Alyanna Martinez: Beauty & authority

Alyanna in her go-to look: a bright-colored blazer, plain shirt, and leggings. Her favorite and cutest accessory is her puppy, Chanel

Alyanna Martinez has just one infallible style tip: Every woman should have a tailor. “Stylists can do magic at photo shoots but for everyday people who don't have the help of a stylist or Photoshop, the fit of a garment on each person’s body type plays a big role on how good a person looks,” she says. She should know—Alyanna is one of the country’s most in-demand stylists. She explains further, “It may seem like not a big deal but the fit can definitely make or break even the most expensive looks. In fashion, it’s all about the details, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.” 

I met Alyanna when we worked in magazines (she with Preview and I with OK!). While she may be known for her sartorial sense, I’ll always remember Alyanna for changing my life forever with this one priceless tip: “Groom your brows.” Since I learned to pluck, shape, and use eyebrow powder on my arches, I’ve looked better than ever! So when I learned that she’s a brand ambassador of quirky and irreverent beauty brand Benefit, I thought it was a perfect match.

At a photo shoot, held at Benefit’s über pink boutique at Greenbelt 5, Alyanna recommended Erase Paste for my dark undereye circles and POREfessional to brighten my tired mommy skin. When a few Korean girls came in, Alyanna also helped them pick out a few products. Wow, a stylist and a beauty consultant! 

Alyanna says that 2013 is an exciting year for fashion and beauty because of this: “The return of color! Color for me is like another aspect of styling that you can play around with. I’m excited to see how the hottest colors will be incorporated into everything, from clothing to even makeup. I also can’t wait to see what new color combinations will be big for the year.”

This year promises to be even busier for Alyanna. She’s already traveling in and out of the country for magazine cover styling gigs and clients in advertising and entertainment. But Alyanna wants to go beyond the usual. “I don't want to just concentrate on fashion styling. I want to work also as an image and marketing consultant for brands and companies.” Good luck, Alyanna, on your plans! Meanwhile, let the budding image consultant share with you her own beauty and style secrets!

What's the first beauty ritual you do when you wake up? 

I down a tall glass of water then wash my face using my Clarisonic Mia 2. It’s a miracle worker!

Quick showers or long baths?

I take my long baths at night because I cannot sleep if I’m not completely head-to-toe clean. Usually when I wake up, my hair is still damp so I take a quick shower to refresh myself and help me wake up especially for super early morning shoots.

What are the five beauty products you absolutely need?

La Mer Face Cream, Shiseido Hydrating Toner, Benefit Eye Cream, St. Ives Apricot Scrub, and Etude House Magic BB Cream.

What's in your kikay kit?

A lot of brow tools and products! Everything and anything you can think of for grooming brows, I have it in my everyday kikay kit. I also make sure to have a bight matte lipstick on hand, blush, eyelash curler, and Benefit They're Real Mascara, and I'm all set.

Where do you get pampered? And where do you go for other body care services?

I like to get my massages at The Spa when I find the time. Flawless takes care of all my skin-care needs, like body scrubs, cellulite treatments, facials, and laser hair removal. Beauty and Butter takes care of all my nail-care needs. When I'm too tired to go out or don't have time, I call Celebrity Nails for head-to-toe pampering at home. MetroDental takes care of all my dental needs. For my hair, I go to Alex Carbonell of Studio Fix. For my brows and waxing services, Benefit Brow Bar. Gold’s Gym for my fitness and Sure Slim for my nutrition.

Who does your makeup? 

I usually do my own makeup since I really just like a clean simple look with a pop of bright lipstick. I learned to do my own makeup by observing makeup artists when I'm at work and also reading a lot of makeup books. But generally it’s just experimenting at home, knowing what works for me and what doesn't. For work and for shoots, I call Jigs Mayuga, Steven Doloso, Omar Ermita, Lei Hosseinzadeh-Ang, Joel Atienza, and Kusi Ho to name just a few.

What's the best beauty secret you learned from your mom? 

Apply sun protection! The higher and the stronger the SPF, the better.

What beauty secret will you share with your future daughters? 

Cleanse face well and moisturize. Nothing can be more important and beneficial to your skin.

At work, what clothes make you feel efficient? 

Since I have to move around a lot, I like to wear leggings all the time. I can squat, bend, run, and pretty much do whatever I need to do without having to worry about comfort or worse, my butt-crack making an appearance! I usually pair it with a loose shirt and a statement accessory. Then if I have an event or meeting after, I can easily throw on heels, layer with a blazer, and I'm good to go. A blazer thrown over anything always makes me feel more put-together and professional especially when I have big and important meetings.

Shoes or bags? 

Shoes. I love bags but I like to invest in good quality and classic ones. Over the years, I learned and realized that a few good quality, classic-style bags will get you so much more wear than a bunch of more affordable ones that tend to be used just a few times before they break or are no longer in style. Shoes are more disposable for me so I keep a few good pairs of classic pumps and a lot of trendy ones to punch up outfits. Unlike bags, no matter how good the quality of your shoes, or no matter how expensive, they all age the same and in the end, they all end up being irreparable.

What beauty products are in your travel kit? 

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps whipped body cream, Anna Sui hand moisturizer, La Mer face cream and lip treatment, and Benefit hydrating facial mist. Traveling can be very harsh on your skin.

What's your airport outfit like? 

Like with work, I like my airport outfits to look good but at the same time I don't want to sacrifice comfort especially for long flights. Leggings or fitted workout pants are good, a plain colored T-shirt and a fab jacket, plus easy-to-remove and easy-to-put-on boots. I stay away from anything that needs belts or accessories ,or any metal pieces since these make going through airport security a hassle. 

What are your favorite fashion brands? 

Forever 21, H&M, Topshop, Mango, and Zara for everyday, easy-to-wear pieces. For dressier pieces, I like to invest in designer and vintage clothing.

Who are your go-to designers?

Martin Bautista, Mariane Perez, Eric de los Santos, Jun Escario, Anthony Ramirez, Sassa Jimenez, Nat Manilag, and Boom Sason, just to name a few.

Frances blogs at www.topazhorizon.com [1] and www.mommytopaz.com [2].