THE DIGITAL SLR camera (Canon EOS 550D) is a gift from dad.
Model-actress Ruby Cayetano admits she grew up a spoiled brat, getting all that she wanted without working for them. Things changed when she turned 20 and started making money on her own.
“My mom told me, ‘You have to earn your keep.’ She stopped giving me expensive gifts and urged me to help in the family business. Before this, it was always my sister that she sent on errands for our store,” Ruby, now 22, told Living Stars during a recent visit to her condo unit in Mandaluyong.
Ruby’s mom Josie and sister Natalia run a clothing business called Missology, which has a store at Glorietta 3 in Makati. So she could help, Ruby took a short course in Fashion Design at the School of Fashion and the Arts (Sofa, also in Makati). She continued her studies in Sydney, Australia, where her father is based.
“Since working as a model and actress, I’ve realized how hard it is to earn money,” Ruby said. “I’ve stopped being bratty and learned to buy only things that I need.”
Ruby plays the lead in the Dennis Empalmado indie film “Hindi Tao, Hindi Hayop,” where she gets to work with actors Orlando Sol and Yul Servo. She is also in the cast of “Amorosa” by Toppel Lee and “Rigodon” by Erik Matti.
She was among the 26K Girls in the game show “Deal or No Deal” on
ABS-CBN.
Clothes
Ruby used to be adamant about not repeating outfits. “I got this dress when I hosted a show for the online music channel Flippish.com. That is memorable to me; I don’t want to wear the
SHE FIRST wore this lacy beige mini-dress for a hosting job.
dress elsewhere.” This is a beige mini dress with lace.
“This is special, too,” Ruby said of a pink floral button-down shirt from Petite Monde. “I wore it in my first indie movie. I don’t want to be photographed elsewhere in it.”
She likes the feel of cotton fabric, she said. “So
I bought this floral mini-dress in Sydney. It’s feminine and innocent, even if it’s bare-back.”
Scents
Ruby is into sweet, floral and fruity scents. “My current favorite is Hermes. One spray lasts the whole night—like Beyonce Heat and Mont Blanc,” she said. “I also like Prada, which I discovered through a friend. Issey Miyake, Bulgari, Versace Versus and Lola by Marc Jacobs are also good.”
Gadgets
She won’t admit she’s a techie, but the young actress owns a number of expensive gadgets. “My manager Shandii Bacolod advised me to get the MacBook Pro,” she revealed. “As for this Acer Ferrari laptop, I’ve had it since 2003. My mom bought it because I needed it in school.”
Ruby continued: “This iPhone 4 was a birthday gift from my mom and my ex-boyfriend in 2011. They bought it while we were traveling in Perth. I actually begged them to. Mom got me the BlackBerry Torch in February.”
Ruby said the Nintendo DSi (game console) helped her cope with homesickness in Sydney. “I played with it during down time. I really saved up for this,” she explained. “The digital SLR camera (Canon EOS 550D) was a gift from my dad. I love taking pictures! I brought this with me when the family toured Italy and Brazil recently.”
Bags
SHE WORKS hard and rewards herself with designer bags.
Ruby has been using designer bags since junior high. “I got my first Louis Vuitton on my 18th birthday. Mom bought me another when I turned 19,” she recalled. “I once saw this nice LV doctor’s bag owned by Kris Aquino. I asked my mom to add to the money I had saved and bought myself one.”
She also has bags by Prada and Hermes, for special occasions. “They’re small, meant for parties. But I do have an LV carryall that I bring everywhere.”
Shoes
“My favorite is a pair of studded Jimmy Choo high heels. Mom and Shandii picked it. It goes with any outfit. I often wear it with a matching Jimmy Choo bag,” she said.
Ruby still keeps a pair of black leather heels from Mango that she wore in high school. “Heels were not allowed; I started wearing this when I was already sure to graduate. Pasaway ako,” she admitted.
Her most treasured pairs were bought in Sydney. “I saved my school allowance to buy them,” said Ruby, showing two pairs of leather heels from Iron Fist. “I call them rock-star heels; they’re very sexy.”
Cosmetics
The actress relies on sister Natalia for makeup: “Ate does my face when my makeup artist is not around. She used to run the family beauty salon in Makati. For powder, I use Mac. For
NOT SO much into makeup, Ruby just puts on blush, lip color and mascara on ordinary days.
eye shadow, I turn to L’Oreal and Maybelline. I wear several lip colors, but the pink and beige from Fifth Avenue are my favorites.”
Ruby added: “I recently received a new, smaller makeup bag from my mom, who bought it from Bayo. I can’t bring the old one to shootings and tapings because it’s too heavy. On ordinary days, I wear only a blush, lip color and mascara.”
Accessories
The actress, who’s not keen on accessories, owns a collection of expensive watches instead: “The Gucci wristwatch is a gift from my dad. I bought this gold-and-silver Cartier with the money I was paid for a modeling job in Sydney.”
Ruby brought out an expensive-looking watch box. Inside were timepieces by Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Christian Dior and Chanel. “Mom keeps them locked up in her room. We don’t always use them,” she said. “We consider them investments.”
E-mail mcruz@inquirer.com.ph