tuwenti-porK

Posted this on Facebook on my birthday (February 21, 2011). Just sharin' :)

Look who’s 24 today! Too old to be young and too young to be old, they say. But when it comes to lesions and lemons that life occasionally throw my way, I say, I’m still a kid who’s got a lot to learn. Listed below are 24 things, realizations, kembulers, and whatnots in my 24 years of walking ‘round ze Earth…okay, ze Philippines, with a Post-it stuck on my back that says “Kick me or I Kick U”.

Numbuh 1: When in doubt, wear black. (Please don’t comment about my skin tone, I know, I’m forever in doubt)

Numbuh 2: In school, grades are nothing but numbers so enjoy, make friends, and don’t be too selfish with your test answers—get into the habit of sharing. Heehee.

Numbuh 3: A writer’s only as good as his last article.

Numbuh 4: I’m not a perpek Englisher unless we speak Inglis in da haus often or I live in de America for many years or I’m an amerikano when I was a petus. So pak op! Wag magpapanggap na inglisero o mag-feeling porenjer kung mula split end mo hanggang ingrown eh Pinoy na Pinoy ka dahil nakakasuka. Well, maliban na lang kung si Charice Pempengco Pempengmo Pempengnatinglahat ka na at kailangan mo na talagang mag-ingles para maintindihan ng buong mundo. Ngunit post ko naman ito kaya pagbigyan muna.

Numbuh 5: When things get shitty, release, stand up, wipe yo ass, and flush it.

Numbuh 6: Friends whom you’ve shared your The Moffatts, Hanson, N Sync, Backstreet boys, and LFO days with are the ones who can definitely stand your craziness when you get older. Try calling ‘em up and say you’re finally willing to swap your Justin Timberlake poster with her Taylor Hanson centerfold.

Numbuh 7: Vampire and wolf sagas are cute only when the likes of R. Pattz and Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart play the roles. J.Lloyd Cruz and the rest of the Immortals? Uhh.. I don’t think so.

Numbuh 8: The last thing you’d want to do in a workplace is to make true friends.

Numbuh 9: Call it goal-setting, power of affirmation, law of attraction, or the miracle of owning it but whatever the documentary The Secret says, I believe, is true. In grade six, when my article got published in the school paper and, modesty aside, I was semi-declared as the first elementary student to ever be so and when my article about my Science teacher was published in Junior Inquirer the same year, I kinda had this feeling of ownership over a title—that I will become an editor-in-chief in 10 years. And poof! Hello Tinker Bell EIC :p In my Junior year, one friend asked me what my sport was. Of course, he’s unaware that handing out a cup of water was my sport then, so I told him Soccer/Football. Good thing he didn’t bother asking more questions; he must’ve realized that I was just pulling his leg so he said “Weh” and left. But thanks to you, my friend, for believing in me, I am now a football player. Next time I see you, Imma kick yo—ass? :p You attract and become what you think about most.

Numbuh 10: No one can put a talented man down. You may have skillz that killz but I got talent that—nevermind.

Numbuh 11: Padre Pio is real. I stand by what I say. HE IS REAL.

Numbuh 12: Never let your job title get in your head because after all, it’s just a title no matter how you inflate it. I’d go for an inflated paycheck than that.

Numbuh 13: That traveling ‘round the country ain’t baduy. It’s fun and enlightening, actually.

Numbuh 14: Sleep when you’re sleepy, or take a power nap that doesn’t go beyond 30 minutes or you’ll get a headache.

Numbuh 15: As Regina Brett said in her book, your job won’t take care of you when you are sick but your friends and family will. TRUE!

Numbuh 16: It gives this warm, fuzzy feeling, like you’ve found a new friend, when you’ve made amends with your sworn enemy way way back. Try texting or FB PMing your “unfriended” friend no matter how much you hated each other in the past and take it from there.

Numbuh 17: Once in your life, you’ll find your master—your guru—who will teach you the ropes and lead you to a straighter path.

Numbuh 18: Always be thankful.

Numbuh 19: It pays bigtime not to leave early in a presscon. Hello C6-01! :p

Numbuh 20: Give makeup discounts to bride-friends. They’ll love you for it.

Numbuh 21: I realized I never liked movies that have scoops of gore in it. But I love zombie movies—it makes my cousin clap 10 times whenever zombies attack and run after the bida. Seeing my cousin do that in a movie house is priceless.

Numbuh 22: Lablab your boypren and his family and they will love you back. Hello Iturraldes! Labyoooo Dada!!!

Numbuh 23: NO Family is ze beyst. We stick together through fatness and thinness; in sickness and in health; win or lose ‘til injuries make us fart.

Numbuh 24: Bigby’s restaurant and café, located at 3f, Mega Atrium, SM Megamall, is THE BEST!!!

MAKEUP FOR CCA CENTRAL

Yep, I am a professional makeup artist now heehee. Many many thanks to my mentors, Mama Lourd Ramos and Master Jim Ros :p

Did makeup for Chef Janice and some CCA students :)

WHEN BORED, I PAINT...MY FACE

Let's just say, I'm a struggling makeup artist. An orphan, simply put. I've always loved colors and how the hands can transform a blah-looking thing or a blank page into a marvelous creation, of course with splashes of colors and splotches of neon brights.

For years, I have not paid attention to the art and craft of makeup artistry until my friend, Ching Dorado, who once hosted a cable tv show asked me to do her makeup. Then my love for this kind of art sparked, evolved into a huge flame and never stopped burning ever since.

Thank heavens and the good Lord because months after, I got the chance to dip my shaky toes into the world of professional makeup artistry through the kindness and support (...and adoption) of Jim Ryan Ross, Senior Color Artist of Maybelline, and Lourd Ramos, Ambassador and Chief Makeup Artist of Smashbox Philippines.

I guess they saw my potential and invited (more on adopted :p) me to join their team. My first ever "PRO" gig was during Mutya ng Pilipinas 2010 at the Resorts World Manila.

WHOA. and WHOA. and WHOA some more. MNP!? You gotta be kidding me :p

But then again, my masters, Lourd and Jim, together with my supportive team mates (Verna, Ria, Yrynn, Donald, Apriel, Claire, Camille, Tin, and others who I might have forgotten to add :p), simply told me to do my thing and make my imagination run wild. Also, as a makeup artist, it's important, they said, to OWN IT. Yeah. OWN IT. Meaning you have to walk the walk and talk the talk and should there be any instance when I don't know what to do, their only advice is: "DON'T SHOW YOUR FEAR AND BELIEVE THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING EVEN IF YOU DON'T."

Makes sense right? It's a matter of attitude and belief in your craft, in your team mates, and most especially in yourself.

Ooookay. Back to regular programming :)

Few weeks ago, I felt bored. As in bored to bits. So what's a bored makeup artist got to do? Grab that trunk and scour through it for the brightest and wildest colors for quickie inspiration. But since I just finished watching (for nth time) Edward Scissorhands, I decided to whip up a girly version of Eddie.

Here goes...




Bwahahaha. Kaloka lang. :p

WATER COLOR PALETTE? LIPSTICK PALETTE? C'MOWN!

One of the perks of working for a magazine, a lifestyle magazine at that, is getting to have first-hand info and yeah, latest scoops on everything under the sun. Each time we get to have a photoshoot, I always find myself standing near the makeup artist; observing each stroke of the brush and how colors or unimaginable combination meld into one awesomely beautiful piece of art.

Stupid and non-stupid (:p) questions spurt outta my mouth whenever I get near our guest makeup artist. And it always amazes me that I leave the shoot venue with a handful of tips for me to bring home. One such tip is if you got lotsa lipsticks and you've got lotsa clients to do makeup on, MAC's Owen Sarmiento let me on in a secret. He showed me his trolley and there I saw, palettes and palettes of lipsticks housing various shades of MACs...and then the secret spilled:

"I just emptied and thoroughly washed water color palettes then turned it into lipstick palettes. Cheap yet functional," Owen said.


Woohoo! So months after the revelation, I immediately headed out to my fave bookstore and bought a clear, plastic water color palette; emptied and thoroughly washed it like Owen instructed and scooped some from the tubes and into their new home! :p

Here's my own:




Kayoooot right? :p

MUTYA NG PILIPINAS 2010 BEAUTIES

Did makeup for these Mutya ng Pilipinas 2010 beauties! Many thanks to Mama Lourd, Master Jim and the rest of the team for giving me this opportunity of a lifetime! :D

MAKEUP MADNESS

Loooooong blogging absence due to work and makeup gigs. Speaking of makeup gigs, I wanna share with all of you some of my obra maestras in the past few months. Enjoy!

(My pre-sore eyes muk ap)

(One boring Friday. Played with purples)

(Kim de Guzman, Mutya ng Subic)

(Sharon Angel, Mutya ng Lapu-Lapu)

(Cheenie Sy, Mutya ng Malolos)

(Suzette Hernandez, Mutya ng Batangas)

(Beauty ed for Zen Health Magazine)

(Cover shoot with Ms. Mae Paner aka Juana Change for H&L Magazine)

(Beauty ed for Zen Health Magazine)

(Wedding makeup trial for my friend Kalai)

Okidokie!

Chuchie Pogi

THE POGI CADET OFFICER WEARS (AND DOES) MAKEUP

Few years ago, I loathed makeup. I did not like the sticky feeling lipsticks bring and the way foundations and powders (layers and layers of it) suffocated my dear pores. I even swore I won't wear any makeup until the day I die (yes, not even the ones used for cadavers)
Fast forward to today. I am swallowing my half-masticated promise as, in fact, I have experienced my first-ever fashion show makeup gig. That night was a whirlwind of faces, tips, and experiences. I have learned how to coordinate with the staff and the models to get the look that they wanted; to be patient when I didn't get to perfect the look that I chose; to control my hunger pangs because I still had lotsa faces to finish; to smile despite the aching back and the strained legs; and finally, this makeup debut taught me how to be thankful.
Thankful because despite my lack of knowledge in the latest trends and techniques in makeup and my lack of proper and formal schooling (no budget eh), Papa God and the universe still gave me the chance to showcase my abilities and tell myself in the process that "Yes, Chuchie, I believe in you. Go kick some ass!"

Below are some of the faces that I have made...including my friend's...JORELLE BALITBIT :) (photo credits: Jorx Balitbit)

MAKEUP MADNESS