Planning for your own wedding can be tedious. You want everything to go smoothly as planned. For me, one of the greatest pressures was doing my own makeup on my wedding day. People have seen me prettify other brides and are expecting no less than perfect makeup on myself. I did consider hiring somebody else to do my makeup but the bridezilla in me wanted everything under control.  After all, nobody knows my face the way I do. All the blemishes that have to be covered, the contouring I need, etc. I just couldn’t allow somebody else to take charge of how I’d look on this very important event of my life. I even had to do the grooming of my husband, just to make sure that he’ won’t end up looking like some halloween character or more feminine than me, as some makeup artists have the tendency to soften a man’s features a little too much. The entourage, that I had to leave to my assistant. My mom, being trained in hair design when she was younger, did my hair.

The night before the wedding, I tried to get a good night’s rest but by 3am, i was awakened by an attack of allergic rhinitis. The whole roll of tissue was almost used up before I was forced to take some medications to tame down my allergy. My nose became so congested that I had to take some decongestant to relieve my condition. Unfortunately, among the side effects it has on me are restlessness and tremors, comparable to downing a couple of cups of black coffee. I managed to sleep for a total of  only 30 minutes after that.

While doing my makeup I could feel my hands shaky and my mind, groggy- like having a hangover.  With God’s help, I managed to finish my look. The drug’s ill effects slowly wore off.

Will I recommend other brides to do their own makeup? Only if they really know what they’re doing and they can handle the pressure. I suggest that you read Robert Jones’ book on wedding makeovers and practice over and over again. If you’re not happy with the results,you should leave it to the experts. I must say even if you’re a makeup artist, doing it on yourself could be really challenging. There is no one to check you on all angles.Personally, if I were to have my wedding all over again, I’d still choose to do my own makeup. Well, except if  Steven Doloso, Juan Sarte, Lourd Ramos or Chechel Joson were there to help me out, I’d gladly give in.  Otherwise, it’s just me and my trusty brushes.

Pardon my long absence from this blog. It is partly because of my preparations for an important event in our lives. My hubby and I had our church wedding after 2 years of being legally married. Of course, I did my own makeup. Not because I’m such a scrooge or anything but because I wanted to make sure the look I had in mind will be properly executed. Doing one’s own makeup during her wedding can be really nerve wracking, but it was well worth it. Here are some shots from our prenup shoot by Dustein Sibug. Click play to watch the AVP.

Wedding pics to follow.

Come February 26-28, 2009 (that’s this week already), The Philippine International Cosmetologists Association (PICA), the leading organization of beauty and wellness professionals and the only association accredited by TESDA, is proudly staging the “COSMETOLOGIE 2009: BEAUTY,WELLNESS & TRENDS” at the SMX Convention Center.

It is a 3-day gathering of the Philippines’ most prestigious beauty gurus, with live demonstrations on hair and make-up trends. Celebrity make up artist Fanny Serrano, Smashbox regional trainor for Asia (my teacher) Lourd Ramos, and beauty queen-turned-make up artist Abbygale Arenas will all have separate sessions on red carpet make-up, airbrush techniques and TV commercial make-up, among the many interesting topics to be discussed.

If you’re into fashion, top designer Rene Salud will be talking about Filipino fabrics in fashion. Fashion fairs and runway shows will also be staged. Some seminar sessions are free, while others come with a minimal fee (P200). Anybody can attend the convention for only P100 entrance per day.

Booths showcasing the latest make-ups and tools are likewise something to look forward to.

I will definitely be coming to this rare occasion. I already booked a plane ticket months ago for these dates to attend a convention of family physicians . Incidentally, it will be held on the same dates as cosmetologie 2009 so right now I’m busting up my brains trying to figure out how to attend both.

For schedule of activities and more info, visit the Cosmetologie 2009 site. See you there!

Women like me with lashes that are barely there should start rejoicing. Finally, there’s a drug marketed to grant our wish- Latisse,   a treatment for sparse eyelashes!

Gone are the days when we would dab castor oil to our lashes to make them fuller. The opthamologic safety of the Castor oil has long been in question, so try it at your own risk. Latisse, on the other hand, has passed the scrutinizing eyes of the US FDA, earning its seal of approval.

Apparently, glaucoma patients were not only getting well from their condition but were growing thicker, longer and darker lashes, as the active ingredient of Latisse is bimatoprost, a prostaglandin analog which was approved for the treatment of eye disorders like glaucoma. The side effects created fuller lashes. This time, the drug is officially approved to address the cosmetic concerns of enhancing the eyelashes.

To use it, apply nightly to the upper lash line using the accompanying applicators. It was specified that the product shouldn’t be used on the lower lash lines due to possible lid pigmentation. Continued use for 8 to 16 weeks is advised, for best results. Once disrupted, you’re back to square one.

Don’t get too excited as this isn’t available in the market yet. It has just been approved by the FDA but is expected to hit the US drugstores by 1st quarter of this year. This will be sold by prescription only. Suggested retail price is $120 for a month’s supply (ouch. why do i feel like reaching for the castor oil instead? ).

Aside from the steep price, be wary of possible reactions for those with hypersensitivity issues. Be very careful not to instill it  beyond the recommended areas of application to avoid lowering you intraocular pressure (remember, this was used for glaucoma) and producing iris pigmentation if applied directly to the eye. If you’re not careful enough you could end up joining the furry friends league. There is potential for latisse to stimulate hair growth wherever it comes repeatedly in contact with, so you could be growing hair on the wrong places.  Also, if you’re on the family way, delay the use of this after pregnancy because this isn’t safe for the fetus.

So are you ready for longer, fab lashes?

Model: Nicole Floirendo
Photography: Dustein Sibug
Makeup: Grace Pamparo-Bandoy

I’m alive! What better way to stage my comeback than discussing on the immortal creatures that earned the massive following of movie goers and book lovers alike- The Cullen Family of Twilight? More than a month after the movie’s release, it’s a hang over more difficult to let go of, than that of the  long holiday season.

Having read the book before watching it, I was not as disappointed with the movie as I expected. Circulating in the net are rants about the movie not at par with the book, or the characters not being close to what they imagined. Well, for me the movie production was so-so. Not bad but not outstanding, either. At some points I would compare it to a movie produced by a budding film student. I was looking for the ethereal look from the Cullens that the LOTR had on its elves but it wasn’t there. Honestly, the Edward I had my mind was someone like Nate of Gossip Girl series or anyone who would pass for a younger version of Brad Pitt or Superman, and have the power to put you under a spell the way Legolas did on me. The original choices Henry Cavill or Gaspard Uliel were more like it. However, Robert Pattinson’s charm sort of grows on you. He’s ok for me. He looks like Brendan Fraser in some angles. What’s not ok was his makeup in the beginning of the movie.

Edward and Carlisle’s appearances in the earlier parts of the movie were a little too creepy. It was screaming white Snazaroo, or Mac chromacake or Mehron face paints. There was a scene in the laboratory in which Edward was talking to Bella, his side view was focused, revealing a darker neck than his face. Carlisle coming into the emergency room scene on the other hand, would leave you running for the emergency exit when you see his freaky white ghostly skin as though the angel of death has come to get you. I think it was a little overdone. With that conspicuous appearance, it would be a wonder why the village people haven’t burned them down. I know the Cullens were supposed to look whiter than most but it was taken a little too extreme to have you looking for Powder Boy as the missing Cullen son. It would have been easy to make albinism as a genetic culprit for the weird skin depigmentation but it was not in the story. Besides, the other Cullens’ makeup were fine. In the later parts of the movie, Edward and Carlisle’s makeup were more tolerable. Ok, I say a  lot better.

I am looking forward to better makeups on the movie’s sequel, “New Moon,” which is set for release on November 2009. The ethereal element, if they could squeeze that in would be nice, too.