the rest of my face. I use Human Heart Nature's Night Moisturizer at night which makes my skin so soft when I wake up in the morning, and it's heavy enough to stand up to winter. I use HHN Day Moisturizer during the day or Cetaphil, depending on what I have. Also Invisible Zinc facial sunscreen which I find is the most non-oily/ non-greasy.

When you were living in Manila and getting into the whole advertising scene, what was it like being surrounded by fair skinned/straight haired girls and why do you think that despite that being the norm at the time, they kept booking you?

Ala: I do remember my first big ad which was a facial wash ad and being compared to the girl I was with who was fairer and had long straight hair. Some people did make harsh comments, and I was actually pressured by some clients to have my hair straightened. I don't know why I kept getting booked, I didn't feel very beautiful growing up. But I guess people we're just ready for something new. Maybe the market was just saturated with fair-skinned beauties.

What hair care do u recommend for people with curly hair?

Ala: I'm a huge fan of Human Heart Nature products. Their shampoo, conditioner, and hair styling cream all work wonders for me. A lot of commercially sold products don't work well on my hair, they're so heavy and leave a lot of residue, and I think I'm allergic to them. I've also found that TIGI Curls Rock line do pretty well.

Beauty Loot: Coco Manila

2011-01-18T20:54:00.000+08:00

When I was in Baguio last week, I noticed this little tent beside the Filling Station inside Camp John Hay. I went closer and saw that it was a bunch of soaps and other beauty products.

You may strip me off my Beauty Editor title, but you can never keep me away from anything beauty related! I had to go over and check it out once...twice...three times! The soaps smelled so yummy, mostly because they were my kind of scents...chocolate, coffee cinnamon and creme brulee. I don't like overly strong smells, which is why passing by Lush always makes me gag. Individually, Lush products smell good, but when all jammed in the same place, can be overkill.

Anyway, I picked up a bar of soap, a pot of cacao flavored lip balm and Chocolate scented hand sanitizer. They also have coffee and lemongrass scented body scrubs (That now I wish I got!) as well as lotions.

Don't bother getting the lip balm, it's no good, but I love the hand sanitizer, and would love to try the heavenly smelling scrubs.

My home girl Thea went home with more things than I did!

For now it's only available in that little stall in Camp John Hay. Hopefully closer to us soon.

The Skinny on Fat

2011-01-14T08:48:00.007+08:00

Everyone wants to be skinny. Even skinny people want to be skinnier. Even people like me who think a good steak meal > that dress I would have wanted to wear to a party but now I feel too fat to wear it complain about wanting to be go back to our college weight.

Thing is, regardless of how much my friends and I wish the whole Botticelli look would replace looking emaciated, we don't think that is going to happen anytime soon.

See, they all have guts.Literally.

There are so many treatments, diets and products out in the market that are totally riding on the skinny wave. Some, such as the ancient Bangkok Pills of the late 90's are clearly bad for you and others come in the form or wraps and crazy contraptions.

Pills > I personally have never tried taking any fat burning pills, but here's what I feel about them-- Work out, eat healthy and you won't need to take any pills! I sometimes feel as if people use them as a substitute for having a healthy lifestyle or justification for eating poorly I am not saying they don't work or are discrediting them in any way, but what advertising fails to mention is that those with success stories taking them worked hard to achieve their weight loss through a change in lifestyle and not ONLY taking the pills.

Machines and Wraps> I tried the Fat Mobilization Treatment a few times at Marie France a few years back and did not enjoy a single second of it. The cold wrap made me feel like someone rubbed menthol all over the lower half of my body and left me in a room for 25 minutes. To be fair, they check you before and after every session and there was a few mm to cm loss during each treatment, but it is so miniscule that again I will say--- change in lifestyle is what makes you lose weight and keep it off. Programs like this one will help eliminate the last few bits of pudge here and there but it's not going to turn you from Oprah to Kate Moss if you rely on it completely.

Another machine I tried at Marie France was the UltraShape. Unlike the freezing cold FMS, this was the total opposite, targeting your problem areas with extreme heat instead. It was less uncomfortable, save for some moments when I felt like the machine was burning through my skin. I don't know if I wasn't overweight enough to see any real results, but again, they will measure you before and after and although there is a change, don't expect anything drastic.

The only thing that I ever saw a real, obvious change with were the couple times I tried Mesotherapy. I was curious to see if it really worked and felt like I could deal with a few needle pricks and a couple of days of bruising. Let me just say, the needles hurt but are bearable, but the after-effects HURT LIKE A BITCH. It feels like you did a million crunches without stretching and with no rest. No joke. By the 3rd or 4th day though, you will see a difference. I did mine on my stomach and it got so flat. But, even if one of these "quick fixes" actually works, I wouldn't recommend it on a weekly basis. As the doctor at Aesthetic Science Clinic told me, save it for a special occasion or as a reward to get rid of that last bit of fat after months of working out and eating healthy. Don't use it as a replacement for a healthy lifestyle.

Another invasive thing I tried was getting L-Carnatine injected into me. L-Carnatine naturally occurs in our body, but taking it as an injection as I did will speed up the process drastically. I was warned that I would be more hyper than usual after being given the shot, and that most people did it before working out because it gives them an extra boost, which allows them to work out more efficiently and for a longer amount of time. Well, apparently, my veins are too small or skinny or something that after one of them collapsed, they had to find another one to inject it into. it hurt SO much that I cried. Yes, I cried. And afterward, I felt a really uncomfortable burning sensation in my arm as the L-Carnatine passed through my vein and decided then and there that I was never going to do that shit ever again. Screw that, I'll take Red Bull if I want more energy!

Creams and Lotions> If these work in any way it is to a very tiny degree. So tiny, in fact, that I wouldn't recommend spending your hard earned cash on these products. I mean, really, how much can a lotion actually help in shaping your body or helping you "tone"? Shiseido had this product a few years back called the Body Creator that was supposed to make skin silky smooth, lessen cellulite and stretch marks and contour the body. Although I wanted it so badly to work, the only thing it really did was give my stomach a nice, tingly sensation, and yes, smoother skin, because well, it was a lotion.

Between the staff I worked with and I, the amount of treatments we have tried for research and article purposes is...well, a lot. At the end of the day the best results I got were from the fitness programs I road tested and not the miracle fixes. Although they are good "toppers" to a real exercise and diet regimen, they are definitely not a replacement for it. As long as you know that, then go ahead and enjoy them, otherwise, be prepared for disappointment.

Change in diet, change in lifestyle and exercise--the only real way to lose weight and keep it off, plus be truly healthy. If you have a history of quitting on a diet halfway through, or simply don't know where to start, I suggest you contact Josephine So- http://josephineso.webng.com-- the site looks a bit cheezy, but I have personally tried a program with her, as has a colleague of mine and a few other friends and she really works. May not be for everyone but it's worth a shot.

Remember healthy trumps skinny. Always.

Til next time folks,

Your friendly ex- beauty editor

I don't need to see what's on the inside, Let me enjoy this cause it was all just a beautiful lie

2011-01-13T20:57:00.000+08:00

Just another beauty blog. Yup, this is all this is.

Except:

1. I have had 9 years of experience in the publishing industry, 7 of which I was a beauty editor, 2 of which I had a beauty column and for the duration was a contributor to numerous publications and websites on the topic of beauty.

2. I am a make-up artist by profession, albeit non-practicing at the moment. I studied at the London School of Beauty in Make-up and have done editorial, advertorial, print, video, runway and bridal work. I really miss it.

3. I have tried and I have tested so many products in my lifetime, and although some are really awesome, others aren't so much---and YOU have the right to know.

Now, as a Beauty Editor, it would have been very un-PC of me to flat out say a product sucked, but now that I have my own blog, and nobody is paying me millions of pesos in advertising to say they are good, I will say what I really feel--- without being mean, of course, just REAL.

A tip to live by to end my first post:

Just because it's expensive, doesn't necessarily mean it's the best! Til next time! feel free to ask me questions too!