Ma. Nieva Cheryl Bastes got pregnant when she was 19 years old by a guy whose mother didn’t

(photo by Harold Orara)

If you think that the arrogant, wicked mother-in-law who meddles with her son’s life is just a creation of imagination for the boob tube, Cheryl’s experience proves otherwise. Cheryl’s mother-in-law did everything to show her resentment to her: from badmouthing her to treating her as if she was a maid. And no matter how hard Cheryl tried (she did everything, even act obsequiously) to gain her mother-in-law’s favor, it wasn’t enough. For the mother-in-law, Cheryl wouldn’t be good enough for her son because she didn’t have a college degree, and wasn’t rich enough.

After a year, Cheryl decided to call it quits and went home to Iloilo with her son Casper Cody. In Iloilo, Casper became very sickly. He was even diagnosed with a heart ailment. The mother-in-law intervened and brought Casper back to Manila for treatment, with the promise that they would give Cheryl visiting rights.

Cheryl agreed to the arrangement for the sake of her baby. For some time, everything went smoothly. Then, one day, she found out that the family had migrated to the USA with Casper in tow. That left her very devastated. She never heard from Casper, who turned five this year, ever again.

During her worst time, Cheryl met another guy who became her knight in shining armor. The guy was there to support her, listen to her woes, and pick up the broken pieces of her life.

On June 28, 2006, Cheryl gave birth to Samantha. But then, she realized she was not ready for it. Cheryl felt she needed to fix her life first before she could have her own family. The guy understood her, and told her to leave Samantha to him, sort out her life, "and if you’re ready and you think you have settled your inhibitions, we’ll be here, Samantha and I. We’ll wait for you." So, she left.

Work became her therapy. She worked day in and day out. She worked purposely for her and her babies. She was hoping someday, when she has saved enough money, she, Casper Cody, and Samantha will be reunited. Until then, she will work relentlessly.

Cheryl has a new beau now whom she met in Iloilo through her uncle. He knows about her past and accepts it. They’ve been together since February, 2007. She took another risk, and hopefully this time, she has found the right man.SUBJECT: Ma. Nieva Cheryl Bastes

DIAGNOSIS:

In need of a look that will make her love herself more!

KIKAY RATINGS:

0 – Are you sure you’re a girl?

1 – Maybe you’re a girl

2 – Girly girl, just a little tweak here and there

HER RATING: 0

Cut the old me please…

Cheryl’s hair definitely made her look older than her age. She told us that she didn’t really have the time to get a proper haircut and that she cuts her own hair. If you are good at it, I don’t see anything wrong in doing it, but if you are not, then be ready to face the consequence (and also the mirror). Since her hair is on the wavy, frizzy side, we decided to cut 3 inches off to give her that fresh look. The bangs were a last-minute decision. She wasn’t so sure if she could pull it off, and of course we were telling her that yes she could (with our fingers crossed), and luckily she did. This look immediately made her look 10 years younger (I think even younger than her actual age now).

Her hair is also on the dry side. We recommended that she wash it every other day with a gentle shampoo. Conditioning for 3 minutes after every shampoo can also smoothen out the cuticle. Anti-hair frizz or serum can be used after to manage flyaways.

Make me love "me" please...

When I heard her story, I knew from the start that she doesn’t really like herself that much. Looking for love in all the wrong places had put her in this very challenging position. She told me that now is the time to start her life again and leave the past behind. And I truly believe that she will make it and make something out of her life. But of course, we needed to give her that "push" first before she can fly and soar like a bird.

Her number one problem is her skin. Because of stress, she started breaking out, and it’s not just mini-pimples but what we call the cystic ones. Makeup, in this case, should be used minimally and what’s important is how you can treat pimples and make them disappear as fast as possible. The first and often biggest challenge is to resist the urge to scrub the blemish without mercy.

1. Start by washing your face twice daily with a cleanser containing up to 5 percent salicylic acid to unclog pores and reduce redness.

2. Wait for 5 minutes for skin to dry, then dab the pimple just once in the morning and once at night with a tiny speck of salicylic acid. This should kill the bacteria.

3. If the pimples are big and infected, go to your dermatologist. Whatever you do, remember not to poke or pop pimples.

For makeup, we concentrated on the coverage of her pimples. It is better to use a cream concealer when covering a zit because it is highly pigmented but less dense in texture. Just dab a small amount on areas that need to be covered (better to use a concealer brush), blend the edges and with a sponge, tap, tap, and tap until you barely see the redness anymore. Using a powder brush, apply some loose powder to the whole face (this evens out the complexion and also prolongs the life of the concealer).

VERDICT:

Cheryl does not need anyone’s validation anymore!

In need of a new life? Start with us! Email us your story at bc_maybelline_ny@yahoo.com and we would be happy to be a part of your second chance in life!

Special thanks to: Salon Paradiso 450 Gen. Vicente Lim St., Little Baguio, San Juan City