What Really Goes Behind the No-Makeup Makeup

It's so funny that sometimes when I get inquiries for makeup, the potential client asks for a discount or a lower price saying that all she wants is "simple, clean, 'no makeup' look. " thinking that it's fast anyway or we use less products than say, the Victoria's Secret smokey eyes and big hair look. Here's the thing, a professionally done "no-makeup look" actually uses the same amount of products as glam or evening look. The only difference are the colors used and the overall finish. Instead of browns and peaches, smokey has greys. Instead of red lipstick, we have peach, pink, or nude. There's presence of a highlight to make the skin look dewy and healthy in both looks (or matte, depending on the peg or mood).  There's actually a lot of makeup in that look. It's way thicker than our everyday pulbo-and-lipstick formula,

If the look is for a commercial or an editorial, the makeup is much thicker, and it has to be. The regular makeup we do everyday will just be washed out by the strong lights. It's also harder to do the no makeup look because how do we make something look like it's not there when there are layers that are there?

the no-makeup look, a staple in editorials and a classic bridal peg.

Doing so many no-makeup looks on myself and others, I break down the steps of how the no-makeup look works and show you that the no-makeup look is actually, a lot of steps and makeup, almost like glam makeup.

First of all, I am going to show you the real no-makeup look. which is a bare face with no makeup.

Okay, I sort of cheated because I had to define my brows. Because without brow definition, I look like an alien. With nada makeup you can see broken vessels, shine, and discoloration. Bare skin, no matter how good your skin is, looks different on camera. To get your skin glowingly gorgeous, rosy, and flawless without makeup like Alicia Keys, you need super expensive skincare and the access to skin therapists who will make your skin look the way that hers does.

To start a good no-makeup look involves good skincare, so we start with clean skin and skin care suitable to your skin type. If you have bags on your eyes, use an eye cream that will deflate those bags (examples: Benefit Puff Off or MAC Fast Response Eye Cream).  I hydrate my face with moisturizer (I skipped SPF because for TV or a photo-heavy event, I remove sunblock, which can cause a white cast on the skin). I placed moisturizer, massaging it to really boost my circulation and let it stay for the skin to absorb it. Then, to make makeup glide better, diminish pores, and stick longer, I used primer (I used Benefit Porefessional, which also mattifies the face. It's my go-to primer for government ID photos).

The most crucial part of this look is your base. Your base should not only cover up imperfections, it should look like skin, not makeup. When I took a workshop under Canadian makeup artist Craig Ryan French, he says if someone compliments your foundation, send it back because it still looks like makeup, when it should not. Now the base I use depends on the occasion. For those that require me to go on stage or in shoots, I use a foundation with more coverage and mattify the life out of it with mattifying two-way powder foundation.  In this case, I'm going for the editorial-type I-woke-up-like-this look that does not scream "MAKEUP".  I used foundation with good coverage with a look that's like second skin, such as Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation. I used Make Up For Ever Lift Concealer to conceal the undereye circles and set my makeup with Make Up For Ever HD Pressed Powder. In this application, I didn't make the foundation application too thick. I blended the life out of my base and made sure that it looks like flawless skin. It also pays to have good skin to begin with, because with clean skin, there's less to cover.

In no-makeup look, we also contour. In fact, in photoshoots, we need to contour! Otherwise, with photography lights and lots of flash, even the most chiselled face will just wash out and flatten like a dinner plate.

I like layering my blush, I first use cream blush (applied before powder and after liquid foundation) massaged to the apples of my cheeks to warm it up and get a glow from within. I then layer with a natural looking powder brush with slight shimmer. The blush of choice? A classic bestseller: NARS Orgasm.

Brows are then defined. I try to not use the Instagram brow look but just a naturally defined brow using Browhaus Classic Brow Lead Pencil in Asphalt and brush this with a spoolie in light, feathery strokes to blend before setting with powder. To make the brows softer, I brush with MAC Girl/Boy, which makes the brows look naturally shaped and defined but still soft and youthful.

With lipstick that looks like an MLBB (such as MAC Please Me), here's what I look

So far so good right? Well if you can see, my eyes look lost and tiny. There is a way I can make them pop out, and we all love the make-the-eyes pop kind of thing. That's where eye makeup comes in.

To make eyeshadow hold better, I use an eyeshadow primer. Then, I carefully choose colors for my eye scheme. This helps me plan how I shall do my makeup. I stick to matte and semi-matte in shades of brown, nude, and peach/beige so they look more natural.

The eye crease contour is important in creating depth and dimension, which I do with a matte brown powder like MAC Espresso before coloring in the lid and brow with a neutral color such as MAC Shroom. I lined my eyes with dark brown pencil liner on the bottom and charcoal liner on the upper lids, lining close to the lash roots to mimic thicker lashes. Dark brown and charcoal look less harsh than black. Then, lots of mascara on curled lashes to open my eyes.

The finished product looks like this:

A bit of lipstick retouch. You can see the eyes are more defined.

The eyes look more defined and I look more awake. This was taken using a semi-pro camera. With a photographer's camera, lights, and flash, it would look definitely less strong, almost like a natural, DIY makeup.

As you can see, the clean no-makeup look actually has a lot of steps, in fact, almost the same number of steps than  glam makeup. Before I even set the makeup, I do a final blending using a kabuki brush to really blend out the makeup onto the skin so it looks more natural even if I put so much (It's an old-school trick I learned but it still works). I even choose a combination of makeup products which can look almost invisible, There's also a certain skill level that a makeup artist has for makeup to not look like makeup, but a flawless face with a rosy glow. In fact, it's even harder to do than smoky eyes or doing the perfectly shaped red lipstick and cat eyes. The makeup we do everyday looks okay if we're just going out and the only photos we would be having would probably be selfies or photos with friends. For the makeup we see on celebrities in events or on editorials or on the tear sheets we show for our pegs, it's actually a lot more than that.

Since this takes up much of your time, around 1-1/2 to 2 hours to do, plus packing away your makeup before going to work, for regular days, I think it's best to just stick to just an everyday type of makeup. Save this for a wedding or a daytime event, since 2 hours every single day before going to work. If you do have a lot of time that day and you'd want to really devote some time to doll up, go ahead if it makes you  feel happy!

Full-On Glittery Lips Tutorial

Everyone's currently lusting on Lust 004 Lipstick Kit, the new lip kit by makeup artist Pat McGrath, which has taken the Internet by storm for people to consider the glittery, sparkly lip in their #FOTD. The kit, which retails for USD 60 over at Sephora consists of two similar lipsticks in a matte finish, a clear vinyl gloss, a gold pigment, and microfine glitter in a bag full of pink sequins. There are three shades - Flesh, Bloodwine, and Venom. If you're the lipstick fanatic though, you can purchase the Everything kit, which contains all shades.

Basically, the kit gives you endless possibilities to create several lippie looks using the five different products. The most popular look making waves now is the full-on glitter look, which makes your lips look almost like "ruby slippers." This look is so pretty in photos and pictures, the lips take full center stage in the whole look. Although this is not practical say in your date or wedding or for everyday since glitter does get everywhere, it's pretty for editorial, a photoshoot, or a three-minute pole dance number.

LIVING for Lips ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Entranced by this regal red pout created by #MUA @pametp photo by @dan_crosby2⚡️⚡️⚡️ I'm absolutely loving all of your GENIUS #LUST004 inspired posts! xxPat #TurnYourLipsOn

A photo posted by Pat McGrath (@patmcgrathreal) on Sep 17, 2016 at 9:55am PDT

As we wait for the kit to be available here in our country, here's a cheaper way of attaining the same glittery look for a fraction of the price with items you probably already have. Note that this lip art is very meticulous and you're gonna have to be super clean, patient, and precise to be able to get the neat look you want.

Waiting for your Lust 004 lipstick kit? Still turn your lips on with this tutorial with items you have with you

You will need:

• A lipstick and lipliner in a matching color (I used brown) 
• Matching fine glitter (I purchased my glitter in Landmark, the same glitter they use with for nail art)
• Clear gloss
• Concealer
• Powder
• a small, flat synthetic brush (I used a concealer brush from Katch Beauty Supplies) 
• Adhesive tape
• lip brush and concealer brush

Steps: 

1.  Prep lips by dabbing concealer and setting this with powder.

2. Line lips and fill in.

3. Apply your lipstick. Since my glitter is brown, I used a brown-nude lipstick such as "Love at First Swipe", a lipstick from the Pink Sugar x Project Vanity collection.

4. To help get the precise lines, apply adhesive tape on the edges of your lips. It looks funny but it works in making your lines cleaner. Then, apply clear gloss on your lips. This will be the "adhesive" to hold the glitter.

5. Using a small, synthetic brush apply glitter in a dabbing motion to the lips making sure that all surfaces are covered neatly.

6. Remove the tape. Carefully brush away any loose glitter around the lips with a fluffy brush or use tape to remove glitter.  Clean up lines using concealer and powder and a flat edge brush and if desired, retouch lips as needed with a super fine brush.

8. If desired, highlight the cupid's bow with gold loose pigment. 

FINISHED!

The glitter is a bit gritty but somehow it has the similar effect.

The real thing, from the reviews that I've read online, are more finely milled and less gritty. I prefer using the glitter used for cosmetics rather than bookstore bought-glitter since these are finer and made for cosmetic use rather than your arts and crafts projects. You may also try using MAC reflects glitter for a different effect.

The look looks really festive and so I kept my eyes at just a complimentary soft smoky with lots of mascara. I would wear this if I'll be performing or doing a shoot but I'll skip this at a party, especially if I know I'll be eating and glitter would sure get everywhere. 

In case you want to remove the glitter, I suggest to use adhesive tape in order to remove the glitters on your lips rather than wiping or relying on makeup remover because the glitter will just travel all over your face. just place the tape on your lips, sticky side down and the glitter will come off without getting it all around. Then proceed to cleanse your face as usual. Use any glitter color you wish. You may even opt for the glitter to be just a subtle sparkle at the center rather than full-on glitters.

Let me know how this works for you by posting a comment below. You may also post your glittery lip selfie and tag me in Instagram.

Products Used:

Revlon Colorstay Concealer in Medium

Max Factor Creme Puff Pressed Powder

Ever Bilena Nude Lipliner

Pink Sugar x Project Vanity lip crayon in Love at First Swipe

The Body Shop clear lip gloss

Make Up For Ever Metallic Powder
Landmark glitter.

Katch Beauty Supplies concealer brush and liner brush 

Store directory:

The Body Shop

thebodyshop.com.ph/ facebook.com/TheBodyShopPhilippines

Ever Bilena

available at all leading department stores and drugstores nationwide; everbilena.com.ph; facebook.com/everbilenacosmetics

Katch Beauty Supplies

Level 1, Sta. Lucia Grand East Mall Cainta, (old building) ; facebook.com/katchbeautysupplies; instagram.com/katchbeautysupplies

The Landmark 

Makati Ave, Ayala Center, Makati, Metro Manila

Make Up For Ever

2/F Mega Fashion Hall Building D, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, (02) 631-5681; G/F Greenbelt 3, Makati City, (02) 621-5248; 1/F TriNoMa Mall, Quezon City, (0915) 990-9571; 2/F Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City (0919) 273-4805; makeupforever.com.ph; facebook.com/makeupforeverPH

Max Factor

available at all leading department stores and beauty hubs nationwide; maxfactor.com; maxfactor.ph; facebook.com/MaxFactorPH

Pat McGrath Labs

patmcgrath.com;sephora.com/pat-mcgrath-labs

Pink Sugar

Available at SM Aura, SM Makati, SM Marilao, SM Manila, SM Fairview, SM MOA, SM Clark, SM Lanang Premier Davao, Landmark, and Watsons Ayala Center Cebu; pinksugar.com.ph; facebook.com/pinksugarph

Revlon

available at all leading department stores nationwide; revlon.com; facebook.com/Revlon; facebook.com/RevlonPhilippines

Purr-fect Gift Ideas For the Crazy Cat Lady

The moment September hit our calendars, immediately Christmas carols started blaring in malls and some malls are decked out in Christmas lights telling everyone that the -ber months are here and soon the Holiday-inspired drinks and dishes come in and limited holiday collection sets are out in the market. Are you the type who starts their Christmas shopping early to avoid the rush when November and December hits? I really should start getting on that habit as well, because I really don't want that much traffic and I know I'll be working double time when December hits due to weddings, parties, and even these Halloween costume stuff that's coming.

Each one of us probably knows or has a cat lady friend. She's the one who posts all these cat memes on social media and probably takes random photos of cats then uploads it in Instagram.  She's the one out for kitty-themed stuff in the mall or has their own furry feline furbaby (at least two)

Good news is, cat ladies are very easy to please when it comes to gifts. and I have here stocking stuffers which are purr-fect gifts for the cat lady friend or relative you have. Some of these I would want to receive myself.

Katy Kat Matte Lipstick (from Katy Perry  Covergirl) 

Everything in that title is everything I like - Katy Perry, Kat (err, "cat"), matte, and lipstick. This quirky songstress is also a cat lady and she collaborates with the makeup brand Cover Girl to come up with these lippies that the beauty addict cat lady will just mimi-meow with excitement. These 11 semi-matte shades that give the matte we want in lipsticks without cracking our lips dry. It's even got cat-themed names for the shades (Sphinx, Perry Panther, Pink Paws, and Cosmo Kitty to name some), The kitty emblem also spells "cat" for you. If you already have 100+++ lippies in your collection (coz that's me!), you wouldn't resist one more or a few more, especially if you're a cat lady like me.

Cat-print tops and t-shirts

This is one classic cat lady gift, and I think clothing brands hear cat lady pleas to have more cat-themed outfits to wear - leggings, dresses, t-shirts, tops, etc. I even scored a cropped top in Greenhills for just 100 pesos! Cat print tops are all about every bazaar and clothing store, so all you gotta do is keep your eyes peeled for some and know the shirt size of your cat lady friend.


Cat-themed mason jar or mug

Mugs and mason jars may be classic and gasgas, but a cat lady will not say no if she receives another one, especially if her skittish kitties keep knocking over her mugs. Check out Japan surplus shops for Hello Kitty mugs or head over to cat cafes for cute curated cat-themed merchandise such as this mason jar from Cat Cafe Manila (Php 350)


An Afternoon at a Cat Cafe

Le Cat Cafe in BF Resort Village

Even if the cat lady has her furbabies at home, she won't say no to a two-hour visit to a cat cafe where she could meet new furry friends while sipping a mug (or mason jar) of coffee or drinks and reading cat books. Cat cafes are cat lady heaven, so take her on a fun-filled afternoon to a cat cafe and she would love you for life. Check out Miao Cat Cafe in Congressional Ave or Cat Cafe Manila along Maginhawa street. Cat ladies in the South would love Le Cat Cafe in BF Resort or Bistro Meau in BF Paranaque.


"How To Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You" book

from Amazon.com

Your cat is a killing machine in disguise of a fat, fluffy furball, and this book illustrates how, comic book style. It's like all these funny cat memes in one book that will have you just roll around laughing. There are also explanations for cat behaviors so you would probably pick up a few lessons on the kitty quirks we always see. Available on Amazon.


Pusheen Plushie

Find a Pusheen Plushie and other hipster-ish cat-themed Knick Knacks at Common Room

Pusheen is the fat, gray kitty cartoon that even the non-cat lover would fall for. While my cat Candy seems to be a real-life Pusheen, I still would want a Pusheen plushie in my life. Go #lovelocal with this Pusheen plushie from Common Room in Power Plant Mall.


X-Purr Merchandise

For our pole-dancing cat lady friend whose cat constantly appears in her home pole dance videos, this is the perfect gift. A venture by pole dancers and cat ladies Natasha Wang and Arloa Reston, this purr-fect scratching post mimics sport poles of pole dancers and comes with an X-Purr Pole Cleaner, which is basically a catnip spray. Order some goodies or pledge by clicking here or checking out their Facebook page. Ships only to the United States.


Hello Kitty Handbag

Even working girls love Hello Kitty stuff and this handbag is a perfect one to bring with you to the office. #SanrioPH

A photo posted by Hello Kitty Philippines (@hellokittylovesphilippines) on Mar 1, 2016 at 12:37am PST

The queen of all iconic kitties is probably Hello Kitty and instead of giving your kitty-loving honey a leather designer bag, try giving her a Hello Kitty bag. Unlike the bags she had when she was a kid, these are very grown-up designs and styles with a Hello Kitty design. They're actually elegant enough to be used in an event. I've even brought mine in a wedding.

Hope these make your crazy cat lady friend happy! Enjoy Christmas shopping!

Store Directory:

Bistro Meau
84 Turin St. Las Pinas (0905)555-2964; instagram.com/bistromeau

Cat Cafe Manila
2nd Floor, 189 Maginhawa St. Cor. Makadios St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, Philippines; catcafemanila.com; instagram.com./catcafemnl

Common Room
 Archaeology Wing, R2 Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati City; facebook.com/CommonRoomPH

Covergirl
available at all department stores nationwide; facebook.com/covergirl 

Le Cat Coffee Shop
76 Gloria Diaz St., BF Resort Village, Las Pinas City; facebook.com/lecatcoffeeshop; instagram.com/lecatcoffeeshop

Miao Cat Cafe
7 Congrassional (2F of Cake 2 Go) Quezon City 1106;  (02) 2747937, 09258777617;
facebook.com/miaocatcafe; instagram.com/miaocatcafe

Sanrio Store
Sm Aura, SM North Edsa; facebook.com/hellokittylovesphilippines

X-Purr
kickstarter.com/projects/xpurr/x-purr-the-first-fitness-pole-scratching-post-for; facebook.com/XPurrPole


Image Sources
Common Room Store Interior facebook.com/CommonRoomPH
Katy Kat lipsticks : facebook.com/covergirl
book: amazon.com
X-Purr poster: facebook.com/XPurrPole

Updates, Recent Shoots, and New Features

Hi all! How's the weekend hitting everyone? I hope you're all okay because there seems to be a bug going around. I'm seeing in Facebook that a lot of people have been getting sick either flu, fever, or cough and colds. Maybe it's the temperature change as we go from super hot summer to rainy season and towards the cold -ber months where it will be very chilly even at noon. However, the weather's also quite weird because we still get bursts of hot sunny in the mid morning then the rain will just blast down like crazy. I got sick as well - the flu for like just a day last week making me miss yoga classes. Then the flu went away like magic but was replaced by cough days later then cough and laryngitis for a day then the laryngitis went away but not the phlegmy cough. Super weird! Lately I'm also feeling like a limp noodle and I can't seem to keep up with my warmups and conditioning. Be sure to get lots of vitamins and antioxidants (natural of course, including fruits and veggies) and get lots of rest so your body gets time to repair its tissues. It's so hard to be sick, especially when you need to work! Thankfully, I didn't have work this weekend so I took it easy and restful because I'll be teaching some classes next week. Not only do I need my voice, I need to get better so I don't infect my students!

I'm just glad to be doing more test shoots and collaborations to get my makeup mojo up and continuously running (that will also tell me to get better). I did two shoots last week with Yeoh and Alvin and I got to hang out with them for dinner after so I get in tabs with the fashion world, since this lola hardly goes out. I also got to meet a lot of Yeoh's newest models and they are just gorgeous! Some of them call me tita ("auntie"). It's weird in a way coz it was just a few years ago that I was the one getting photos taken and sometimes, I'm as old as the makeup artist (or even older) or sometimes, I was my own makeup artist. I like doing collabs with these guys.

Here are some photos from our shoots:

Dianne

Aldaine

Steph

Bianca

Nikki

All photos by Alvin Chua
Special thanks to Yeoh Models

I've got new toys in the food department as well. I finally after 6 years have a mini food processor and it's powerful enough to grind nuts, coffee, and meats. I'm actually more excited to finally make my own cauli-rice and cauliflower couscous as well as fresh pesto and red pesto sauce, salsa, sherbets, granitas, and so on. I've made so many cauli-rice meals. It's got the carby feel and surprisingly, I get full easily so I can't have too much of it.

Lime cilantro cauliflower rice and pan-fried salmon. The flavors are so alive with the buttery mellowness of the fish. The dish even looks so gorgeous for Instagram.

I made also the sushi pizza from Blogilates. The real version uses sashimi-grade fish but there was none in Little Tokyo so I used the vegan version instead, which used mushrooms. It tastes like teriyaki. I'll be posting more homemade stuff in Instagram

If you've seen as well this update in Instagram, you'll know that there's going to be a new feature.

Cooking up a few things for my blog. Watch out for my #BambikityMovingMakeovers! #bambidelacruzmakeup #muathatblogs #makeupartistlife #beautyblogger #beautybloggerphilippines #fitmua

A photo posted by Bambi De la Cruz 🐱🐯 (@bambikitty) on Sep 7, 2016 at 10:13pm PDT

I'd like to present #BambikittyMovingMakeovers! I would be doing makeovers of several ladies which will be featured in my blog, very Kevyn Aucoin style. It started out as well as a little thing my pole friends and I were talking about, that I do makeup playtime on them after class. I used to do that before to my pole friends whenever I have my kit with me when I go to the studio, so I thought I'd do the same in my blog, also featuring the ladies that inspire me. It also gives me more chances to practice my skills on other faces aside from me. I call it Moving Makeovers because I'm like a moving salon, since I go from one place to the other. This also resets my energy.

I'm still thinking of a look for One Look, Two Different Price Ranges to do. Should I go smoky or stick to a clean, rosy look? Should I go Hollywood glam? Let me know in the comments below what I can do.

Here's what I'm reading while at rest mode: Hot SOS, a book written by one of my fitspirations, Solenn Heussaff.

This will incorporate new workouts in my routine when I have no time to go to the pole studio or do a full yoga practice in the studio, so I still keep my strength in check. There are also new recipes to try, and I love that it's a local book using locally grown ingredients that are readily available in our groceries so I wouldn't have to look high and low for most of them.

So that's it for today! Enjoy the rest of the week!

MAC Star Trek Collection in Manila

I love it how MAC comes up with awesome collaborations and collections that strike our fancy not just by the super cute packaging but the colors and products that deliver as well. This time, just in time for fall, they launch a collection that tickles the geekiness in you - The Star Trek collection, coinciding as well with Star Trek's 50th anniversary. This is also a collection that can get a nod from your geeky boyfriend or hubby why you would purchase makeup again.

Which Star Trek beauty are you? 

I passed by this afternoon at the MAC flagship store in Ayala Center, Makati to check it out and see what I would like in this collection. Most of the colors have a frost and metallic finish, from the eyeshadows to the nail lacquers, lipglasses, lipsticks, and highlight powders. There's also mascara and falsies if Uhura's your girl and you would want the very 60's spiky lashes, cat eye liner, and gold lipstick to match.

Top to bottom: Llap, The Enemy Within, Klingiton

Swatches of the lipsticks (Php 1,150). I was quite surprised that these are such very pigmented frosts. You can layer them over a super matte lipstick or wear it on its own. These, along with the highlighting powder were best sellers.

I found the nail lacquer (Php 900) called Skin of Evil quite interesting - Yellowish green with black chunks, being not your usual glittery nail polish. This can be layered over opaque nail polish or worn on its own in layers, like what I did below.

Cookies for the trekkies!

I settled for as usual, lipstick, and I chose Uhura as my girl, hence that's why my Star Trek purchase is The Enemy Within (I also like the name). I figured it would go excellently with smokey eyes or graphic eyeliner or placed on top of lipsticks. I may do a bit of ombre on it as well, which I can do for shoots or lip arts or placed on top of a super matte lipstick as a contrast. I'm still thinking about that gorgeous green Skin of Evil polish as well as a second option but I thought I'd be a good girl and go for one which I can use for a lot of things. Thankfully, aside from browns, metallics are also making a comeback with all these metallic lipsticks and polishes and since the holidays are around the corner, they're perfect for parties and all these festive occasions. Actually, with the right combination, you can wear this for regular wear.

Which of these Trekkie treats would you want for yourself?

Store Directory:

MAC Cosmetics
click here for a complete list of stores; maccosmetics.com; rustans-thebeautysource.com; maccosmetics.com.ph; facebook.com/MACCosmetics

Tips on Staying Motivated

Fitness journeys are usually not easy. Getting there alone is actually a struggle. I started a serious fitness journey 6 years ago and there were some bumps along the way and most of the time, I fail. My own personal journey took longer than most people (after all, I'm not a natural athlete) but the thing is, at least I'm there. Reality check, we all need this in life. Being fit and healthy the natural way can save you so much money on medical bills and expensive maintenance drugs, therapy, or procedures you would have to undergo. It's also good for our brains and mental health. It's a must.

I'm not really hardcore like eating just chicken and broccoli and working out like 5 hours a day. I like getting strong while having fun. Having fun is the most important thing. it's the fun part that keeps me motivated. That's why fitness isn't such a chore. I guess that's why I stayed on here for 6 years and counting and even levelled up by writing about it, becoming a yoga teacher, and exploring other options.

For those who would want to start getting healthy, we start by committing to it. Not dreaming. Not wishing. Once we commit to the journey, we stay there, and here's how.


Find a workout program that fits you.

photo by Leo Castillo

I've tried so many workouts already - gym, Insanity, Tae-bo, aerobics, bellydancing, Pilates, name it. I'm really not into team sports since I'm anti-social and I didn't even bother taking up Crossfit because the whole high intensity workout and competitive environment is so not for me.  What I  regularly keep coming back to is always pole dancing and yoga. Sure I'd do occasional conditioning exercises from pilates and would pop in a ballet video once in a while but I always consider pole dancing and yoga to be my main workouts. However, these two may not be for most people so go and find a workout that you love and what fits your personality and stick to it. What matters is you keep your body moving in ways that you want to.


Set realistic expectations and small goals.

The shoulder mount took me years to do, and sometimes I still fail in this.
I make it my goal to develop muscles to make this constant. 

We see actors drop dress sizes and gain loads of muscle in like a few month's time. That's because they need to do that for a role and they have an army of trainers and nutritionists to beat them up into shape. They also undergo very strict diets, which in are quite hard to maintain in real life. We can start with small goals first, like being able to lift more grocery bags or being able to do a decent pull-up in a month or two. Try avoiding fast food or junk food first before going full hardcore vegetarian all of a sudden. Be kind to yourself and the results will follow.


Prettify things!

@ashbenimble is now available at the @polecatsmanila studio!🐺 Come by for class, and try on some sportsbras and tanks while getting your aerial fix! 💫 In photo: double cross back bra in wild thing confetti print. P1,500. 🎊 #jadeactivewear #circusdreams #activewearph

A photo posted by Jade Activewear (@jadeactivewear) on Jan 22, 2016 at 7:24pm PST

I'm all about beauty. I like having pretty things around me. The visual eye candy just gets me all energized so I get so motivated to work out. Instead of exercising in ratty, baggy old t-shirts and jogging pants, buy cute workout gear and work out in those cute leggings and sports bras. Eat a rainbow of colors by googling healthy recipes that are both pretty and gorgeous so healthy eating doesn't mean eating sad, colorless, tasteless, and boring food. Place citrus slices on your water so you get a drink that's pretty without the added calories and sugars. If wearing lipstick and winged eyeliner make you feel gorgeous then go ahead and come to a spinning class wearing them! That confidence you work on may actually motivate you to get healthy and you'll be wearing a pretty cropped top to class before you know it.


Surround yourself with people that motivate and inspire you.

Surrounding myself with positivity through friends who encourage and inspire.

Let me tell you a secret: I got bullied out of a job because I was passionate with fitness and my kitties. Rather than letting that get me, I decided to surround myself with people who are supportive of my own passions whether in fitness world or in work world. I've seen groups of friends both in pole and in yoga - and I am just amazed at how they lift each other up - both literally and figuratively. Literally like they will lift your hips so you can get to your handspring before they let go when you're stable in order to take your photo for you to upload in Instagram and figuratively because they're there to say na "kaya mo 'yan!" when you're about to give up. They will give you the spare banana in their bag when you're hungry, and share recipes and lend you a lipstick when you look pale. Let these people motivate you and let the strong people in class inspire you to do better rather than discourage you.

At one point in our lives, we will realize that we all should start getting healthy, either due to health reasons or maybe a family health risk, or maybe you just want to look good for your wedding. These tips will make you stay there so being healthy isn't just getting the blood sugar down and that's it or being able to fit in that gorgeous wedding dress you paid for. Let it be part of your life and encourage you to live it better. This fitness journey is long and each person takes different paths. Whatever path you take and how you choose it, commit and stay there and the results will be amazing!



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Leo Castillo
www.leocastillo.com

Jade Activewear
facebook.com/JadeActivewearPh; instagram.com/jadeactivewear/

Twisty Bun Tutorial

The rainy season plus humidity also brings something to our hair - frizz. Frizzy hair is definitely not pretty and sometimes, no matter how much we are religious in those hair treatments or slaved our blow-dry. it just doesn't work.

Here's a very pretty hairstyle you can take to a formal, school, or work, or if you want to take your sticky hair off your neck. The twists give it some character and texture from the usual bun. The best part is, you wouldn't need any combs, heat styling tools, or even hair ties. All you need are bobby pins, that's it!

I chose bobby pins with a zigzag edge because they hold my hair better. I decided not to use product with my tutorial and worked with day-old hair, since I colored my hair yesterday.  You can add more twists if you want more rope-y, texture things. 

Steps:

1. Gather a small section of hair at the top front part of your head, from temple to temple.

2. Twist that strand but don't twist all the way.

3. Grab another section behind that lock of hair.

4. Twist the two sections together.

5. Pin at the back of your head, where you want your bun to sit. I pinned it at the middle of my head since I want a low bun.

6. Do two twists using this technique on the right side. 

7. Repeat on the left side.

8. When the hair's all pinned, the hair looks like this.

9. To create the bun, gather all the free hair into a ponytail and do a rope braid. To do a rope braid, split the hair into two sections and twist them together, like you're forming a rope. 

10. Wind the hair into a circle, forming a bun and pin your bun in place. Tuck any loose ends. 

The look is just a lot of twists in different sizes. Experiment with tinier, tighter twists for a cornrow effect or adding accessories if you'll be wearing this to a wedding. I didn't use product for this look as I wanted this to be a casual, everyday look but if you want more hold, you can go ahead and do a spritz of hairspray or use styling gel or wax if you want to give your hair more grip.

How would you wear this hair? Let me know in the comments below or show me a picture on Instagram and tag me @bambikitty.