Some comments are really funny but true, such as how Gretchen Barreto was missing the broomstick with the avant garde dark makeup and black shapeless dress. Others are plain rude, perhaps out of fan rivalries.

The  star of the night for me would be Kristine Hermosa, whose makeup and outfit speak royalty, even with the baby bump. Being a makeup artist herself, she clearly knows what looks good on her.

Melai Cantiveros looked simple yet pretty. Someone even commented that she should stick with the makeup artist who dolled her up that night. But then her gown looks rented from a wedding shop.

There were a number of actresses who donned white, but it was Kim Chiu who pulled it off elegantly without looking like a bride waiting for her groom in a mass wedding.

Jodi Sta. Maria, a highly esteemed actress of her generation is as classy as ever, although I think the look would have been more neat with her hair pulled up.

Speaking of hair, Kiray Celis  happens to have one of the most gorgeous hair styles that night. But apart from the hair and the handsome partner, well.. Kiray is a young comedienne after all- the outfit must have been a joke.

If you want a nice peg for a prom, check out Mara Clara star, Kathryn Bernardo’s hair. The gown and makeup are just right for her age.  A good example of  how young people should look during formal events

I’m a fan of nude lipsticks but it didn’t go right with some celebrities like Megan Young, whose pallid lips didn’t do justice to her Hollywood-worthy beauty. Disturbing to see was Lovi Poe who was Jake Cuenca’s date for the night. Her divinely morena features are usually stunning,  but  she looked rather tired and dehydrated at the Star Magic Ball. The messy hair and nude lipstick didn’t help, either. The pale colors of the dress would have been balanced with darker lip colors.  The hair defined her look for the night- messy.

On the contrary, Bea Alonzo wore super red lips which aged her a lot. I prefer her with pinkish lip shades. Somehow the dress and overall look seemed as if she was channeling Dolly Parton on her way to the Casino.

A lot of male actors had makeup gone bad. Grooming is undeniably difficult for males, as some makeup artists tend to put makeup on them in the same way that it is applied on females, leaving the guys  emasculated. Some had obviously lighter foundation and shiny lipgloss. With flash photography, the foundation mismatch can get accentuated, downgrading the makeup artist into a mortician.

For the males, among  the best would have to be Xian Lim and Rafael Rosell who looked like they stepped out of  GQ Magazine. Oyo Sotto, is not to be missed, whose dashing good looks perfectly matched her ethereally beautiful wife.

See the pictures for yourself at the Yahoo Philippines entertainment page .

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MEGA Fashion Crew Season 2 is a boobtube venture of one of my favorite glossy magazines, MEGA, which  spotlights on the creative people working behind the scenes for exquisite fashion spreads: the makeup artist, hair stylist, fashion stylist, model and photographer.

It started with 60 participants from different fields  aiming to penetrate into the Philippine fashion industry. Each week, the number is tapered  down until the 5 ultimate winners  emerge. The second episode was sponsored by L’oreal hair, thus focusing the shoot on glorious locks. I find it interesting how the crew members came up with their own versions of a hair fashion editorial. I felt for the model with curly hair who seemed to be in agony while the hair stylist was mercilessly straightening it out. Pulling off a spectacular fashion editorial is not just about the photographer and the model, who oftentimes receive the louder praises. The makeup artist, hairstylist and fashion stylists work just as hard for high -end results, and should be applauded for their efforts too.

In this week’s panel of judges, I never realized how the benign-looking Phoem Baranda could bluntly speak out her thoughts. I actually agreed with her on some points but I guess I’m just shocked at the different side of Phoem that we don’t usually see on TV. The other judges blurted out varying degrees of snarky comments, but I was amused at Phoem’s brutally honest opinions.

If I were told the art I created was reminiscent of a shoot for a starlet, I’d probably be scarred for life.  But then comments like this are nothing compared to what really happens in the cut-throat business of fashion. Contestants most likely know what they’re getting into so disheartening comments should fuel them forward instead  of stripping off confidence.  I guess in any field, we can’t expect all people to be tactful with their criticisms. There will always be mentors and tormentors along the way.

It was evident how the contestants were so passionate about their own crafts and I’m looking forward to what they can offer in the following weeks. Among the talented roster of participants is photographer Melson Bolongaita from Cagayan de Oro, whose exceptional eye for beauty should be celebrated, whether or not  he wins in this competition.

On the technical side, I was having difficulties deciphering some of the conversations because there were times when the audio would get really soft then turn loud in an instant.

Despite the horrific challenges that the artists have to go through, I applaud MEGA publishing for staging a TV show that pays attention to the creative minds  that are usually the unsung heroes in the riveting world of fashion. I just hope they’d be accorded due respect even during the contest.

The MEGA Fashion Crew airs at ETC,  7:00 PM on Saturdays, with replays on Sundays, 10:00 AM. I just wish they had more schedule of replays or upload it somewhere in the net so more people can view it. Visit their website at http://www.megastyle.ph/

If you’ve watched it, what do you think of it?  Too bad I didn’t catch the first episode so I couldn’t really tell which part my friend found lackadaisical  but if I were a TV marketing specialist, I’d hire this friend to stir up people’s  interest in a show, just as how he did on me.

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Every month, StyleCandy posts its latest collection on its facebook page where customers can have a peek into its newest offerings and even order online. For the months of July and August, I’ve been privileged to be part of its shoot. This time, I Iaid my makeup brushes to rest and documented the shoot instead through photo and video. My team members Miraflor Chaves-Lamatan and Geovanne Calulo handled the makeup and hair, respectively, while Reux Ceballos was the official photographer. The lovely towering twins Jane and Loise Macaling were chosen to be StyleCandy’s muses for the months of July and August.

Apart from the fashionable items that cater to the urban divas, the store also carries shirts for kids and adults. StyleCandy boasts of   its comfy shirt dresses, designed by the owner herself, Ms. Kristine Tan.

If in Cagayan de Oro, you may visit StyleCandy at Tomas Saco 34 (across Loreto’s Grill and Restaurant), Nazareth. No worries if you’re elsewhere in the Philippines, as they offer online shopping through their facebook page. I can assure you you’ll find something you like coz I myself gave in to the pretty  yet affordable collections. While shooting the models, I was simultaneously asking the owner the prices of some clothes I fancied and made a mental note to buy them afterwards. I later picked a pair of harem pants and studded jacket. On top of the reasonable prices,  they offer credit card payments!

Below are some shots I took with my camera, showcasing the collections that they currently have in store. I’m also embedding the short video I shot using Canon 60D. Be sure to like StyleCandy on facebook to browse through a lot more items that aren’t shown here.

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It’s in the genes! Danica Magpantay, daughter of former supermodel-turned-makeup artist Lala Flores won the Supermodel of the World title on January 22, 2011 in New York City.

Who could forget Lala Flores’ reign on the ramp 2 decades ago? Oozing with X-factor, she bagged  the much coveted Supermodel of the Philippines title in 1990 and got the Crest Best Smile award when she represented the country abroad.  After getting married to Pogs Magpantay and shying away from the spotlight, she continued to make her mark in the fashion industry as a topnotch makeup artist.

Now, the spotlight is on her 17 year old daughter Danica, who bested more than 70 other candidates from all over the globe in the prestigious Ford Modeling contest. Danica’s dusky complexion, killer bone structure, and long legs are all reminiscent of the younger Lala Flores. She has an equally stunning sister named Danielle who made it to the top 8 of the Supermodel of of the Philippines competition last October 2010, in which Danica grabbed the plum prize. Danielle, however, is proud and in full support of her sister.

Danica, a UP Fine Arts  student, brings home the title of the first ever Filipina Supermodel of the World (Charlene Almarvez was 1st runner up in 2010, Charo Ronquillo placed 3rd in 2006). She also snags a $250,000 modeling contract with the Ford Modeling Agency.

credits to the respective owners of the above photos

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Michelle Phan is one of my favorite beauty video bloggers whose phenomenal success in youtube caught the attention of one of the biggest cosmetics companies, Lancome. She recently inked a deal with them as the brand’s official video makeup artist. In addition to her regular makeup tutorials, she will be making a video each month, featuring her favorite Lancome products, trends and events. Michelle, who was once turned down when she applied as a sales associate in a department store for the same company, proves that dreams do come true – if desired ardently enough. She’s on a roll as she lands on the pages of the Vogue Magazine’s US issue next month.

The Vogue feature wouldn’t be complete without Bryanboy, the wildly popular fashion blogger from the Philippines who attracts around 5,000 page views on his blog on a daily basis. His signature bag pose, fashion IQ, along with his witty and often times bitchy commentaries, earned the thumbs up of fashion enthusiasts all over the world, including top designers like Marc Jacobs, who named a handbag after him- the BB ostrich bag. It comes as no surprise that Bryanboy is now gracing Vogue, which is considered to be the gold standard in fashion magazines. What can we say, he’s used to the fabulous lifestyle.

Michelle and Bryanboy are joined by other famous bloggers like Tommy Ton, Garancé Doré, Mary Tomer, Yvan Rodic, Todd Selby, Hannelli Mustaparta, and Catherine Kallon.

Below is a video from Style.com capturing some snippets from the magazine shoot.

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I noticed the semblance of our model, Camille, with young actress Maja Salvador as I was doing her makeup. The glamour rendered by Dustein’s photos further leaves you wondering if she’s part of Star Magic’s stable of talents.

Yes, there are indeed lots of pretty faces and talented photographers in Cagayan de Oro. The only thing we lack is the magazine to put all these fabulous fashion spreads.

While our country is still recovering from the damages caused by  back to back typhoons Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepeng (Parma), celebrities have innovated a way to generate more funds by donating their goods. Actress Angel Locsin lives up to her name and spearheads this noble project.

Don’t be jealous of the beneficiaries, though. Authentic Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Burberry items will not be directly given to the victims, as fashion is not among the priorities of Mang Juan and Aling Nena for now. Instead, the expensive and fashionable bags and shoes will  be auctioned online through  the Shop & Share website which opened yesterday. The revenues will go straight into the Philippine National Red Cross’ Disaster Relief Efforts.

Joining forces with  Angel Locsin are Anne Curtis, Kris Aquino, Dimples Romana, Jake Cuenca, Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Luis Manzano, Marian Rivera and couple more. Yes Papa P (Piolo Pascual) is showing his support as well. But sorry girls, a date with him isn’t up for auction.

If you want to walk in the shoes of Pokwang (LV size 6) on glass tiles or fill the bigger shoes of Ruffa Gutierrez ( Tory Burch Heels size 10) and you have the money for it, go and start bidding now at http://shopandshare.ph! The LV monogram tote of Kris Aquino is waiting for its new owner and Heart Evangelista’s pretty face might just rub off on you when you wear her Fendi shades (but don’t blame me if it doesn’t).

Image from Shop & Share

If you are a true-blue fashionista and are finding ways to reach out to the typhoon victims, bidding at the site is a win-win situation. But do hurry. As of writing, the $399 starting bid of Anne Curtis’ LV backpack has escalated to $900, with 23 rabid bidders. International buyers are more than welcome to join because the auction process is made possible through ebay.com.

This early, I’m congratulating the organizers of this project! We’re starting to see the other side of these celebrities beyond the superficial facets of their showbiz lives. May God bless their beautiful souls.

Just finished watching one of my favorite 80′s movie: “The Mannequin” the Kim Catrall and Andrew McCarthy  flick which catapulted the song ” Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” to the top of the music charts. Don’t ask how old I was when the movie became a  hit.

I was amazed at how  Kim Catrall evolved from the sweetheart doll into the bombshell character that she played in the popular TV series Sex and the City’s which I enjoyed as well.  Sad that they had to end it.

Speaking of “Sex and the City,” they are currently filming the sequel to the successful movie version released last year. News is that Catrall and Sarah Jessica Parker, the actress playing the role of the fashion savvy Carrie Bradshaw are not on speaking terms which is causing a lot of stress on the set of the current movie. Here’s hoping they iron out any differences between them. I’m a big fan of the two but I totally adore Carrie’s fashion sense. Well, who doesn’t?

In case you haven’t noticed, Carrie has been spotted a lot of times wearing Mikimoto Pearls as her fashion arsenals. She can wear that little black dress without looking too safe or boring by accentuating it with these signature pieces of jewelry. Lovely, isn’t it?

Mikimoto Kōkichi is the Japanese entrepreneur who discovered the methods for culturing pearls as jewelries, hence the name. Mikimoto pearls are fine, exquisite fashion accessories which are not at all the types that you would find in the flea market. They come at a cost but then with its quality, who could complain?  If you wanna strut just like Carrie, investing in these fabulous fashion accents may be a good start.

The slated date for release of the SATC Movie part 2 is on May 28, 2010. Mark your calendar, fashionistas!

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Photo from Instyle.com

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