Beauty is in the eye of the (Be)holder… What I learned from working in a Pageant

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.

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.

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.

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,

Blush Palette used were:

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.

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

Since the eyes needed to stand out, we were instructed to use fuller, wispy lashes to add drama.

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.

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.

Contact lens were used by the candidates to make the eyes stand out in front of the camera.

Scenes from the 2 events

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.