Morena Spotlight: This High-Powered Morena Global Executive Creates Art to Help Conserve the Philippine Seas
Despite living abroad, for Peewee Bauman, the Philippine islands are never too far from her mind.
Morena Spotlight is a digital series from Allure Philippines that highlights the stories of morenas from all over the country and the Filipino diaspora. Know a morena who deserves the spotlight? Send us an email at [email protected].
Peewee Bauman, 45, is the Filipina global vice president for an agricultural multinational corporation based in South Florida. She also creates hand-drawn illustrations on luxury silk scarves, the proceeds of which partially go to marine conservation efforts on Danjugan Island in the Philippines.
Dmitri Bezrukov / Courtesy of Subject
Moving abroad usually entails opening a whole new chapter in one’s life, and for some people, they choose to keep the other chapters closed and only look forward. But for global executive and artist Peewee Bauman, who for the past two decades and a half has carved a life abroad, the Philippines remains close to her heart and mind, and is a guiding force in the art that she creates.
“I’ve spent the last 25 years building a global career and have lived and worked in five different countries. While work has been a significant part of my journey, it doesn’t define me,” Bauman shares, from her home in Fort Lauderdale, South Florida. “Beyond my corporate career, I’m also an artist and a yoga teacher.”
Bauman grew up in the Philippines in the 90s, an era defined by whitening and the light-skinned mestiza—beauty-wise, at least. “Morena beauty wasn’t celebrated the way it is today,” she shares matter-of-factly. “I was aware of the beauty standards that favored lighter skin and mestiza features. The pressure was there, even if it wasn’t always spoken aloud.”
As someone who has bounced around the globe for much of her life now, Bauman has no doubt been subject to the feelings that come with travel and migrating—assimilating into a different culture and trying to find similarities rather than differences. Yet even when she was growing up morena in her home country, she shares that she still felt a little different. “For much of my youth, I felt a little different, even in my own country. Looking back, that difference became my superpower. It pushed me to explore the world, embrace change, and create a life beyond the boundaries I once knew. Being a morena is part of that story—it taught me resilience, self-acceptance, and the confidence to define beauty and success on my own terms.”
And yet today, the Philippines—where, growing up, she never quite felt up to speed with beauty standards—is rhyme and reason for some of the beautiful art she puts out into the world. Bauman creates hand-drawn illustrations of nature—including the intricate corals and marine life that live in the diverse waters of the Philippines—and prints them on luxury silk scarves. Portions of the proceeds from their sale go to marine conservation efforts on the protected Philippine island of Danjugan in the Visayas, where her husband Arthur, a professor and marine scientist, frequently conducts his research.
Despite her dynamic career and exciting travels, it is a life of purpose that Bauman lives. “I’ve learned that success, status, and money mean very little without meaningful relationships and a life that feels rich in experiences, purpose, and connection,” she shares. Even in the realm of beauty, she points out that the definition of beauty today is much broader and more inclusive. “We’re moving away from the idea that beauty comes in only one form, and that’s a powerful shift. What makes me happiest is knowing that young girls who look like me can grow up feeling beautiful in their own skin. I’ve always believed that true beauty goes far beyond appearance. Looks evolve with time, but kindness, confidence, compassion, and grace only become more beautiful.”
Below, Bauman shares her morena beauty staples and routine with Allure Philippines.
What’s your skincare routine as a morena? Any preferred techniques, hacks, or products?
Dmitri Bezrukov / Courtesy of Subject
My skin care routine has become much simpler over the years. I’ve learned that consistency beats trends every time.
My non-negotiable is sunscreen. Every single day. My favorites are Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector, and Saie Slip Tint when I want a little coverage. It’s totally not true that you get ‘whiter’ wearing sunscreen, in fact you keep a tan longer when your skin does not burn.
For everyday beauty, I keep it minimal: lip tint, blush, and lip balm. I use Benefit or Etude for color, and I’m a devoted Blistex fan after a neighbor with incredible lips swore by it.
One of my best skin care secrets is using an infrared LED mask for 25 minutes every evening. Living in Florida and spending a lot of time outdoors means I’m constantly managing the risk of melasma and sun spots. The mask has made a noticeable difference in my skin’s texture and clarity. It really works!
As for moisturizer, I keep it simple with CeraVe or Kose Sekkisei Moisturizer Brightening Cream (this does not whiten skin, just keeps your skin glowy). Nothing complicated—just consistency.
How about your beauty or makeup routine? Are there particular shades or tricks you apply?
My makeup routine takes about five minutes. One of the joys of having morena skin is that it naturally has warmth and dimension. You don’t need much—just flattering tones, a little color on the cheeks and lips, and you’re ready to go.
For blush, I love NARS Orgasm and Patrick Ta’s She’s Going to the Gym—both work beautifully on morena skin. For lips, I gravitate toward Sunnies Face Fluffmatte and nude shades in general because I already have super-full lips. I also use Ogee contour sticks for subtle definition and recently added Shiseido’s Beige Crystal Highlighter for a soft glow.
I hardly use full-on foundation but when I do I have found that IL Makiage “I woke up like this” (Shade 130) is perfect for my warm morena skin. My skin can go shades darker when I am training for a run or just spending more time in the beach. I add Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Anti Pollution Moisturizing drops to my sunscreen or foundation as a hack.
What do you love about being a morena?
Dmitri Bezrukov / Courtesy of Subject
My skin tone is a reflection of my heritage. It reminds me every day of who I am and where I come from.
What I love most is that while it makes me uniquely myself, it also connects me to so many cultures around the world who share my same skin. Morena skin tells a story that transcends borders. It reminds me that beneath our differences, we’re connected by a shared humanity – an important story in this divisive world.
To me, that’s the power of our skin—it carries our stories. And those stories remind us that we are far more alike than we are different.
Peewee Bauman is a Filipino global vice president at an agricultural multinational corporation based in South Florida who also creates hand-drawn illustrations printed on luxury silk scarves, with a portion of proceeds supporting marine conservation on Danjugan Island in the Philippines.
Bauman’s daily non-negotiables include Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen, Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector, and Saie Slip Tint for light coverage — and she notes that wearing sunscreen actually helps retain a tan longer by preventing the skin from burning.
For blush, she uses NARS Orgasm and Patrick Ta’s She’s Going to the Gym; for lips, she gravitates toward Sunnies Face Fluffmatte and nude shades, noting that morena skin naturally carries warmth and dimension that makes a minimal look go far.
Danjugan Island is a protected island in the Visayas where Bauman’s husband, professor and marine scientist Arthur Bauman, frequently conducts research; proceeds from Peewee’s silk scarf art sales partially fund conservation efforts there.
She uses an infrared LED mask for 25 minutes every evening, which she credits with a noticeable improvement in her skin’s texture and clarity — a routine she developed to manage the heightened sun exposure risk of living in South Florida.
