The transformative power of color correction

MANILA, Philippines - I am one of the many who think that BB cream is God-sent since, as a woman who loves short cuts, it saved me a lot of vanity time and money thanks to its multitasking factor. For those who haven’t been reading YStyle, BB stands for “Blemish Balm” or “Beauty Balm,” depending on where you’re from. BB cream is a miracle product since “It’s a bridge between makeup and skincare” says Lori Taylor, lead artist of Smashbox cosmetics. It’s like a powered-up tinted moisturizer that got hyped in South Korea and quickly spread across the globe. According to Allison Berry of Time magazine, “These hybrid products are a growing market segment in the beauty industry, reaching $36 million in 2012.” I became a BB cream convert in 2011 when I visited Seoul where everybody, including the garbage man who is constantly exposed to dirt, has porcelain skin. I left Seoul with a hard drive full of downloads and a handful of BB cream to last me a decade.

Unfortunately, I had a major skin problem last year that forced me to lay off coffee and makeup. It was a dark period in my life until dermatologist Dr. Michael Chua fixed it with numerous IPL+ Spanish peel treatments. I also finally purchased a Clarisonic, which is a beauty magic wand I will definitely take if I join Survivor. I stopped wearing makeup but as an event photographer, I can’t help but feel like a peasant during high society events whenever my sallow skin and dark under-eyes are not covered up.

Last month, YStyle assigned me to cover an event I could not refuse: Get up-close and personal with Smashbox and Sara Black. The event launched Beauty Bar brand ambassador Mikaela Lagdameo-Martinez and the latest products from Smashbox cosmetics. It was held at Sara Black Studios in Makati, which for that day, was transformed into Smashbox studios in Los Angeles, complete with a DJ, an army of makeup artists, hip caterers serving cocktails, beauty VIPs and a top photographer present — no other than Sara Black.

As beauty historians know, Smashbox cosmetics was founded by beauty royalty Dean Factor and Davis Factor (yes, as in Max Factor’s great grandsons). Dean and Davis first started Smashbox studios in Los Angeles in 1990, at a time when Adobe Photoshop was just released and when retouching meant makeup artists had to do most of the work on the spot instead of major post-processing by digital retouchers. Since photographers Dean and Davis were constantly unhappy with how makeup looked in their images, they decided to create Smashbox cosmetics in 1996. Since then, Smashbox cosmetics have produced award-winning “perfect canvas” products such as the primer, foundation and concealer that leave Smashbox fans illuminated and camera-ready.

I went straight to the event after a photo assignment. The only thing I had on my face was remnants of sunscreen so I looked like I was ready to pass out. I had to deal with my issues with makeup right then and there since it’s not every day I get a photo-ready makeover. Making the sign of the cross, I went to makeup artist Mayesa Delos Santos who asked me which look I preferred. Without thinking, I told her I wanted to look like I had eight glorious hours of sleep. Mayesa immediately understood and worked on my face while Chris Rodil from L’Oreal fixed my messy crown of hair. Mayesa used concealer to highlight and lighten my dark under-eyes, Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer to hydrate my dry skin, Brow Tech To-Go to correct my “Vanilla Ice” eyebrows, some Color Correcting Foundation Primer for my redness, HD Foundation to highlight and contour my round face, plus the Photo Op Eyeshadow Trio, The Nude Lip Pencil, and Lip Enhancing Gloss in Pixel to give my deadpan face a boost.

After my makeup was done, I got my photo taken by Sara Black who made a lot of people happy, yours truly included, since many “pang profile photo” images were taken that day. But one thing that made me more excited was the Smashbox CC cream. CC now stands for “Color Control” or “Complexion Correction.” According to Ria Tan, brand manager of Smashbox Cosmetics, “Each brand defines BB from CC cream differently. Some brands would say the CC is better than the BB. But for Smashbox it’s not. It just gives you another option. So if you have dark spots or uneven skin tone and you need more coverage, you go for the CC.” Frankly, she had me at “dark spots.” As soon as I got home, I did my five-step cleansing ritual and immediately tried the Smashbox CC cream. I was like a tourist again who discovered BB cream for the first time in a random department store in Seoul. I just used half the size of a pea but focused more on the center where I still had acne scars. It felt so light and had no scent, which I love about the CC cream. When I felt the cream settled, I grabbed my iPhone and took a selfie like any humble bragging human being who is utterly pleased with her once badly-scarred face. I love the product and will include it in my camera bag. And you know how I realized that Smashbox delivered its camera-ready promise?Hashtag #NoFilter! And this is coming from a person who paid for the MullerPhoto app. Call me when the DD or ZZ cream is out!

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Smashbox CC cream is available in all Beauty Bar branches. Shop online at Shop.beautybar.com.ph.