July 30 and 31 were one of the best working weekend dates I had after coming from a long vacation. Remember the Inglot Polishing Workshop I wrote about before? While I only had 2 days to work with these lovely ladies, the rest of the United Makeup Artists of the Philippines (UMAP) artists had a month to bond with these beauties. Saturday was for the “Mutya ng Pilipinas” Candidates 2016 and Sunday belonged to the Mr. and Miss Chinatown 2016.
Both events were sponsored by Inglot Cosmetics and by Cynos Hair products. Status Salon Manila provided the hair and makeup requirements while the rest of the team was composed of the UMAP members.
Here is what I learned from this gig:
1. Be prepared to wait.
Patience is a virtue you need to master, if you are a makeup artist. Call times are usually early (like 7 am at the venue in this case). It was in Resorts World Manila Newport Theater and we considered ourselves lucky that we had ample time to set up. Mirrors with lights and a table were provided, so we were thankful for any kind of help. Candidates showed up at 8:30 am and we began working on them between 9:00-9:30 am. In between this, all candidates are being called by the director for a technical rehearsal which lasts from 2 -6 hours depending on the amount they have to cover. While waiting, we went through our pegs, makeup and saw to it everything had to be ready when the ladies came back. Clean your tools, glue single lashes, tidy your work space were some of the things we did to while the time.
Selfie while waiting for the candidates to return from a technical rehearsal.
Our Working Tables
2. Be flexible in your expectations.
This is not about you but more importantly this is a test of character. There are many things going on simultaneously from the floor and stage directors screaming. “Girls, you have 3 minutes to change” to“Girls, you have to run! We’re starting the evening gown portion!” Mind you, these gowns are heavy and difficult to put on. Part of the job is to be able to help these ladies move as fast as they can by helping them dress up, strap on their stilettos and sometimes be a fashion stylist like securing their gowns with a safety pin because the gown is simply a size smaller than expected. Yes, you will be a multi-tasker in events like these, and you have to be OK with that.
Backstage, Prayer before the show
Hazel anothet UMAP member is practicing the art of Zen in her touch up before the show.
3.Pageant Makeup is designed to be seen.
Because of the Polishing Workshop we had to undergo with Inglot, pageant makeup is a glamourised version of the classic look, a bolder version of your traditional smokey eye. Harsh lights can drown out the colours you’ve put on. It is important to layer your makeup, and make sure it is still blended and well put together. Peg for all seasons, Pia Wurtzback, 2015 Miss Universe.
Pageant Makeup Peg
Photo from Xyrene Eugenio, Inglot makeup affiliate who spearheaded this event for UMAP. Onin Bolos UMAP Member also did the makeup here which we used as our peg for the makeup look.
4. Be a Jack of All trades
When we were all done with the candidates, our work did not end there. We were assigned tasks to do last minute touch ups before the ladies were whisked away onto the stage. Two artists were in charge of applying powder and blush, one was assigned to check the lashes and bring glue, and one was in charge of applying lipstick and gloss. The hair team was also divided so they can do touch ups for the hair. It didn’t end there: We were looking at the TV monitor to check the makeup to see if we needed to add or lessen the makeup. We were required to always be on standby behind the wings for costume changes.
Mindset: You are the hired help for the day so leave your ego at home.
5. Makeup tips learned from the event
Ace of base was the Inglot HD foundation in shades 71, 73 and 77 to create that flawless “Cutis Porcelana” look. No airbrush here, we layered this 2x and buffed it well into the skin,
Kutis Porcelana
Blush Palette used were:
Coral Peach tones Inglot #46. Photo from Xyrene Eugenio
Inglot blush #29 another coral peach tone blush. Photo from Onin Bolos, another UMAP member
Inglot blush #28, a neutral pink blush. Photo from Xyrene Eugenio
To set the makeup and make it last longer, we used the baking technique. We also had to use a lighter concealer to give the face a nice highlight.
I just buffed the powder on my candidate. Check out the candidate on the left side. Maryann Obias is applying this technique on her candidate. Photo from Michelle Viray UMAP Member
Finished result on Aeryka Chu Candidate #7 for Mr and Miss Chinatown 2016
Contour does not need to be heavy but sculpted cheekbones were a must for this event to give depth to the face. We used Inglot no. 505
Inglot 505 was used to sculpt the cheeks and give the face depth.
Since the eyes needed to stand out, we were instructed to use fuller, wispy lashes to add drama.
Photo from Xyrene Eugenio. She used these wispy babies. Notice the full stack but they were still light when applied.
Photo from Michelle Viray. Like a surgeon, Maryann OBias skilfully applies the lashes.
Neutral palette was used on the eyes. No blue, green, pink or lavender colours here, just earthy brown tones. No glitters or frost as this looks dirty on camera.
I doubled up on my lashes. Since I had fairly light ones, sometimes I glued 3 thin lashes to get the desired effect.
Mr and Miss Chinatown Candidate # 9 Shireen Rosales.
Male grooming should be simple and natural. Bronzer was used to warm up the face. Skin tone was evened out with a light application of foundation, concealer when needed and loose powder o set the makeup. A touch of lip balm was applied to make the lips soft.
Mr and Miss Chinatown 2016 Candidate no. 11 Richmond Balila
Contact lens were used by the candidates to make the eyes stand out in front of the camera.
Mutya ng Pilipinas Pampanga 2016 Candidate no. 11 Rhancoise Mayangitan
Photo taken from Rhancoise Mayangitan. Credit belongs to owner
Mutya ng Pilipinas Batangas 2016 Candidate # 22 Rianne Kalaw
Mutya ng Pilipinas Japan 2016 Candidate # 13 Mayu Murakami.
Mayu made it to the Top 10! Candidate #13 is her lucky number!
Scenes from the 2 events
Shireen Rosales Candidate #9 Mr and Miss Chinatown 2016 won Best in Talent. Photo courtesy of Michelle Viray
Photo courtesy of Joselito Caleon
Photo courtesy from Joselito Caleon. Candidate #11 Richmond Balila
A quick photo before heading out to the stage for their opening number. Candidates of Mr and Miss Chinatown 2016
Feathers and Boas for the opening number of Mutya ng Pilipinas Candidate # 11
At a days end actually it was 10:30 pm. We were a tired but happy bunch. L-R Pilita Guadines, Onin Bolos, Charisma Vergara, Maryann Obias and Acie Fores
Another shot of the working group, From L-R, Michelle Viray, Amy Villatuya, Charisma Vergara, Onin Bolos, Pilita Guadines, Marjorie Divina, Maryann Obias, Acie Fores and Xyrene Eugenio
Bulaga of the night, Selfie with Makeup artist to the stars, RB Chanco backstage. Thrilled to the max!
Being on the other end of this event, pageants are definitely hard work both for the candidates and for us hair and makeup artists. It is a stepping stone for most of them and while they pursue their dreams of becoming ambassadors of change or tourism, for us makeup artists, we are glad to share in their experience on their path to success and hope.
A makeup friend Pia Reyes, extended an invitation to me last October 5 for the press launch of Estee Lauder Fall 2013 Makeup trends. She was also invited by Lillian Yeung Resident Makeup artist of the brand and I also met Fin a fellow makeup artist. I have a high regard for these three women who excel in their field, whose work is showcased in billboards, high fashion glossies and in commercial/film work. Fin was a contestant in the Mega Magazine Fashion Crew Season 2 with my good friend Alee Benson a noted and celebrated hair stylist in his own right.
Blair Patterson Director of Global Artistry for Estee Lauder shared with us the latest trends and techniques for Fall 2013. Guapo hotness diba!!!! He works with Tom Pecheux, the Creative Makeup Director of Estee Lauder during New York Fashion Week.
That’s me with his Guapo hotness. So okay, I don’t have any makeup on, I look like his alalay. He was surprised to find out I was a makeup artist. Talagang surprised! Me too, can’t believe I was in the company of greatness! Tee hee hee hee!!!!
Many lessons were learned or unlearned as Blair did 3 makeup demos to illustrate the trends which proved to be very wearable and applicable even in our humid weather. Let me walk you through them. As the catalog says, see it on the runway, see it on you.
Skin is in!!! Perfect dewy youthful looking skin has always been a timeless staple in beauty trends and serves as a perfect canvass for all makeup looks. Echoing his makeup philosophy, makeup should look natural, sophisticated and timeless.
He mentioned that all women should have 2 kinds of Foundation in their arsenal as skin tone changes depending on the season. He advises to get 2 shades of foundation, one that is 1 shade darker than our skin tone specially during the summer season and one that is matched to your skin tone during the cooler months. Makes sense? Combine both shades to create a 3D effect when applying makeup to highlight and contour the face but in a subtle manner. Stress on the SUBTLE effect. Makeup enthusiasts seem to be doing theKim Kardashian type of contouring and highlighting even on a normal day out which can be too much on a daily basis. He says there is nothing wrong with this makeup application, its just too much to wear everyday.
The biggest misconception about women applying Foundation is that it is used all over the face rather than strategically applying it to areas where coverage is needed. Use Concealer instead to cover blemishes and pat translucent powder all over it to set the foundation. He couldn’t stress it enough, skin should be perfect. This makes perfectly sense since we live in a humid climate, why pile it on and wear a mask?
His take on the dewy skin as demonstrated on the model below. Wish ko lang LOLZZZ!!! Talagang natural no? As the famous makeup artist Bianca Valerio mentioned, oiliness is next to DEATH!.. Sana Dewy not oily. Bwahahahahaha!!! So okay, I forgot to take a photo of the model with just natural looking foundation on. Blinded kasi, he is just too good looking. Promise next 2 photos will show the actual demo. But you do get the point ballpoint as illustrated in the catalog.
Dewy or Oily?
Red Lips another classic comes back in an edgy way, not tomato red or fire engine red but a deep burgundy color. For this look, red lips need to be balanced with a natural eye. In choosing a burgundy colour, look for a blue based tone. He actually took the trend one step further and did an Ombre Lip instead. Ombre Lips are two to three shades of lip colour applied to create a 3D effect on the lips.
To achieve a perfect pout, instead of lining the lips with a liner, Brian taught us to rub the lip brush all over the pencil and apply to the lips. Here is the shocker, he deftly expertly applied the lipstick using his ring finger and patted it so slightly in light layers until he achieved the perfect burgundy color. Start at the cupid’s bow which is the sexiest part of the lip. Any imperfections were erased by a foundation brush dipped into a little concealer and brushed it ever so slightly vertically on the edges as if you are sweeping downwards.
Blair’s take on Ombre Lips
He said this is a neat trick to do so as not to mess up the lip color, the natural sweeping motion will remove the excess color on the edges. Care to try it on yourself? I admit it was tricky at first but the secret is the use of feather light strokes on the edges. I was in awe on how he seamlessly perfected this, his fingers are bigger than mine! Expert nganaman. This model has perfectly blended foundation which I was supposed to take a photo of before he applied the eye shadow and red lip.
Metallic Eyes with Ombre Lips
Lastly, Metallics are coming back in a good way. A very subtle nod to the 80’s era. Metallic doesn’t mean Frosted. He said that makeup specifically eye shadows manufactured nowadays are not the same as the frosted looking ones that make you look swollen and glittering in a bad way. Eye shadows and makeup now are produced to play and reflect light to enhance the features of the face. Pigments are smaller so they reflect light more than absorb it. Cheeks are left natural looking with hollow diagonal contouring using light strokes again. Eye shadows are not expertly blended, but since his strokes are very light, one doesn’t see really the hard edges.
Blair’s take on Metallic eyes with Ombre Lips
More Beauty tips:
Advanced Night Repair or ANR to Estee Lauder fans. This miracle evening serum was applied on the high planes of the face and patted (not smeared) on to give the satin finish to the skin. Not dewy but semi matte. Blair touts this as a all around makeup tool to have. He mentioned that in a photo shoot specially for male grooming, this is always on his Makeup kit. Read the testimonials on the Estee Lauder website as to the wonderful benefits of this great product . I will probably try this beauty tip on brides if I do get the chance to get hold of one small bottle. It’s so mahal but probably worth it. Sabagay, a few drops lang is all you need. Pia and I looked at each other and joked we should get one bottle and share it.
Oh did I mention the wonderful gifts I received that morning? A big thank you to the Estee Lauder team and Lillian Yeung for the pabaon to all the makeup artists, bloggers and journalists that attended the press launch.
Blusher in Peach Passion Shimmer, Creamy Lipstick in Pure Color 75 Forbidden Kiss, Double Wear Stay in Place Dual Effect Powder Makeup in 36 Sand and Sumptous Bold Volume Lifting Mascara in 01 Black, all housed in this blue and white appliquéd cosmetic kit. How lucky can I get? I tried on the lipstick and it is just a gorgeous deep burgundy color. So flattering on any skin tone.
Loot Bag from Estee Lauder
Last minute Chika with Blair:
Trends for S/S 2014 – Geometric Eyes are making a comeback in bronze metallic hues, as seen on Derek Lam’s S/S 2014 collection. Photo taken from En.vogue.Fr website.
Estee Lauder SS 2014 Beauty Trends Derek Lam
Good News for Monolids or those with Chinita Eyes! – The global Spokesmodel for Estee Lauder as seen in the photo above is Liu Wen. A question was asked to Blair as to how do we interpret the runway trend with Asian eyes specifically the ones with Monolids? He said that this should not be treated as a flaw because the fact that the eye doesn’t have a fold or crease, there is a huge area or eye space to play around with colour. No rules, just experiment. Look at the face chart and model to prove his point.
“Pageant Makeup” – When Blair was beginning to apprentice with the legendary Tom Pechaeux many years back, he was asked to do makeup on a model to show what his skill level or artistry was like and if he had what it takes to be in his team. What Blair thought of as great perfect looking makeup with expertly blended eyeshadow and liner, Mr. Pechaux looked at his work and walked away muttering, “it’s pretty but it is pageant makeup”. Blair did not understand what he meant because he did what he was taught in makeup schools only to discover, it was considered Pageant looking. Mr. Pechaeux walked back and messed up his work and said, ‘Makeup should look worn, lived in not too perfect like Barbie.” He instantly had a lightbulb moment and it changed his perspective on how makeup should be applied and how it should transform and empower a woman.
High Def Brows – Blair’s philosophy in makeup as echoed by Tom Pechaeux is the often repeated mantra, “Less is more”. This also applies to the Brows. When Blair first travelled to Asia, he mentioned that he thought he could teach us Asians a thing or two about brow application. Boy was he wrong. He said he was humbled and “schooled” by what he saw in our local makeup artists when they showed him how we do our brows. If you notice in the face chart and in the models during Fashion week, brows are left naturally and neatly groomed and sometimes not even touched. To achieve a well groomed brow, choose one shade lighter than the hair colour and use a spoolie brush to rub the brow pencil in and apply colour to the brows. See the photos in the demo above.
Bronzer first before foundation – To lessen the intensity of the bronzer, apply this first before you apply the foundation. The Foundation will tone down the ruddiness of the bronzer.
Tissue vs. Powder – In setting the makeup, if you don’t have translucent powder, spread a tissue on the face or cheeks and use your blush or powder brush to brush over it. This will help set your makeup because the tissue will absorb the oils in the makeup.
Look younger or look glamorous – Blair also mentioned that here in Asia, the makeup philosophy is to make the woman look glamourous like a celebrity while that in the US, the makeup philosophy is to make the woman look 10 years younger. As an observer, he concludes that it is maybe due to a cultural thing in Asia as we aspire to look like celebrities versus our Caucasian counterparts who are constantly after the fountain of youth.
I now leave the last point to ponder on, and hopefully this insight will give you a glimpse of what the experts have to say about beauty and hopefully choose what beauty standard applies to you. Have fun, pick up a few trends to update your look and experiment, after all, its just makeup.
