Sunny Day? Still Pluey-Day

Okay... so it was not raining but hey, we'll never know, with the weather being super schizo that it could be strikingly sunny one minute then all of a sudden the rain would pour like there's no tomorrow. It's been like that for 2 days, so here's what I did. - just bring out them Plueys!





It was my first non-fashion photo wearing my Plueys. I don't really post my outfits because I'm not super brand-conscious and most of my stuff are generic. I also don't have a tripod with me so my pictures are, if not taken during a shoot, are FOTDs. My usual style is just classic and non-adventurous (yeah, I'm a boring dresser) since I prefer being safe. My body type is also schizo since I've got broad shoulders with wide hips so it's a mix of athletic, skinny, and curvy.


I usually wear my Plueys with tight pants/skirts/shorts/dresses but a friend gave me an idea of a gender-bender type of outfit- looser pants to be balanced with slim belt and tight tank top.

Makeup: None. hahahahaha. cover the face with shades.

(I did wear Shu Uemura UV Armor SPF 30 since it was a sunny day, take note)

Shades: Bought online

Tank Top: PBCom Bazaar (layered over a skintone tank)

Belt: Terranova

Pants: Mango

Boots: Plueys catstooth

I had a client that morning so I needed the flat boot to be comfortable. I haven't worn those pants in a long time, I just realized that fact. Hahaha. I was dashing right out of the door. Hair was let loose in its natural waves with curl-boosting gel to hold the shape in. As you could see, my work lets me wear only the basics with accessorizing - a watch and a hair elastic in case I need to tie my hair up.



It did rain during the night and I was glad that my feet or pants didn't get wet. Rockwell was the place for dinner but going to Rockwell wasn't complete before stopping by EJ. By that time, I had a decent amount of makeup on, so I don't look washed out. EJ was nice enough to give my brows a boost.

EJ and I have been bonding ever since I was about a few days old from makeup school and he knows my features too well. He has a different approach to my own makeup as I do, which is refreshing.

Finished product. What he did was just define them with an ashy brown brow pencil and brush the brows to keep them in place. Eyeliner to define my eyes in place of mascara.

Here's the rest of my makeup:

• Shu Uemura Ace ß-g signs preventing essence
• Maybelline Angelfit Flawless Natural Liquid Foundation in Natural Buff (W02)to even out skin tone
• MAC Select Sheer Pressed Powder in NC30
• MAC Mineralize Blush in LoveJoy
• Shu Uemura Gloss Unlimited in BR 750 S

Happy day with friends and MAC HAUL

Apy and I were lunching out with our friend last Monday and she told me that our CDs were ready. She said she'll be giving part 1 soon and since I have to pick up a few stuff at MAC (wheeee! PP day!) on Wednesday, Wednesday would be a good idea since all of us are in the area. So Wednesday it was. Met up with Rudge then at Greenbelt since we both had to run a few errands there after which, since the MAC office is near Rockwell, where we would be meeting Apy, we went there next and the goodies I got were really beyond my wildest dreams.

Brush sets. MAC BRUSHES GIRLS! The red edition. :) I think these two plus a few from my Colorforms brush set are enough for me to do a full-blown makeup. The portable size and red color are pluses. I chose the face brush set, which contains a stippling brush, a foundation brush, contour brush (#168) and concealer brush. The Basic brush set has brushes from face to lips - a blush/powder brush, 2 eyeshadow brushes, an angle eyebrow brush, and a lip brush. I love brushes and having MAC brushes are a definite plus. So my old #217 brush is no longer lonely. Horray!

It was a long wait for me to have a Heatherette palette but I'm glad I got one. The colors are pretty wearable too. The peach makes an excellent base color as well.

Two cremesheen lipglasses that were absolutely pretty and pink. Gift #1 from MAC is the coral lips palette from last year's Holiday Collection (yep, the one with the red casing)Mineralize Blush in Lovejoy. This was chosen for me as this was a super pretty color with a raspberry candy pink pop of color on the cheeks. The glow is another plus, since it's mineral-based.

After I fell in love with leg sprays, I requested another one in medium dark. Last in the pretty bagful of makeup was a pot of gloss from the MAC Sweetie Cake collection, which looks good enough to eat. heeheeehee.It does look like a cookie or candy, doesn't it? So cute!

Finally, after the joy of the makeup, we met up with Apy at another favorite makeup counter - the Shu Uemura Flagship store at Rockwell. EJ greeted us again and was happy to pause for a chat on counter as I played with the makeup. Here, I made sure I had really nice brows. :D Apy followed a few minutes later since she had a client shoot. The girl's gorgeous as ever, I won't believe that she was haggard from work.

EJ, Rudge, me, and Apy. :) Just having fun. Makeup and skin care and friends make the world go round. The white lights of the Shu counter has made my face paler. eeeek! Heeheehee... i've been sporting dresses despite the rain. Good thing it didn't rain while I was outdoors and I didn't skid when I drove home.

Apy told me her lips were drying so I gave her a mini-makeover. So mini that she only needed a tad of UV Underbase (#01) to even out her skintone and a corally-orange lipgloss and she looked fab. Life ain't fair. Rudge and I were also introduced to the Ace B-G eye cream, a newfound love as we're starting to both be OC with our skincare. And I'm bad introducing him to the UV Underbase as well. After a fun talk plus stories of Rudge's recent Bangkok trip, we went over to Starbucks for coffee.

It sure was a great day after being cooped up in the house for a long period of time all with good karma of friends and of course, makeup. :)

Looks Familiar?

Twin butties in a new level. Okay, repeat performance, you've seen this:

Photo by Apy Arevalo

While I was browsing pictures for my makeup set card, I found this picture too

Photo by Stanley Ong.

Model: Erika Maguad

We had this photoshoot almost a year ago at the now-defunct Gray Area Studio with Stanley, since he would be entering a photography competition. He chose Erika to model one theme, which was retro. I did the makeup and this look came to mind, being very iconic during that time. It's funny and cute how similar makeup styles can have a whole different effect depending on the photographer's eye and theme of the shoot.

Toink Toink!

"Eye" Spy on Eye Creams

It's pretty funny, but uh-oh for me that I only got to start being OC about eye creams just now, when I'm older, but hey, at least time to start right? As I've read in countless magazines and beauty books, eye cream is a MUST especially for older girls like us. Teeners can get away without eye cream but once you hit your 20s, start getting eye cream.

Eye creams are like moisturizers, but they're formulated especially for the eye area. Now, why not use moisturizers formulated for the face for the eye area? The thing is, the skin around the eyes is actually thinner and more delicate than the rest of the face, hence, its needs are different. Eye cream can be used during the night and the day (the richer ones are better be used at night). Choose an eye cream that fits your needs, there are whole lot of ones in the market from soothing, to anti-ageing, to rich formulas for dry skin, and even ones to help reduce fine lines.

HOW TO APPLY EYE CREAMS:

PAT, not rub. Rubbing causes wrinkles. Use a little amount and use the ring finger to lightly tap the product on the skin around the eyes. If you're going to be wearing makeup, allow the skin to absorb the eye cream for a few minutes before putting on makeup (Added tip: Eye cream also prevents makeup from becoming crepey).

I've gone through many eye creams, and even tried using good ol' Vaseline (a fave of Tyra Banks), but amongst the eye creams I've tried, these are what I would highly recommend:

1. Olay Regenerist Eye Cream - I've been a fan of Olay Regenerist after it did wonders to my skin and I got comments that I look 21 instead of my real age. Olay Regenerist eye cream is light enough to be used for day, even under heavy eye makeup. It's what I use for myself during shoots. It doesn't sting the eyes either.

2. MAC Fast Response Eye Cream - One of MAC's bestselling products in their skin care. This product has almost immediate results. It's one highly-recommended product to be used when a model or client hasn't had much sleep or has had a cryfest the night before. The texture is somewhat silicon-like so it can help hide fine lines. It's odorless and weightless too.

3. Obagi Eye Cream - odorless and colorless, this is a frills-free yet highly in-demand product (and also expensive as compared with other skin care). Obagi works quite well in caring for my eyes. I like that it's odorless, so I could wear it with me when I'm sensitive to scents and all. I currently alternate this with my Olay Regenerist Eye Cream, but I use this during the night, since the formula is richer. During the day, I apply only little amount and spread the product well so I don't get any excess "heavy" or "goopey" feel.

4. Shu Uemura Ace ß-G Reinforcing Eye Cream - Shu Uemura has impressed me with their skin care line to make me fall in love with them and buy a humongous cartful when I'm filthy rich and have nothing to do with my money. Now, I could purchase just a bit at a time first. This eye cream goes on really light instead of goopey and greasy and is packed with ingredients to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness, and all things that make our eyes look super haggard. I actually had someone try this for me and from the immediate result (a bit fresh around the eyes), it looks like a good product.

Any favorite eye creams out there? :)

Elegant Entrapment

Another series of photos inspired by editorials done by the uber talented Apy Arevalo. I love how Apy post-processes the pictures. Her creativeness is beyond our wildest dreams.

models: Philip Rudge Arca and Bambi de la Cruz

makeup: Bambi de la Cruz

photographer: Apy Arevalo

In every shoot, she makes us look different and gorgeous. Rudge as usual, gorgeous model, fantastic shoot partner looking fabulous frame after frame after frame.

Rudge and Rachel: Fierce Fantasy

models: Rudge Arca and Rachel Lobangco

Photography: Apy Arevalo

Stylist, Accessories, and Art Direction: Dennis Celestial

Makeup: Bambi C. de la Cruz

MAC Style Warriors Product Swatches

Okay. so what does makeupbybambi think of Style Warriors?

Two letters, one expression: Rarrrrrr! Wild, Bold, and Sexy with gold packaging and animal prints, Style Warriors arrives at makeup counters with a bang. Here in Manila, it hit MAC counters last Friday but although I wasn't able to see it, I dropped by the next day to do some testing and I swatched some products for me to try. Colors are browns, golds, plums, and bronze. In contrast with the pretty pastels of A Rose Romance, Style Warriors would be another collection of FIERCE.

Eyeshadows came in gold packaging with iconic design reminiscent of tribal wars and all.

From L-R Bright Future, Vibrant Grape, Tempting, Soft Force, and Night Manoeuvres. Whereas Bright Future and Vibrant Grape are saved for those who want it wild and striking, Tempting, Soft Fource, and Night Manoeuvres could be used for bridals or every-day colors, since they're in the browns. The soft force makes and excellent warming highlight, don't you think?

Beauty Powder Blushes came in two shades, a plum shade and peach-bronze shade

Eversun is a peach-bronze shade that's more of an orange. For me, this is more of a warming bronzer than a blush. The mid-tone plum of On A Mission is quite interesting, and something wearable for fair-toned girls.

Bronzers were a must and they came in pressed form, loose form (with a kabuki brush) and spray form.Refined Golden and Solar Riche

Iridescent Bronzing Powder in Golden Bronze with a 182 Buffer Brush

Skinsheen leg sprays, which give legs, arms, and body a sexy J.Lo Glow (the lovely scent is another plus). For a super sexy bronzed effect, spray on hand, and massage on the body, and then top with powder and/or loose bronzing powder. Rarrrr! Lip colors had the same color scheme of yellow-gold, bronze, brown, and plum. Definitely do away with pastels and come the deep, dark, and metallic:Brave New Bronze, Sunsational, Purple Rite, and Tribalist. Brave New Bronze are the Angelina Jolie lips with a hint of wamrth. At first, Sunsational was weird being a cool gold lipstick, but it looked quite cool on the lips. Purple Rite had a tinge of coolness to it, and just like MAC frost shades, it had a some glitter in it. An unusual color, tribalist, was amplified creme in a deep plum finish. I tried it on and it looked quite good on me, and this was something new since I'm not a pure plum user, but the look kinda fierced up my look.

Lipglasses were the same color scheme too. It was weird seeing yellow lipglass, but this could be mixed with any lipstick to warm up a shade.

Liberated, Style Warrior, Gold Rebel, and Fierce and Fabulous. Remember, lipglasses are sheer liquid lipsticks so the color on the tube is ten times sheerer on the skin.

Two additional products were solar bits and lustre drops. Lustre drops are like the Barbie Collection's Glimmershimmer in tints of lilac pink, bronze, and gold to add shine and highlight. They could be mixed with foundation or moisturizer for a subtle glow.

Pink Rebel, Sun Rush, and Bronze Hero. The Bronze Hero is for deeper bronzes, if you want to do an all-out bronzing, while the Sun Rush is more subtle. With the pink rebel being tame, this could actually be used as a shimmery glowy blush.

Lastly, the solar bits were an interesting part. It looked like crumbly eyeshadow but it practically melted into my eyelids when I applied it and had a creaseless, creamy, and highly pigmented finish. I love how it updated my neutral makeup into something more dazzling. Although this could be applied with a brush, patting and blending gently with the ring finger could also do.

Impassioned, Bronzescape, and Scatterays.

Crushing the pigments help deliver the brightest and shiniest look.

Style warriors is already available in MAC Counters here in Manila.