What I learned in make-up school

MANILA, Philippines – “Study make-up!”

This was one of my New Year’s resolutions a gazillion years ago. It took me a while to finally do it. Now, I finally get to mentally cross it off that list!

Because this year, I did it. I finally did it. I enrolled in Make-Up Designory Manila.

Dubbed “the Harvard of make-up schools,” Make-Up Designory or MUD is the largest make-up school in the US. 

Students from around the world flock to MUD campuses in LA, New York and Europe to learn everything: from Bridal and Fashion to Film and TV make-up artistry. Some of the finest make-up artists in Hollywood, Broadway and the runways of Europe are MUD alumni.

Lucky for us, about a year ago, MUD opened its doors here in Manila. After a great deal of research on make-up schools, I went with my gut and put my bet on MUD.

After all, it’s the only make-up school in the Philippines that is internationally accredited.

I took the Certificate Course in Basic Beauty and Bridal, High Fashion and Media Make-up. Imagine, all the juicy bits and pieces taught in the diploma course were squeezed into only 8 Saturdays — from correction and concealing techniques, foundation or base matching, eye shadow and cheek color application, eyebrow and lip care to facial contouring.

The course also covered various make-up “looks” — natural, bridal, high-fashion and avant-garde.

We were a random mix of 6 students: 3 slaves of the corporate world, a mother of 3 who co-owns a salon, a practicing MUA (make-up artist) aiming to be certified and his friend who traveled all the way from Sultan Kudarat just to study make-up. Our teacher, Myr Lim (a MUD LA graduate herself who looks like a Chinese porcelain doll) is adorably frank, candid and witty.

On our first day, Myr stressed on punctuality, good hygiene and sanitation. I remember her most memorable quotes:

• “On time is already late!”
• “You’re so near the client’s face that you’re almost kissing. Better make sure you have fresh breath!”
• “Always, always, clean your brushes. Just dip in a bowl of water mixed with 2-in-1 shampoo. You wouldn’t want to clean your brushes one by one, right?” 

 

We were taught the importance of choosing the right products and tools to achieve flawless work. Upon checking the make-up and tools we brought to class, Myr advised us, “Invest in good brushes. The good ones have 2 indentations on the metal holding the bristles and handle together.”

She also shared with us how good cream foundations are versus other types of foundations: “Oily skin is a result of dry skin producing more oil because it craves moisture. Oil in cream foundations provides long-lasting moisture while water in liquid foundations evaporates, leaving the skin dry again, making it produce more oil.” 

As expected, building a professional make-up kit posed a huge challenge.

The promise of make-up products performing better than the rest will surely lure you in, test your emotional intelligence, making it so easy to get carried away and purchase them, blocking that thought of anticipated regret when you get your next credit card bill. But, since make-up is so expensive it is essential to stay grounded and focused — learn to strategize and master the art of scrimping vs splurging.

Top of mind learnings?

1) Splurge on a BeautyBlender – It’s a pink, egg-shaped sponge for applying cream foundation that gives a polished, flawless, airbrush-like finish.

2) Scrimp by buying just refills of eye shadows and blushes and house them in a magnetic palette. 

We were expected to be ready at 10am for each session with all our make-up, brushes and tools set up at our stations. Myr would usually start the day with a short, straightforward lecture with a couple of tips on the side.

Then she would call out for a model and do an actual step-by-step demo based on the lecture. Afterwards, we would break into teams of 2 and put make-up on each other, mirroring what had been shown in the demo. 

Putting make-up on somebody else is an experience entirely different from doing your own make-up.

It is nerve-wracking yet thrilling to come across something new each time — different contours of a face, type of an eye fold, slant of a nose, shape of lips, texture and color of skin.

It is amazing and humbling, really, to get a closer look on how God made each one of us unique. 

Likewise, it is exciting to look at a fresh, clean face and get acquainted with every feature, every detail — mentally planning which parts to downplay, which parts to enhance — while visualizing how to transform it.

For me, make-up artistry is quite similar to painting; but instead of working with a blank canvas, you work with a real, live person — each person a different personality, with different sets of assets and flaws, and different perception of beauty. The result of your work may have something to do with the rapport between you two.

Myr would then go to station by station to check our work, give tips on how to improve and, at times, “rescue” us when we, well, messed up.

“Learn how to look at your client’s face in the mirror to check your work,” she would remind us. It is quite tricky; you need to be decisive and precise with your strokes and learn when to take risks, when to practice constraint.

It is essential to have good judgment and a keen eye for detail to see what is lacking, what is overpowering and be quick to decide what to do about it. I, personally, always have a nagging feeling to make everything just right. 

We would stand for long hours doing make-up. Our backs would literally ache. But we didn’t mind. We savored every minute of it.

After each make-up lab work was done, it was such a rush to get ooohs and aaaahs and to see the face of your “client” with a genuine appreciation of your work.

For me, there is great value in making somebody look good and feel good.

Doing this, something I’m passionate about, makes me feel like I’m truly living. 

Going to make-up school made me remember a part of me that’s always been artistically inclined. I guess, by doing something you are passionate about whether as a hobby or for a living, you become more connected to who you really are.

So revisit your list of New Year’s resolutions or even your bucket list. Whatever it is that you really want to do that you’ve been putting off for whatever reason, just do it.

Who knows what you might discover? – Rappler.com

(Editor’s note: Pam and I used to work together in the marketing department of one of the biggest Filipino retail companies. We were in a good place, happy with our work and the friends we had there.

Still, we always felt like there was something else we were meant to do. It took me a while to accept that I will always be a journalist at heart. Finding the right place for me in this industry also took a little trial and error, until I found Rappler and mentors who so generously teach us how to work this industry ethically.

Pam went on to join a big media buying agency. I always knew she wanted to study make-up but, had she decided not to pursue it, I would not have been surprised. Every day I hear people say “I wish I could do this” or “I wish I could do that.” I would almost always ask, “Why don’t you?”

But I know that life is not as simple as that, at least not for all. 

Two years after I last saw Pam, we somehow got in touch and she happily shared with me that she finally studied make-up. Her energy is different; not only does she sound more mature, she also sounds truly, deeply happy. That’s why I asked her to write this blog for us and to share her simple kikay journey.

It may not be a story that moves mountains, but it’s a glimpse into the thoughts of a person who took some time to decide to finally go and follow her heart. Sure, she studied something else in college, but we are not rooted to that forever. We are allowed to make U-turns and take detours when it comes to how we will ultimately LIVE.

Pam had to give up Saturdays and maybe even some money she saved up to study make-up, but nothing equates to the happiness she now feels.

I can not only imagine it, I can also feel it. – Kai Magsanoc, Rappler.com)