Shoot With a Goddess

Tippy texted me one Thursday asking if I was free the next day for a shoot that would be a mortal sin if I would say no to it. I immediately said yes. Although I was tired from working for 6 days straight, I still got home, packed my makeup in time for the shoot.

Model is none other than actress/beauty queen/supermodel/makeup artist/photographer Joanne Quintas. Joanne or Josa, as she is fondly called was really game to pose and had really high positive energy that got us going. Makeup artist was well, actually both of us. It was fun too coz I learned a lot of new tricks and sharing. She's a lot of fun to work with. We both did her makeup, so it was a team effort to save time and come up with various looks.

Photographers were Bernie Gan, Melai Lopez, and world-class photographer Manny Librodo, who took these pictures shown. The shoot started at 8 and ended at around 5 pm. Every shot was fantastic. :)

Here are some outtakes:

Josa and Me

me with Josa and Manny

Super fun!

Photo credits (for pictures in this blog)

Model: Joanne S. Quintas

Photographer: Manny Librodo

Hair and Makeup: Joanne Quintas and Bambi de la Cruz

MAC Studio Sculpt at a Glance

While stocking up the store two weeks ago, a box of new products arrived. When I saw it, I got all excited as I found out that it was the much-awaited Studio Sculpt foundation, which arrived Manila's MAC counters a few weeks ago. It was already out in the US early this year. I got a sneak peek of it during the MAC workshop I attended last February and it seemed like a promising product. After trying it in the store on our clients and also on myself, I'd like to share with you my thoughts on it.

First of all, here's the outer appearance:

It comes in a tube-type plastic container (yay for Back-to-MAC), so it's lighter to carry and product is easily dispensed. It's easier to finish all the products since you could squeeze the tube to get the products out so there's less product wasting. The container is tall and slim, so I suggest storing these horizontaly.

For product swatching, here's my comparison of Studio Sculpt with Studio Fix and Mineralize Satinfinish liquid foundations:

I used NC15 here so you could really see the effect on my (originally) NC35 skin. On the left is Studiofix, center is Mineralize, and right is Studiosculpt. Studiofix is matte as compared to Mineralize, which had a glow. If you look closely when you swatch your own Mineralize foundations, you would see that it has a glow. Studiosculpt, on the right, is an in-between of Studiofix and Mineralize - it's not too glowy, but not too dry either. In fact, when I blended the foundation in, it mimics the texture of my skin, sort of molding to my skin. This is in fact, the makeup foundation recommended for high definition and TV makeup. I like how it didn't look too dry or too sheer. It gave the illusion of creamy skin.

Here, I used NC35, which is my skin color. I couldn't tell now the difference. My hand, actually looked "photo-edited".

It actually feels comfortable on the skin. If you're quite oily, I suggest applying little amount first, gradually building up the color. MAC recommends to use brush 191 (the square-type foundation brush) to apply this, but fingers and sponge would just do fine. As this is a creamy-type foundation (but not too heavy), it is best to set it with powder, either Studio Fix, Select Sheer, or the recommended loose transparent powder from the Prep + Prime line of MAC.

The concealer really is something, and the MAC guest artists did a test run of it at the tech rehearsals of Spring Awakening just today, and we could really attest to its staying power.

On the other hand, you can also watch this video I made of Mikee describing the Studio Sculpt line. I sort of ambushed Mikee on a weekday at the counter. I'm glad that the MAC Makati counter accomodated this interview despite a rather busy counter day. Thanks guys!

A little correction is that the concealer should be set with Mineralize Skinfinish powder with a 187 brush. :)

MAC Studio Sculpt foundation retails for Php 1,900 while the concealer is being sold for Php 950.

Pink Look

These three days, my base has been the Powerplant Mall, where I guested again for MAC in their new branch at Rockwell. I've been there for three days (hi to those who saw me! heehehe! thanks for dropping by!)

This day, I chose to do clean looks, and here's my look before I ended my shift - I did this in like 10 minutes.

And this was taken when I got home. MAKEUP STILL INTACT! WIIII!

On face: (makeup and skincare all MAC)

• Strobe undercover
• Studio Sculpt foundation NC30
• Studio Sculpt concealer NC30
• Studiofix powder NC35
• Dollymix Sheertone Shimmer Blush

On eyes:

• brows: e/s in Espresso
• base: Paint Pot in Painterly
• shadow: Ricepaper all over lid. Expensive pink on the eyelid and lower lid and blend well.
• pencil: Powerpoint in Duck

On lips:

• Hollywood Nights

Work today was tiring but a lot of fun (makeup - not complaining). Met a whole lot of new people and learned new things. Oh yes, I'm using Studio Sculpt there and my super preview verdict:

I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!

My face looked airbrushed and instanly covered my flaws while still maintaining my skin's natural texture. I love too that it comes in a tube instead of the glass bottle, so it's lighter too. More on Studio Sculpt soon. I'm trying to still experience it more. In the meantime, I'm off to bed. Night y'all!

Red:Juvenus, The New Anti-Ageing Line by Shu Uemura

Shu Uemura counters are blooming red with their newest anti-ageing line Red:Juvenus, encased in red containers and replacing Ace ß-G as the anti-ageing line. The red containers don't hurt too. This line is said to visibly correct the first signs of ageing (yay!) as well as to block 99.9% of oxidative stress (double yay!). I discovered that with the pollution, lifestyle, and stuff we go through everyday, we're already being exposed to free radicals and stress-inducing agents (boo). So that's why we need proper prevention (yay again!)

That's Shu Uemura accredited makeup artist John Pagaduan (love the Kate Torralba coat) to give a demonstration on how to use the line.

He said to start everything with cleansing using the iconic Shu Uemura cleansing oil, which removes all traces of dirt and makeup or whatever residue on the face. Then to be followed by the Red:juvenus vitalizing refining lotion. This lotion is similar to conventional toners but without the presence of alcohol. They come in two variants. The one in the clear red bottle is for normal to combination to oily skin while the enriched variant (in the translucent bottle) is for dry skin. John advises to spray the cotton pad with water before dispensing the product to the cotton pad for a refreshing feel.

Next up is a serum or the Red:Juvenus Intense Vitalizing Concentrate. This concentrate is dispensed via a glass dropper dispensing 1-2 drops for application. Among the line, this one has the highest concentration of ingredients. Despite the potency, this product feels light on the skin and I like how easily the skin absorbed this. Not to mention it smells pretty good too, light and fruity.

Moisturizers are both for day and night. For the day, the Red:juvenus Vitalizing Retexturing emulsion is recommended.It comes in a slim bottle and the product is dispensed via pump.

For night, the Red:juvenus Vitalizing Retexturing cream is the product of choice, with its richer consistency. It comes in a tub, this time.

For the skin under the eyes, the Red:juvenus Vitalizing line-reducing eye essence should be applied on the eye area in a gentle patting motion. This eye cream is said to reduce dark circles and diminish puffiness (due to the caffeine content), as well as to firm and tighten the eye area. Again, this cream is lightweight just like the other products making skin care a must.

So far, the concentrateis what I'm using and what I like about it aside from the very light scent (I've been very sensitive to heavy scents these days) is how potent the product is. I used this on a client if I need to refresh and re-moisturize her tired skin and makeup was a lot easier to apply. I also used this on a shoot that started at 9:00 p.m., and the skin got a quick boost of energy. For me, I'd keep my eye on the Concentrate, definitely. However, since this line does not include sunblock, it is still suggested to use sunblock as an extra step (even on cloudy days like this).

Nilou

An impromptu shoot with a lovely Persian girl. She had a very fun personality that made me and Andy love her to bits. I gave her a very simple but clean look. Perfect NC40 skin (in this case I mixed my MAC mineralize skinfinish NC42 with a lighter liquid foundation) .

• Model: Nilou Alipour
• Photographer: Andrian Jutba

Andy's themes go very well with dewy skin and hair naturally air-dried. Mineralize line was my best friend. Since the eyebrows can get lost with dewy skin, I darkened and defined them while keeping the softness using tinted brow gel (MAC Girl Boy). I used beige lipgloss to accentuate her lips. Her outfit was just a basic black tank top, acid wash jeans, and heels, simple and casual.

Guess Who?

Who's this girl? :-)

MAC Powerplant Opens

09-09-09

MAC Philippines gives birth to its fourth counter (in this case, store). Teaser post got all of us wondering when and now it comes to us and definitely, on its first day of operations I was there, wearing black, of course, to welcome its youngest store at the Powerplant Mall.

To summarize my 5-hour stay in the store, here's a video on what went on during that day.



Just edited the video this morning. Taken with my Canon Powershot A430 and edited using Windows Movie Maker (geek!). Spot also the newest collections, Make-Up Art Cosmetics, a collaboration between MAC and American artists Richard Phillips, Maira Kalman, and Marilyn Minter.

Pictures make the event complete, of course. :)

MAC Philippines brand coordinator Cyndee Icasas and MAC guest artist Angel Manhilot. Again, Cyndee and yours truly, when there's less people on the store. Cyndee's smoky blue makeup by Sam Gallardo (MAC e/s in Freshwater, Ricepaper, Carbon, and Black Tied) . Red lipstick for the day is MAC lipliner in Beet, then MAC Ruby Woo + MAC Russian Red + MAC Red on top as a satiny, creamy, and long-wearing gloss.

The store is located right next to Beauty Bar (the former Lush store). So, if you enter Rockwell via the Starbucks entrance, just go straight and you'll see MAC's iconic black color and logo greeting you. Looks like there would be one more store that I'd frequent everytime I'm in Rockwell now. :)

Window Lass

Remember my fun MAC Morning? Well, that afternoon, I had a few shots taken by my friend Andy and here are some of the pictures

Click for a larger version and up-close sight on the face. Andy's style is very candid and unique, and he captures each frame and creates a story with his shots. He's also a very good videographer and he documents everyday life and our shoots with video. When I asked him what software he uses to edit, he smiles and tells me it's Windows Movie Maker and not high-end software, yet his works are at par with international pegs.

I love how natural the mood is - natural light, natural mood, free, and living instead of pose-y. He tells me his favorite set consists of a good source of natural light, a bed, and a window. Simple but high impact.

Photo credits:

• Model: Bambi de la Cruz
• Photographer: Andrian Jutba
• Makeup: Jarwin Manosa of MAC

My Red Eyeshadow Tutorial

Red eyeshadow is rare on makeup counters and personal makeup kits. For one thing, red on the eyes is quite tricky to wear, its presence usually on high fashion shoots and shows. It can make the eyes look puffy if not worn properly and with a very strong color such as red, it might be a challenge to wear too. Heck on the lips quite many have a hard time wearing it, what more on the eyes?

With that in mind, I came up with a tutorial on how to wear red eyeshadow without looking too weird. I came up with an easy technique of doing smoky red eyes. Of course, makeup like this is too strong to wear on the office, so wear this on gimmick nights, parties, or days when you feel like wearing red on your eyes (and I'm not talking about conjunctivitis, okay?).

First of all, since the color red could accentuate redness and uneven tones on the skin, it's best to make a clean canvas. After prepping the skin, apply foundation and concealer. Set everything with powder.

I opted to include blush first so I chose a peach-pink mineral blush on the apples of my cheeks for a natural and warm glow (Elegant Minerals in Peaches and Cream)

Frame the eyes with a strong pair of brows. I'm using here Shu Uemura eyebrow gel in Seal Brown, which gives a natural but strong definition. I like the ashy brown color since it fits most Asian tones.Now here's the eye makeup. First, I prepped the eye with an eye color base for the eyeshadow to have something to hold on to. Some girls prefer wetting the brushes but I really prefer applying the eyeshadow dry or at least with a primer or creme shadow base. The wet technique can contaminate the makeup with the moisture (moisture breeds bacteria) so invest on a good eyeshadow primer or base, as this will save your makeup from wet application contamination. I used here Laura Mercier eye basics in eye bright.

For the eyes, I dabbed my eyeshadow brush (stiff bristles deposit more color) on my matte red eyeshadow and applied this at the center of my lid (A). For the contour, I dabbed a coppery bronze eyeshadow on the crease area (B) as shown. As the colors look imperfect and clumsy, the solution for this is to blend the colors real well so they end up looking seamless (C). Highlight the brow with a warm gold color and don't forget to blend. I didn't highlight the inner corners of my eyes as they could accentuate my wide-set eyes. (products: MAC Cabared Red, Dreammaker, and Glamour Check! eyeshadows).

Finally, for more definition, I lined and tightlined her eyes with soft black pencil and smudged it to get it in between the lashes. Black eyeshadow with shimmer was used to set the pencil to prevent travelling (products: MAC Eye Kohl in Feline and eyeshadow in Mont Black) of eyeshadow.

For flirty fringes, curl lashes and apply mascara.

Strong and bold eyes like this go with a nude and natural lip so I kept my lips moist by applying Lip Conditioner in Popster. At the end, the eyes should look like this:

So that's my own way of wearing red eyeshadow on eyes.

Rustans Cosmetics Workshops for This Week

Here's the schedule for the Cosmetics Workshop here at Rustans. These workshops are held at the ground floor of Rustan's Makati Department Store, at the former Origins counter from 4:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. unless otherwise specified

Monday September 7, 2009
Lip Service
Laura Mercier

Tuesday September 8, 2009
Inner Strength. Outer Beauty
Imedeen

Wednesday September 9, 2009
Introducing Machiavelli
Machiavelli

Thursday September 10, 2009
Meet & Greet with Super Restorative Line
Clarins

Friday September 11, 2009
The Intelligent Investment In Your Future Skin
Dermatologica

Saturday September 12, 2009
Beautiful Skin Solutions
Estee Lauder
2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Sunday September 13, 2009
Relax and Rejuvenate with the Institut Touch
Clarins
2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Monday September 14, 2009
Brain Beauty Connection
N.V. Perricone

These workshops are free. There are special discounts given to participants who join the workshops. See You!

The Eyes Have It: MAC Love That Look Swatches

Eyes take the focus with MAC's newest collection: Love That Look, which hit counters with 12 pots of highly pigmented starflash eyeshadows and 3 pearlglide liners an eye makeup fanatic would love to collect. :)

Mix-and-match these twelve and there are around 479,001,600 possible eye looks to do with these shadows alone if you mix-and-match them. Now on to the swatches:

L-R are the cool colors and browns. Fashion, Smoke and Diamonds, Style Snob, and Glamour Check. Smoke and Diamonds make an excellent base for a smoky eye with Fashion to highlight. I personally use Glamour Check as a contour color. There's both shine, depth, and warmth of color to brighten and shape the eye. Style Snob I see as a lid color and this would look well for a shiny-eyed bride.

First Row: Unbasic White, Grand Entrance, Ego, and Fashion Groupie.

Unbasic White, when applied sparingly makes an excellent base color and highlight color. Warmer alternative could be Grand entrance since it's got a hint of peach beige, and this could neutralize the blue discolorations on the lids. Pink and Violets would love Ego and Fashion Groupie for girly-girly eyes.

Second Row: Dreammaker, Rated R, One-Off, and Strike A Pose.

Dreammaker's frosty gold color can also be used as a highlight color and complementary to the greens Rated R and One-Off. I like how pigmented Rated R is and One Off's "true-green" color, which go together for a green eye reminiscent of Poison Ivy. Dreammaker can also be used as a base color and then use Glamour Check as a contour for a warm, sculpted that takes less than 10 minutes to do. For a warm blue smoky eye, Strike A Pose could be used as a lid color then contoured with a black shade.

Pearlglide liners were practically creamy and glided like butter on my eyes hence no more tugging. Color payoff was really good with a bonus of glitter and sparkle. For those prone to smudgies and oilies, I highly recommend setting your pearlglides with powder and brushing a bit of Blot Powder or Mineralize Skinfinish to prevent ugly smudgies.

Top to Bottom: Black Russian (Black with glitter), Molasses (Brown with Glitter) and Fly-By-Blu (which is, uhm... Blue!).

Colors like these, with the eye intensity go well with a neutral lip and glowing cheeks so a sheer blush or mineralize blush in a warm, neutral color with complimentary lips complete the look. Of course, a well-groomed pair of eyebrows and flirty mascara are musts for the perfect eye.

Gothic Shoot With Angel

I had a shoot last week where I purely modelled for my friend. This is one shoot I like coz it was fun, fast, and fab.

Makeup artist for this shoot is Angel Manhilot. Angel and I met as we both have been working as guest makeup artists for MAC. Of course our favorite brand is what she used. :) The first outfit was like a rocker outfit where I used liquid leggings, a corset, and a leopard bra.

The second layout was a humongous black ballgown and Angel changed my lips to a striking blood-red hue and let my hair loose and messy.

This has got to be the most favorite shot of that series... It's definitely creepy.

The height of my hair had to be combed down well and since it was held in place by Aqua-Net, I needed 2 packets of conditioner to get it out. Which reminds me, with thatmuch product and teasing to my hair, my hair should get treated already. This was one shoot where I had to do super toning exercises. to get into shape and fit in the corset.

Photo credits:
Hair and makeup: Angel Manhilot
Photos: Bien Gutierrez
Location: Red Digital Studios

Makeupbybambi at Work: Behind-the-Scenes of Victor's Shoot

Hey there! I guess by now you've made your way to my renamed site, as I have announced the name change ages ago.

I'm still alive and kicking and still in the process of blogging. I woke up today feeling really groggy and heavy, like I turned to lead overnight. Anyway, I did the necessary adjustments in my blog so it still stays the same.

As I've said I'll be adding more features, here's one: Behind-the-Scenes footage of my recent shoot with once again, Victor. Here's Victor and me after the shoot. I stayed throughout all the layouts and helped him remove his makeup since the layers were quite heavy.




The shoot started at around 3 pm and we finished at around 7 PM. It sure was a lot of fun with such a fantastic group of people. The clothes were uttmost fabulous. Again, Dennis's famous
white hoodie makes a comeback. After that, since Apy and Dennis had work to do, Andy, Victor, and I had dinner and coffee at Greenbelt, just to detox and talk.

This is really what goes behind-the-scenes at work... it sure can be fun!

The Dollface Cosmetics 1st Anniversary Exclusive Sale

Dollface cosmetics has been my supply base for very affordable makeup supplies. For makeup enthusiasts and would-be makeup artists who want lots of makeup without breaking the bank, this is one place for you. Check out their eyeshadow and blush palettes, brush sets, concealer sets, and lipstick sets with all colors of the rainbow for high fashion and avante-garde looks.

Anyone up for the sale? then let's go go go!