We can admit it–we’re always looking for an excuse to indulge in a day devoted to beauty. We got to do just that when Bobbi Brown opened their stand-alone store at SM Seaside City (their first outside Metro Manila!) and brought along chief training artist Tamara Pineda (or Tammy, as she adds with a smile).

As a brand, Bobbi Brown know that women are most beautiful when they look and feel like themselves. The personality behind the brand believes in creating products that help women look and feel like the best version of themselves. The philosophy is something that’s taken to heart, and it’s even written in script on their handy makeup pouches: Be who you are.

Charming, cheerful and someone who definitely knows what she’s doing, Tammy happily answered our beauty questions while taking us through the brand’s skincare and makeup lines. Through all of it though, we picked up some basic everyday tips.

Skin is always in.

Tammy couldn’t stress this enough–the most important thing in your makeup routine is skincare. Clean, tone and moisturize may sound simple enough, but they do wonders for your face in the long run.

And when you’re feeling a little worse for wear, Bobbi Brown recently released Remedies. The specially formulated line specifically addresses different skin issues–the Skin Reviver to brighten up tired skin; the Skin Relief to battle redness and irritation; the Skin Clarifier to unclog and clarify pores; the Skin Moisture Solution that pulls moisture into the skin; the Skin Fortifier to rebuild and strengthen skin’s structure; and the Skin Salve for chapped, cracked skin. Just a two drops on a freshly clean face will do wonders, and make the rest of your skincare routine a lot more effective (and your daily makeup a lot faster).

Find your best match.

Speaking of cutting down your makeup time, Tammy emphasizes the importance of finding the right shade of foundation. “The problem with a lot of Filipinos is that they pick a lighter shade, and have to blend it in all the way to the neck,” she shares. “Why not just find the right shade and save all that time, right?”

She also says that when shopping for foundation, you shouldn’t be afraid to put it on your face. “I’ve seen so many people looking for foundation, but they’ll swatch on their arm. That’s not the same color,” she continues. She suggests taking two or three shades and creating swatches on your cheeks to see which color really disappears into the skin. “Also, you can do some swatches on your forehead. That’s usually a little darker than the rest of your face because it gets the most light.”

Tamara Pineda (photo from Instagram)

Go into the highlight zone.

One of our Bobbi Brown favorites is the Shimmer Brick, a palette of powders that you can use to add some glow to your look. The Shimmer Brick comes in bronze and pink palettes, and individual colors can be used to do eye makeup as well. Trust us, we know the impact that comes with a simple highlight.

For this, Tammy says to sweep the product into the parts of the face that gets hit by the light–the apples of the cheeks, the nose, your Cupid’s bow and the forehead.

Don’t be afraid of easy.

Even though she’s a makeup artist, Tammy admits her everyday look is pretty basic. She takes a deep breath and enumerates the steps a simple daily look should entail–skincare, concealer, eyebrows, mascara, blush and a little highlight, lipstick. Doesn’t sound all that hard to us.

In fact, don’t be afraid. Period.

Makeup is supposed to be fun. Experiment with colors and looks, and keep experimenting until you find the best look that works for you. “At the end of the day, you can just wipe it off,” Tammy adds.

If you really don’t know where to start, though, you can visit any of the Bobbi Brown counters and stores. Their artists are happy to answer any questions or to do quick tutorials–and that comes with absolutely no pressure.

Bobbi Brown is at Rustan’s Department Store in Ayala Center Cebu and SM Seaside City Cebu.