In Full Bloom

It was one Saturday and it was raining cats and dogs where most people would love to sleep in and stay home. However, this was not the case for me. I was in a very sunny mood and also much excited to work. I was actually praying that we would push through with the project that day as I would be helping out some very special ladies look their best and be camera ready for their shoot. No, I do not know them nor have I met them yet in person, but for me, next to brides on their big day, they are literally glowing and are in full bloom: soon-to-be-moms. I texted my good friend Feliz Lucas of Lifestyle by Feliz to confirm if we are good to go to which she happily said yes. Together with her spunky photographer husband, Jayjay Lucas of Chestknots Studios, they organized a fun maternity shoot. When she texted me a few days earlier to ask if I wanted to help out, I knew it was going to be a blast so I volunteered. In their Facebook Ad, the expectant moms were supposed to come all made-up with hair and makeup. She told me later on that there were some clients who requested if they can
avail of the hair and makeup service at the venue of the shoot.

Now we fast forward to Saturday, after dropping off my daughter at my parent’s house, I arrived at Pioneer Studios where we were having the shoot about 30 minutes earlier than my call time so I could to settle in and set up. It was a very cozy place that made one feel at home and at ease while working. A few minutes later my first client and soon-to-be mom, Nieva arrived with her very supportive sister. She said she just wanted to look natural and fresh for the shoot.

Sexy expectant mom Nieva at 7 months


Next is my client Sylvia. She came in with her husband Marvin all the way from Lipa, Batangas. They braved the storm to have fun with the other expectant moms and dads. Like Nieva, she wanted a fresh natural look for her make-up and luscious curls for her hair.

Sweet and Supportive Soon-to-be-dad Marvin with beautiful soon-to-be-mom Sylvia

Simply breath-taking photo of pregnant Sylvia at 5 months


While I was helping their beauty glow even more for the cameras, I was also able to give the expectant moms a few tips I learned about motherhood and breastfeeding. I told them that they will get all sorts of advice from everyone about being a mom but they should not be pressured to follow everyone of them. It will ultimately be a test and adventure with their husbands to firmly decide how they want to raise their own child and learn how to just politely nod to ideas that they may not necessarily want to follow. Based on my experience, I also advised them to treasure their times alone with their husband and cherish sleep as early as now before their baby comes out because having a baby is definitely life-changing … in a good way of course.

It’s too bad my husband was not available to take behind the scene shots while I was working. I didn’t even have a camera on hand but thanks to my trusty old Nokia E52, I managed to take a few pictures to share with you.

Some pictures with my new found friends and proud expectant parents after the photoshoot :

As an added bonus, I even got cool give-aways from Tiny Buds and wall decals from Mesh


I have never seen that many pregnant bellies together at once. It was indeed a unique and cool inspiring way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon: being able to work with some of the most talented photographers and stylists and be surrounded by some really beautiful ladies beaming with pride for the God-given gift inside their womb.

My sexy momma friend Feliz Lucas, also in full bloom at 9 months

* Otherwise indicated, all photos and styling were done by Chestknots Studios

Project: The Blush Challenge

Project Runway, America’s Next Top Model, Shear Genius: These are just some of my favorite reality TV competition series as they are very much related to my field of expertise. With series like these, I get to hit two birds with one stone because they are not only fun to watch but I also get to learn a thing or two about the beauty industry. You could just imagine my excitement a few months ago when Velvet channel aired season one of Blush: The Search For the Next Great Makeup Artist. It’s like Project Runway but instead of designers, it’s for make-up artists like me! I was surfing channels one time and when I discovered this one, it was like I hit the jackpot.

Taken from their official show website this is how the show works:

In Lifetime’s new reality competition series, "Blush: The Search for the Next Great Makeup Artist," contestants from around the country will compete for a contract as a professional artist with Max Factor, a cash prize of $100,000 and the opportunity to be the makeup artist for an upcoming InStyle photo shoot.
In each episode, the contestants, all living under one roof in Los Angeles, compete in two different makeup competitions, designed to test the skills and personality traits — including compassion and confidence — necessary for success in the field. Following the second challenge, one contestant will be eliminated.

Nine Makeup Artists compete for the title

Mentor Charlie Green with contestant Maura "Mo" Lewitts and her model


How cool is that? I watched every episode of it and tried to glean every bit of wisdom and tips I could gain to help me in my profession. It shows how being makeup artist is not just about being able to whip up a look for the client with fluffy brushes and all that some consider superficial. It is a serious business that entails hardwork, determination, creativity, and passion for the craft. Being able to collaborate with other people in the industry is equally important as the looks you create should jive with what the art director, photographer, stylist and whoever is calling the shots would envision it to be with a touch of your signature style in it. They say art could not be rushed but with this industry, makeup artists must be able to work with speed and precision and be able to deliver results with grace under pressure. All of these, I believe, the reality competition series was successful to capture what goes on in real life.

The series is over and instead of just talking about the blow by blow account of each episode here about who won the challenge and the drama that transpired between the contestants, I decided to do something different. There is a saying that learning is not confined to the four walls of the classroom and another that states that experience is a great teacher. So to take my learning process up a notch, I will be taking on what I call the Blush Challenge. Every so often, I will be posting about one challenge in one of the episodes and try to do it myself as if I were the contestant in the series. I will be looking for volunteer models on whom I could create the required looks for in the same amount of time that was given to the competitors in the show. Leave a comment below if you’re willing to be my victim… I mean volunteer. (haha) If my mentors are up for it, I could even invite them to be the judges too. That way, I could get constructive criticism for my work. Do watch out for it, be a part of my own adventure series coming very soon brought to you by Royal Blush.

Judges Joanna Schlip, Hal Rubinstein and Danni Minogue

Contestant Todd Homme with model

Now I’m wondering now if there’s ever going to be season 2 for Blush. If there will be a contest like that here in the Philippines, I would definitely love to join. Meanwhile, I would take every opportunity to grow and learn in my craft and the Blush Challenge is just one of them. I just love learning. Whatever profession you are in, you should use the gifts and talents God has given you and create opportunities to learn and grow. Seize the moment. For me, it makes life more interesting, fun and just worth living. After all, what could be better than having our Heavenly Father say to us in the end, “ Well done, good and faithful servant. ”

Beauty Icon : Disarming Beauty

I did mention in my first blogpost that I will be featuring some beauty icons as part of the regular dose of inspirations for inner and outer beauty. My goal is to write about someone who isn’t necessarily the Hollywood standard for what a beauty icon is yet whose life, example and even physical appearance would rightly name her so. It’s quite a challenge since our idea of beauty has been molded with how media brands it to be. Around two weeks ago, my husband and I were watching a random movie at home. The title of the movie was “Soul Surfer ” It didn’t quite catch my interest at first but for me, watching any movie with my husband is time well spent. By the time we finished, I knew it was something worth blogging about.


The movie was based on a true story about a young lady named Bethany Hamilton. She was born to a family of surfers in Hawaii. Her love for the sport started early on. In fact she started competing and winning when she was just eight years old. With the support of her family and friends and a love for God, there was no stopping this girl from pursuing her dreams to go pro. The future seemed bright for her up until that dark moment when a 14-foot tiger shark chewed off her left arm while she was calmly waiting for a wave to ride with a friend. She was just 13 years old then. She lost not just over 60% of her blood from the shark attack but also her left arm. She survived through surgeries without infection and fully recovered. Many believe it was her faith in God and a huge dose of positive attitude that pulled her through probably the darkest, most traumatic experience of her life.

It’s a no-brainer even for non-surfers like me that one would need both arms to balance oneself on a surfboard and do other simple things we do like dress up, feed oneself and all that. It was already a miracle that she survived through that ordeal and go on with her normal daily life. But wait there’s more! (haha! Just like those home TV shopping channels...) She braves the waters within a month after her attack and goes back to pursue her dreams of becoming a professional surfer! In two months time, she competes and wins 5th place. She continues to compete and win and within a year she wins 1st place the Explorer Women’s division of the 2005 NSSA National Championships – winning her first National Title.

“Out of the water, Bethany has grown from a young teenage girl with aspirations of becoming a professional surfer into a twenty-year old professional surfer with aspirations of becoming a beacon of inspiration and hope. Through the platform of professional sport, Bethany has been able to touch a large number of people with her message, charitable efforts, and overall spirit. Bethany just launched her own foundation,Friends of Bethany, which supports shark attack survivors, traumatic amputees, and serves to inspire others through her life story, and is involved in numerous other charitable efforts” – quoted from bethanyhamilton.com

It was not just the surviving and winning that makes Bethany Hamilton a true beauty icon. It was her unwavering faith in God who made her persevere and never give up to pursue her dreams that inspired me a lot to do the same. She didn’t turn bitter and sour with the tragedy she experienced but rather she turned to God who turned her mourning into dancing, her sorrow into joy.

Like Bethany, we all have hopes and dreams. We may have experienced some disappointments along the way that somehow have crushed our souls. But we still have both arms to raise and praise our God who gave us those desires to pursue. Don’t let those challenges make us ugly and bitter. Like her, may we all turn to God who molds us to bloom and be better than we were before.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Have you trusted God to give you an extreme makeover?
To find out how, click Contact Me and I’d be willing to share the beauty secret with you!