Make Up For Ever Launches White Definition

A few weeks ago, I tripsy-ed over to the Make Up For Ever Store in Bonifacio High Street to witness as they unveil another line - White Definition - a powder foundation that's said to provide coverage while protecting our skin from the sun while giving an all-over brightening effect. It does sound like a superproduct in a compact right? Don't be scared, it comes in a compact for easy touch-ups and travel, with no power buttons to scare you.

To start the event, Make Up For Ever invited Dr. Anna Palabyab-Rufino to talk about the basics of sun protection as well as breaking down the jargons we often see in sun protection products - what does SPF mean, PA++, the difference between UVA and UVB, and so on.

Basically, it summarizes one thing - prolonged sun exposure can lead to premature ageing and skin cancer and we must stay protected especially if our lifestyle/sport/activities of daily living cause us to be exposed to sunlight. Also, staying indoors does not necessarily guarantee 100% protection as UVA (i.e. the ageing) rays also penetrate glass, so there can be UVA rays sneaking up our windows. So to those who are driving, be sure to extend sun protection to the hands and arms.

After that, we were introduced to the star of the show - the Make Up For Ever White Definition powder foundation, a special product that addresses the special needs of Asian women, especially those living close to the equator at the same time making sure makeup (with skincare/sun protection incorporated) stays put in the hot, humid, and sticky environment.

"state-of-the-art formula, which contaions an optimum blend of the finest quality powders and pigments, and also incorporates high level UVA/UVB protection." - SPF 30 / PA ++ this literally gets you covered.

A demo was given by two of Make Up For Ever's talented roster of artists. Chief Make Up Artist Yuki Gerardo demonstrates a very pretty look using the White Definition powder on the model, in combination with their other products such as the HD primer and lifting concealer. Explaining the technique is Make Up For Ever Philippines' national trainer Mikee Raymundo.

Their demo was super entertaining the audience was in giggles from time to time. Yuki and Mikee have been friends before they were makeup superstars, which explains the wonderful teamup.

The product apparently also comes with a specialized sponge with two sides - one smooth and one flocked. The smooth side is for medium to full coverage. However, if you want to just achieve the "freshly mattified" look, then turn over to the flocked side for lighter coverage or if you're the one who prefers to add little product and then build as you go. Or, you can opt for a balance by using the smooth side on the t-zone or shiny areas and the cheeks can go with the flocked side for natural dewy-ness, it's up to you.

We also got the chance to experience the product for ourselves by having makeovers done by the Make Up For Ever Pro Team. I had my makeover done by fellow polekitten and good friend Jinky Ureta. She did a very natural look on me, which I can take from client meeting to dinner out using only three colors on my eyes. For me, she used shade 40, which happens to be the darkest shade in this line.

The product has an intense brightening effect, which gave my skin a sort of rosy, mauve-ish look instead of the bronzey look I'm used to. The coverage is actually quite good. Jinky only used concealer on my undereyes, and she tried to see if the foundation alone would be sufficient enough to cover the redness on the sides of my nose. Well, whaddya know it did! It's a yay for the very comfortable feel and lasting ability. I do wish though that the line would broaden the range of shades as it only came in four shades - Beige (10), Ivory (20), Flesh (30), and Sand (40). The shades are mostly catering to those with fair skin to enhance it. Shade 40 is still a bit too light though for most morenas, but what they can do though, is to balance it with contouring and some bronzer so the brightening effect ties in with the wearer's natural skin color rather than having that ghastly contrast of the face being like 2 shades brighter than the neck.

For personal use, use this during the day when sun exposure is inevitable. I'm not a fan of whitening but I do believe on even skin tone and healthy young-looking skin. This product will not turn you from honey bronzey to alabaster in a split-second, so don't worry about it, if you love you skin color too much. As I've said, a balance can be achieved with a bit of contouring and bronzer. Do take heed though, for photo-heavy functions in wearing this product as products high in SPF can react in flash photography. For photoshoots, this probably wouldn't be your option if used entirely but don't take it out of your makeup kit. I use products like these to highlight undereyes and cheekbones.

I wouldn't let the night end without a photo with my three talented makeup artist friends, Yuki, Jinky, and Mikee.

Mikee is practically like my "ate" in the makeup business. We made chika even after the event was done and she gave me tips on makeup techniques and how to maximize my products.

Hugs and thanks to the Make Up For Ever team for this wonderful opportunity. It was awesome!

An Afternoon With Bobby Carlos and Max Factor Ageless Elixir

Last Thursday, I got together with some select beauty bloggers in an intimate late lunch/early dinner with the people behind a very iconic makeup brand - Max Factor together with their Chief Makeup Artist, Mr. Bobby Carlos as they introduced to us Max Factor's newest foundation - Ageless Elixir 2 in 1 Foundation - a foundation which incorporates skin care for the very busy career woman who never seemed to have at least one hour to put on makeup.

After my doctor's appointment since I was kofkofing, I went back home, curled my hair, got my camera, and hopped over to Zuni in Greenbelt 5 where I was welcomed by Aireen where she introduced me to the people behind the Max Factor brand. Max Factor has probably been around much much longer than probably - the time I learned to walk. Remember when we were kids and we have those school plays where our mums or schoolteachers would powder our skin with Max Factor pancake foundation? Or the Max Factor lipfinity liquid lipstick that never seemed to come off? Max Factor has been present in the vanities of moms, aunties, grandmas, stage actors, tv actors, and beauty pageant contestants. If you were a kid or teenager in the 80's, Max Factor sure was one of the stuff in the makeup kit.

Bobby's epic makeup station was already set up.

Dream makeup station! White lights, big mirror, and lotsa lotsa lotsa makeup organized. *drool*

Panstick foundation! Beauty contests anyone? That's the ultimate drag queen and theater foundation makeup with full coverage at its finest. Remember what Manila Luzon said in his makeup tutorial? "If your skin could still breathe, you're not applying enough!" But seriously, if you need like full on big theater transformation coverage - get this with all your might.

A "self-portrait" of me with the star of today's event in all seven shades- the Max Factor Ageless Elixir 2 in 1 foundation.

They look like bottles of liquid gold treasures, don't they?

The program started with Bobby giving us a lowdown on the product. The Max Factor Ageless Elixir 2 in 1 Foundation was created for women 35 and above, which are women who are at the peak of their careers who do not have the luxury of time to put on makeup for an hour. This foundation incorporates skin care into the product so not only does it provide the coverage we need but it also protects our skin with SPF 15 plus a very potent anti-wrinkle serum that cares for our skin too. However, this doesn't mean that women at our age should steer clear away from it like the plague. Women with dry skin could still use this since it's got a lot of ingredients to help hydrate the skin. It sits on top of the skin rather sinking into the pores so we need not worry of makeup clogging our pores that they suffocate, die, and cause ugly breakouts the following day.

Bobby demonstrates to us a very quick makeup routine on Jamie, using Max Factor products. We were free to test the products too as there were also samples for us to try. This makeup look is inspired by one of Hollywood's loveliest and sexiest screen sirens - Marilyn Monroe - the classic clean eye and red lip combo that's very easy to do. Only, he uses orange lipstick instead of red, to give it a more modern, updated look.

The foundation is already good enough to be used as a concealer from his demonstraton. Actually, on "normal" days, we could just dot and blend foundation only where needed and set with powder. It's nice to show more skin rather than have what we all jokingly call a "Foundation Day", where foundation could be distinguished miles away from home. When I was trying the foundation on on myself, it was potent enough to diminish my red spots and hide my undereye circles, it's all just finding the right shade.

After the demo, Jamie looks all glammed up yet still very very fresh. Another thing about this look is that it's so easy to do with very minimal equipment. I think Bobby used only like around 7 brushes for this look - foundation brush, powder brush, 2 eyeshadow brushes, an eyeliner brush (to demonstrate liquid liner application), and a lip brush. There were only two eye colors used - a nude base color and a black contour color (which also doubled as liquid liner when applied wet). It's not only quick but money-saving too. Another money-saving tip I learned with Bobby? The only lipliner a personal makeup kit needs is one in a nude shade. Sure, I own like a lot of lipliner shades, but I do this for a living so I need a lot of shades, but if you just do makeup for yourself, nude lipliner would do.

Bobby used a flat foundation brush to apply foundation. Of course, for work purposes, we use brushes. We need not necessarily use a flat foundation brush - we could use our favorite foundation brush - a stippling brush works nicely too or the makeup tool you've had ever since you were born - your fingers! Make sure they're clean, of course.

I used my fingers to apply the foundation on me and blended with a sponge. I used Golden on me, since I'm more on the warmer yellower side of the skin tone spectrum. I was thinking Natural first, but it worked more as undereye concealer/highlighter for me. Actually, it sets in a powdery non-sticky finish so a light dusting of loose powder is okay to set this for girls with dry/combination skin (I would guess some dry-skinned girls need not set this at all).

I needed a bit of powder in me as although I'm not oily, matte skin isn't my natural bare skin and it's like a reflector of some sort, so I need something to mattify it. When I asked about staying power, it stays on quite well. A bride can wear this to a wedding and still look pretty post-reception, provided that she not get overcooked in heat or jump in the swimming pool or ocean after. It's also got a nice, fruity smell to it. If you're not a fan of fragrance, though, this may not be for you. The fragrance though, is very mild instead of heady. It actually smells quite fresh when applied.

We didn't go home empty-handed as we took home the Max Factor Ageless Elixir in our own shade in a pretty quilted traveller's kikay kit plus more sample-sized shades for me to try.

Thank you Max Factor for the invitation and Bobby Carlos for the awesome, awesome quick and effortless makeup look we learned and all the other tips we got. :)

Pretty on a Budget: The Fanny Serrano Two-Way Cake

The reason why most of my foundations are the branded ones, is that I can't seem to find foundation that's perfect for our skin tones. In a quest to be forever fair, I always see foundation that's too pale or too pink. The result is makeup that ghastly kabuki look or a horrid gray cast on the face. Luckily for us, Filipino makeup artist Fanny Serrano has come up with his own makeup line for makeup suitable for the Filipino woman, without breaking the bank.

Fanny Serrano has been in the makeup industry probably when I was in diapers, and with that much experience, he knows more about quality makeup and makeup shades that look good on Asian skin than the rest of us. A makeup line created by a makeup artist (and a legendary makeup artist at that) must be really good, since who to understand makeup better than one who uses makeup for a living?

I've received pretty much so many good raves and reviews about Fanny Serrano makeup from fellow makeup artists, even the seasoned ones. I'm a fan of their blush in Georgia Peach and their lash curler. I'm sad to see the blush palette go bye-bye but still happy that the individual shades are still available. The two-way cakes are also stellar, and with good reviews and my own personal experience, here I've got three shades of them, to mix-and-match. I use this during collaborations and shoots, and even on my own for everyday, reserving my expensive stuff for special occasions.

From L-R are my Fanny Serrano shades in Organza, Rajah, and skin. I chose bestselling shades in light, dark, and medium formulas so I could just mix and blend colors depending on my model's shade.

Each compact comes with a mirror and also a tiny round sponge. Two-way means you could use this wet or dry. I personally prefer using this dry, on its own after concealer or after foundation for full coverage, say during a show or photoshoot.

Here are swatches. Skin is quite yellowish and great for undereye highlights or for those with really really fair and yellow-toned skin (sort of like a MAC studiofix in C3). Organza is a midtone color, and this is my personal shade, and a shade of many of my models. Rajah, I use to contour. It could be used on its own on a very morena model or mixed with Organza or Skin, depending on the model's shade. As you can see, it adheres well to the skin. It actually can be a dupe for MAC Studiofix. Here, let me show you the swatch I made of Organza and MAC NC35 (my MAC shade)

Organza, are you ready to showdown with NC35? Hahaha. If you wonder why my Organza's quite rough on the edges with breaks and all, it's because I had a major depot fail when tried to depot them but then saw that the FS Two-Way Cakes aren't for depotting, boo. Or probably I haven't figured out the best way to depot them.

The swatch shows that Organza can be a dupe of Studiofix NC35. The only difference is this, up close, MAC particles are still much, much finer and more velvety.

Staying power of Fanny Serrano, is unbelievable though. This is what I used during our Stellar Summer Show on myself, and my makeup didn't melt and slide from pole to the floor. For maximum coverage, I like pressing this on with a sponge and then blending everything for a seamless finish.

At Php399.00, this is a steal if you're starting out as a makeup artist or want affordable makeup you could use for everyday that's your own shade and not a shade too pink or too pale. They have got also other yellow-toned shades that are really right for the skin.

The Funda Fundamentals

Foundation used to be one part I always skip before I dove nose-deep on makeup. Looking back, it was like, "What I was thinking?" There's a reason why foundation is called foundation - it's the basic and most important part of makeup. Some girls can do away with everything with moisturized lips, good brows, and foundation. Foundation not only creates an even canvas for the face to be colored on but it also evens out skin tone and creates a very flawless look.

In this entry, I would like to talk about foundation, since it being the most important, a lot are curious to what foundation to use.

CHOOSING FOUNDATION

Choosing foundation depends on the user's preference, color, and skin condition. Preference meaning if the user would prefer powder foundation for daily use, a light liquid foundation, or cream foundation. For me, I like using powder foundation for everyday since it's not heavy and it also serves the purpose of oil-control. I like MAC Studiofix Powder Foundation because of its coverage and wide array of shades suitable for Asian skin tones. Also, MAC Studiofix is one of MAC's bestsellers, with compacts flying off the shelves day after day. Sometimes, I use mineral powder foundation if I want a light glow on the skin. To hide some flaws, I use concealer first and then buff mineral foundation or press powder foundation on the skin. I use liquid foundation for special occasions or when I want to feel more glammed up. Cream can be used with photoshoots where coverage is important amidst the intense studio lights. However, for these types of foundation, I suggest setting them with powder to make them last longer. Cream foundation, like MAC Studiotech or Shu Uemura Nobara foundation, for example, can be set with loose powder so it won't look so heavy on the skin. Liquid foundation, I sometimes set this with sheer loose (or pressed) powder or dual foundation like Studio Fix, if I'm doing a shoot.

Oily skinned girls can do with a light and oil-free liquid foundation set with powder. Dry-skinned girls may need moisturizing formulas. Dual powder, every so often sometimes is enough. However, before foundation, always remember to use sunscreen if the foundation doesn't have sunscreen. Also, always remember to set liquid foundation with powder so it lasts longer.

TESTING FOUNDATION

Natural light is best when testing the right foundation. Natural, white, bright daytime light shows the true color of your skin. Yellow and "mood" lighting tints the skin into a different hue so sometimes, we purchase the wrong foundation. The place to test foundation is not on the palm or back of the hand but the jawline. In buying foundation, swipe a bit on the jawline. If it blends in, then it's your shade. Foundation should look like skin, not a different color (unless you're doing a character or concept shoot). This also serves as an allergy test too. If you experience hives or bad reaction to the swatch, do not purchase the product. Your skin will be thankful.

After testing the foundation, walk around wearing the foundation and check the swatch again. Did it darken or change color? If it darkens, your skin might be acidic. Acidic skin means makeup reacts to the skin's chemistry. On most girls who are acidic, the makeup darkens moments after skin contact. With that fact known, adjust the shade by choosing a shade that's a half or full step lighter than that shade.

YELLOW VERSUS PINK, LIGHT VERSUS DARK

Generally, Asians look better with yellow-toned foundation to suit their skin as too-pink foundation could gray us all out. If the exact shade of foundation can't be determined, we're generally safe with foundation a half-step darker since that looks more natural. If you're OC like me, you could mix two colors together to customize your own shade.

CREAM BEFORE POWDER

The rule is liquid/cream before powder to prevent cakeing of makeup. If you're using dual powder foundation, apply concealer first then powder foundation. Creamy and liquid makeup would be harder to blend if applied over powder. Liquid cheek tints should be applied before loose powder or powder foundation. Try applying cheek tints after powder and the look is streaky, patchy, and totally unnatural. Once you powder, everything else is powder.

THE TOOLS

Tool preference is really up to the user. I use my fingers to apply foundation on myself too. The advantage of this is that the warmth of my hands help with the blending. Brushes are also okay, especially for professional use. The dual fibre brush is my favorite due to the airbrush finish it gives plus the fact that it blends my foundation really fast. Creamy foundation, like my Kryolan Ultrafoundation, I use a flat brush such as my MAC 190 since this deposits the product well. I'm not fond of using sponges to purely apply liquid foundation since the sponge ends up eating the product. I use sponges to blend the foundation into the skin and applying dual powder foundation since sponges deposit the powder on the skin better.

APPLYING FOUNDATION

In applying foundation, I start on my cheeks, where skin is thickest and then move to the forehead, chin, and nose. I use a brush or fingers to deposit the color and blend with a sponge. I set this with powder and continue blending up to the neck and hairline, so color stays even. I make sure that the makeup is not sticky too, so it doesn't slide much. I blend really, really well. That's always been the secret for the "second-skin" foundation that I love. Sometimes, I apply concealer after foundation, because sometimes, foundation already covers up the flaws. But for bigger zits, disoclorations, and flaws, I use concealer before foundation.

AIRBRUSH FOUNDATION

Airbrush makeup is a very popular technique where makeup is applied using an airbrush gun, the same way as how a car is being painted. This technique is very popular in weddings and print ads and the result is flawless and picture-perfect skin. Some makeup artists use airbrush makeup for foundation and contours and proceed to applying makeup using the traditional method for the rest but there are some who do airbrush makeup from foundation down to lip color. Foundation used for this technique is usually thinner than traditional foundation and are usually ordered abroad. There are airbrush tutorials in the Internet and some schools also specialize in airbrush makeup, so it's better to leave the airbrush gun and compressor to pro makeup artists, as this could get expensive for everyday use.

So that's what I have to say on foundation. With the right techniques, products, and of course, practice, the natural, fresh-looking skin could be achieved. :) Have fun!

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.

Love From China

Look what I got from China.... :)

This is the real deal. :) It's cheaper at Duty Free. I dunno the RMB exact cost but the peso equivalent is about Php 1,800.

I'm shade #764.

It's one of my favorite summer foundations when I need to go full-face with makeup but since we have a superbly hot summer, I don't want my face feeling suffocated or do I want makeup sliding minutes after I apply it. I received a sample shade (my exact shade) a year ago and I fell so much in love with it I was really saving and maximizing the sachet until not a drop was left. Scent-wise the scent was not heavy to the nose. For some reason, I get sensitive to strongly-scented makeup when the temperatures rise. I love also the feel on the skin. It wasn't sticky or anything and guess what? NO BREAKOUTS AFTER! I still go with a hint of foundation on hot days by diluting it with my moisturizer (Olay Regenerist Day Cream since it's got SPF or Shu Uemura Sunblock SPF 50) just to get an even tone and set with sheer powder since I'm going for sheer coverage.

I test-drove this yesterday and I love the subtle even skin tone I had and I got compliments with it. Plus no icky sticky feel despite the scorchingly hot weather.

There's also a cream formulation of this one, which comes in a jar, which is slightly richer (but not heavy, mind you, I've tried it as well) but I prefer the fluid variety since I like my foundation light.

Makeupbybambi loves Paul and Joe Creamy Compact Foundation

My cosmetics fair loot that I highly recommend. During CAS Cosmetics fairs, big brands usually go there to introduced their products and offer them at a discount. When Paul and Joe had 50% off on base makeup (their bestsellers) I just had to jump at the offer.




Regular refill cost: Php 1,450
I got the refills at 50% off so I got two. :)





I buy the refills because it's cheaper and it could fit my tiny makeup case better (tip for makeup artists)

The creamy compact foundation actually is supposed to be applied with a sponge directly on the face. For photoshoots, I put liquid foundation under it but for everyday, I use this alone (Remember to use a clean sponge!) I like the natural dewy finish it gave me. The difference between this and the moisturizing compact foundation and the light cream/liquid foundations are that this one gives a more matte finish with a bit of dewy glow. When I saw the compact, I thought it was pressed powder until Von of Paul and Joe told me that it's actually a cream-to-powder foundation with a natural finish and he showed me how it's supposed to be applied. When I felt it, it was silkier than your average two-way foundation and it had a creamy feel to it. It felt light on me and I didn't feel like I'm wearing foundation.

Not to mention I keep getting compliments on how good my skin is but they can't just know why. :)