NARS Summer 2012 Collection

Posted on May 14, 2012 by

Makeup artists are oftened inspired to create looks by the colors or textures they see in Fashion makeup itself, but I love looking at the Creative Director/Artist’s inspiration behind a Collection: the colours, hues and shade names. And no one else does it as well as Francois Nars, whose shade names range from places he’s been (Laguna, Fiji, Barcelona), movies and big screen icons he’s seen (Schiapp, Doll Face) to nature and feelings [ehem] Hello, need I say more? We all know the “mini brand” that has become out of the Nars Brand. The cult fave no.1 selling blush Orgasm, and it’s lipstick, gloss, Multiple (giggles) and Highlighter family!

He talks about his creative inspirations and where they draw from in this Nars interview .

Check out the vibrant colours and culture inspired Nars’ Thakoon Summer brights collection as an extension of their NYFW Collaboration. Thakoon was inspired by the vibrant colors found in Indian spice markets. The highly saturated, high-shine shades come in an opaque finish, perfect for spring. Truly long-wearing, chip-resistant (I tested it out on my finger and toe nails on the beach!) and toluene-, formaldehyde- and DBP-free. I want them all!

The shades are: Anardana, a hot azalea pink inspired by dried pomegranate seeds. Kutki, a strong and powdery blue that’s fab on a tan, and Amchoor a sunshine bright yellow for the daring.  Love the deep turquoise of Koliary  and last but not least, Ratin Jot is a perfectly edgy vibrant orchid violet, my  second fave! The top on my list and most similar to the mandarin red shade of the polish I often asked for at my fave Belle and Cat Studio  in Manila, is only availabe online and is called Lal Mirchi- aptly inspired by hot chili peppers.

Head to your nearest NARS counter at Holts or Sephora or order online and grab your faves now! Or visit my new Must-Have Makeup Shop and shopping site Smart Shopper  for more Beauty deals for Nars and other brands ;)

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Quick Shout-out!

Posted on April 21, 2012 by

Thanks for the wonderful year of allowing me to teach you, have makeup and beauty chats with you, train your staff and work with your talented teams for shoots- PHILIPPINES! My heart belongs to YOU :)

Hello TORONTO,Canada! I’m back and ready for action. Call me at 416 648 5956 or email me at mcbaguio@hotmail.com subject: Makeup Inquiry or Makeup Lessons.

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Laura Mercier’s New Custom Artist Portfolio

Posted on March 5, 2012 by

I got the email, read the tweets and even a couple of blog posts on Laura Mercier’s “Custom Artist Portfolio for Home and Away” ($98)
So.. I’ve yet to see it up close but my first thought was…”It’s Laura’s glam version of my/my friend Cathy’s Actor’s Bag!” :) Shortly followed by, “Aaaay…Want it. Not sure about the shiny pewter snakeskin material. But, I Like.”

“New Limited Edition. Laura let’s you be the artist with her luxurious all-in-one beauty Portfolio for home and away. This organizing essential includes four custom designed removable mesh cosmetic bags, a pocketed brush page and refillable 6-well and 3-well Custom Compacts to hold your favorite Laura Mercier products”.

I already have her refillable 3 and 6 -well Custom Compacts, but I’m looking forward for the launch of her Limited Ed. “Portfolio Animation” Collection of new eyes, lips and cheek products that can all fit into her Custom compact Palettes.

*Sigh* I love Laura Mercier <3

The Custom Artist Portfolio for Home and Away includes:
Portfolio Organizer
4 removable mesh bags
Removable pocketed brush page
6-well customer compact
3-well custom compact
Dimensions: 11.5” x 9.5” x 3”

Products not included- so you get to choose/customize your own portfolio according to your needs and style.

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Work, Fully Booked + Desserts!

Posted on February 27, 2012 by

No, I’m not referring to one of our trips to play, read and indulge at Bonifacio Global City High Street, although my “baby big girl” and I do love it there!

This post is about my makeup and hair work for the gorgeous, talented food writer (writer & photographer) and all around wonderful Ms Lori Baltazar of Dessert Comes First (DCF) last year, for Fully Booked – my fave bookstore in the Philippines. I posted some behind the scenes shots on my Facebook Page about this several months ago.

Lori was so sweet, and fantastic to work with, even at a 3AM call-time! Her energy and vibe were infectious. I’m so glad to have met one of Manila’s pioneer bloggers (and so sorry to have missed all the desserts she brought out for the shoot!).

Lori was on the cover of Fully Booked Zine’s 20th Issue and her face and video (below) can be seen up on the walls inside Fully Booked and outside as one of their latest ambasadors.

Lori Baltazar for Fully Booked

 

Point and click on the images to view in full or slideshow.

Thanks for the photos and for taking such care of us, Victoria of Fully Booked, Marketing and thanks, Ces!;)

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Review: Suesh Sponge Blender

Posted on February 13, 2012 by

I heard about the Beauty Blender back in Toronto. And Industry pals had been blogging about this mmm, what – for 2 years now? But, even just recently I saw it for sale at one of my fave Beauty Supply sources, Pure Beauty, Serendra. They sell it with the cleanser for a special offer or on its own for less..can’t quite recall the exact retail prices right now…But it’s also available from Sulit.com.ph sources for P2,399 (value P3,300) just to illustrate.

The original Beauty Blender

 If you haven’t heard of the Beauty Blender, watch this:

I must admit, being a fan of traditional makeup to Airbrush Makeup (although I agree that Airbrush has it’s benefits and I get plenty of requests for it), I was very happy using my egg-shaped Laura Mercier foundation sponges, with uh..her Flawless Face techniques (yes, everybody knows, I’m a Laura M. girl!) So when I came across these colorful egg-shaped oval sponges in the local Sephora in Toronto, I thought- Cute! (but gimmicky)..And left it alone. I was very happy with what I’d been using: sponge and sometimes my MAC 188 Small Dual Fibre Face Brush, or my fingers! But after seeing a few clips of other MUAs using the Beauty Blender, I tried it out at a shoot… and fell in love with it!

If you know my style and makeup principle, you’ll know that I don’t like seeing Foundation on my client’s skin. Love the Flawless Face look of foundation, but..Love it to look like skin (not foundation). However, you know what I love even more?? Finding something just as good, for a lot less. Yup, cheaper. (Keep it “Streetwise”, baby!) :p    Or, as some call it: finding Dupes (= Almost as good as/the same quality but less expensive than the original, without claiming to be ‘the original’. Duplicates).

So, when I spoke to Ms Sheryll of Suesh, and she asked me to check out their Sponge Blenders (P550.00)- and gave me one as a gift to try out …

Suesh Sponge Blenders Php550.00

The result was: I’m coming back for more, please! It expanded to almost twice its size when wet, and blended makeup beautifully when slightly damp! :) It’s not too porous so no product waste, and feels and looks very durable. Love it so much, I used it on my Bridal client last week. Congrats Raxl!

Me setting the beautiful bride, Raquel's makeup with the Suesh Sponge Blender.

Watch this video of a similar review by gossmakeupartist’s channel on YouTube. And make sure you leave me some Sponge Blenders when you hightail it to Suesh to pick some up;)

Happy Valentines! Love,

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My Fave Beauty Haven #4 -Proface, Palettes and Pigments

Posted on February 13, 2012 by

Just a few minutes away from my place in Makati, is the first pro makeup artist go-to “secret” that my friends told me about. Formerly called Media Makeup, Proface Palettes and Pigments is tucked away in the G/F Unit of 102 Evekal Building, 855 Antonio Arnaiz Avenue, (Beside Export Bank) Legaspi Village, Makati City.

The professional brands any artist needs to create the best results available at Proface (for short) include Ben Nye, Face to Face /Makeup International -set up 25 years ago by internationally recognized and awarded makeup artist Walter Schneiderman,  “developing and supplying cosmetics to meet the ever exacting standards of the professional media industries”.  Also available -Temptu and TSZ Airbrush Makeup (the first airbrush technology and brand brought into the Asian market in Taiwan by the TSZ sisters, pronounced like the “ts” in “its”) equipment and supplies. TSZ is also available at Belle and Cat and is distributed by Makeup Artist, Denise Go at ProMakeup Central Manila- along with other professional brands, contact numbers: 09189285850 09173207500. ProMakeup Central delivers free in MM for purchases worth P3,500 or more!). Pick up a bottle of Beauty So Clean  -wipes and spray (the world’s first makeup sanitizer, which I use to keep my kits and products clean and longer lasting) and they are the exclusive distributor of Taz Merah kits and bags. (Taz Merah also offers private label services as well as makeup kits, chairs, lighted mirrors and equipments under their Brand). Find brush aprons and holders, transparent totes and set bags, organizers, sets of lashes at p650 per box of 10, empty palettes (Japonesque, Make Up For Ever and others), hair pins, Special FX starter kits for in-kit FX like aging, gashes, bruises and cuts at P5,200 and prosthetics by Proface. 

There’s even a makeup station that new and veteran Makeup Artists alike can use for their clients or just to practice and hone their skills for just P300 per hour, including use of the professional cosmetic palettes and products available there!

I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting the owner and makeup artist, Ms Jennie Delica, who is currently working on the set of the latest Bourne Legacy movie filming in Manila. Yes, she gets up close and personal to those handsome beings(!) But if I had any questions or needed help, the friendly Ms Lina Marcelino, seen in the picture (above) is always around to ask.

Contact the store Cell. 0920 417 2340/0949 162 7607 and pop in to shop for yourself.

See you again soon, Ms Lina!

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My Fave Beauty Haven #3 – Pure Beauty, Serendra

Posted on February 12, 2012 by

The places I have featured so far, have their own unique charm about them. Their staff are friendly and welcoming, their location also dictates which place I may visit for my needs, and the products I need may point me to the direction to head. So they’re not necessarily in order of preference. But each worthy of a shout-out for being so fabulous.     

Since my computer or WordPress doesn’t seem to be cooperating with me this AM, this will be (unusually) short and sweet! If you’re looking for a recognized makeup school that has a great reputation (the largest in the US, launched in 1998, California) and is in a great area – Makeup Designory (MUD) Manila, has classes right behind the cash register desk seen in the picture below. It’s a school by makeup artists for makeup artists:)

Shop for your favorite and hard-to-find makeup, nail and hair supplies here and then go out for lunch, dinner or drinks with the girls at BGC high street. Better still, get the man to treat you for all of the above for Valentine’s Day! ;)

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