The magic is in the make-up

MANILA, Philippines - To those who have never had any affinity for it, makeup is just a superficial means for women to feel better about themselves. Applied well, it affords beauty, but beauty that is only skin deep.

Yet to those who have a passion for, or even an obsession with, makeup, it’s more than just for concealing blemishes and bringing pops of color to the face. For makeup artists, the face is a palette and the application of cosmetic products is a precision art: the right color, the right brush, the right brush stroke, the right pressure to blend a shade into the skin.

This is what Shu Uemura celebrated during its Beauty Art Makeup Competition 2009 when it presented its six finalists last Oct. 14. With the winners representing Shu Uemura Philippines at The Beauty Art Makeup Competition Regional Finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the brand has harnessed its makeup associate team to work closely with the finalists to help them bring out their artistic visions into life, under the theme Mother Nature.

Divided into two levels, the finalists have studied and trained under different schools all over the world. Competing in Level 1 were Tracy Conlin, Angelique Dinglasan, and Rey Legarda, while the Level 2 finalists were Grace Deang, Third Octavo, and Amanda Padilla. Their inspirations varied from orchids to leaves to the colors of the horizon, and the finalists’ models took the stage to present each artist’s masterpiece to the crowd, which consisted of beauty and fashion editors, other makeup artists, and fans of the Shu Uemura brand.

London College of Fashion-University of the Arts alum Angelique Dinglasan was declared the winner in the Level 1 category. With her mastery of colors, which she uses to enhance a person’s natural beauty, Dinglasan frequently experiments with different shades when working in editorials, advertorials, and weddings. Bagging the prize for the Level 2 category was Grace Deang, who has attended several makeup workshops in the United States, such as the Il-MIKIAGE, Trmptu NY, and Kryolan San Francisco. Her love affair with make-up began with applying makeup on her friends, and Deang believes that beyond external beauty, makeup is also a tool for empowering women.

Dinglasan and Deang will represent Shu Uemura Philippines in the Kuala Lumpur regionals on Oct. 28. Both were awarded with a plaque, an Ultimate Brush Set worth P50,000, and a makeup box worth P40,000.