CERTIFIED: HD Makeup Studio and Academy + The 10 Most Important Things I Learned in Makeup School

May 7 to 17, 2012. Those were the days I attended the HD Fashion and Beauty Makeup Course at HD Makeup Studio and Academy. A lot of people have asked me why I went to makeup school and why I chose HD as my school.

Now to answer the first question. I initially wanted to learn more about makeup application and techniques and makeup itself. I always had this gut feeling that what we see in makeup tutorials in beauty blogs and YT are not correct (but some are good, too). I would always have something to say, or I would always have a nasty comment about how they apply makeup, but I cannot determine what's wrong. I just knew and felt that something is not right. Moreover, I also do not believe that makeup brands are what make the makeup. And since I'm a makeup addict, I wanted to know for myself what are the best types and brands to use, where to find them, and how to use them. And of course, makeup is my passion, that's why I wanted to bring it to another level. Take formal training.

HD Makeup Studio and Academy

I don't really expect myself to make a huge career out of makeup in an instant, but it's something I'm considering in the near future. It's just, right now, my priorities lead to a different path. But who says I will only be able to put makeup on just myself? I kind of feel that I will be able to do my makeup craft by freelancing. And I will soon. =)

I plan to have my own makeup studio some day. And pursue further studies and makeup training. Only God knows whether I can balance the law and makeup profession. If ever that'll happen, I know I'll be somethin' else. I'll definitely rock it, right? (grins) And I owe it to my first ever makeup school, above else. =)

Now let's move on to question number two. Why HD Makeup Studio and Academy? We have quite a number of makeup schools in the country, each claiming to be the number one, the best, the most awesome, and the one with the most expensive makeup chairs and mirrors. But I must say I never looked anywhere, just HD.

I used to work near Ortigas and yes, I commute by MRT on  a daily basis. So I always pass by the Shangri-La Plaza. Whenever I would drop by Starbucks there, I would see Basement Academy and Salon across the street. For those of you who don't know, HD Makeup Studio and Academy used to be Basement Academy. I once dropped by and checked the place out but I left just after a few minutes because I needed to hurry home that time. That was I think, 4 years ago or so. Now HD is located in a different area, but still in Ortigas.

And since then, I knew no makeup school apart from Basement Academy or the now HD Makeup Studio and Academy. When I finally had the time and the money to undergo makeup training, it was the first school I googled up. One great thing about HD is that they provide their students with models, so we don't have to go looking for models for the next day in the middle of the night. And that we are only a small class, so our teachers were able to monitor and check our work much closely. I also like how our teachers carefully remark on our work, making suggestions and pointing out where we went wrong. I love constructive criticism because I learn that way. On the last day of school too, there was a portfolio shoot for each one of the students, in which we needed to accomplish two looks, bridal and avant-garde/fashion makeup.

Do you know who my model is? It's Kath of Dear Kitty Kittie Kath!

Story and more photos of Kath on a separate blog post!

Thanks Kath for signing up for this!

So I finally signed up for the High-Definition Conventional Makeup Course or the HD Fashion and Beauty Makeup Course. And I never, not even once regretted that I did.

All my expectations about makeup school were met. Well, I expected it to be challenging, it turned out to be more than just challenging. It was sort of nerve-wracking. =) I mean, the lessons we had every single day, they were not easy. I could say makeup application is more difficult than CPR and endotracheal intubation! (alien word alert) Sir Jeave will always say though, that we don't need to worry or panic, because no one will die because of makeup. But I would say that it's easier for me to accept if a patient dies on me than if I make my client look unsightly, or if I can't determine her correct base tone, or if her false eyelashes falls off her eyes on her wedding day. That would be more than enough horror to haunt me for a lifetime.

Makeup school is all but never easy. It requires patience, to keep you standing on high heels and still smile. It requires hard work, but you still have to find the fun in makeup application. It requires you to bring out all your creative juices and make your imagination go a bit crazy, especially for avant-garde and fashion makeup. It will make you care and be concerned for your client's needs and your client alone. Believe me, I didn't even had the time to apply makeup on myself for almost the whole time. I almost forgot that I too, have a face to beautify, hahaha. =) I even jokingly said on my final speech (yes, we all had to deliver a speech) that my poise and composure were all lost that day. =)

Studying makeup at HD is a wonderful experience. In fact, I would always do it again. All of us would always go home tired but fulfilled. Every single day in class was well worth the stress and the panic. ;) Our last day was the most awesome, we all graduated and got our certificates, and our first photo-shoot was truly a success. It was a bittersweet moment, because that was also the last day that I and my classmates with Sir Jeave and Stef were together. Although we can always meet up and talk anytime, nothing beats being together in one class, sharing the same passion and doing what we all love. Makeup.

Now I'm sharing with you the 10 Most Important Things I Learned in Makeup School. I learned a lot, but here's what I value the most.

1. Invest on the right tools and makeup. Use the proper brushes and the right products because they are as equally as important as your makeup skills. When makeup is expensive, it doesn't mean it works or is better than cheaper makeup. Makeup is expensive because of business and advertising. In short, you pay thousands for a free sponge, mirror and chic packaging. That's basically it.
2. Makeup must enhance, not change how a person really looks. Most Pinoys expect total transformation whenever they hire a makeup artist. All standards must be set to "realistic". We cannot create an unnaturally looking Caucasian nose bridge on a Pinay without the help of a real surgeon. What we can do is just highlight and contour in the right places. =)
3. Hygiene is key. On the workplace. On the face of your client. On yourself.
4. How you apply makeup on yourself would almost always turn out wrong if you do it on another person. We were all created unique, with different sets of features. So study your client's face shape, eye shape, lip shape, etc. And work with it.
5. The Color Wheel. Back to basics. If you need to review your art lessons on primary and secondary colors, do so. Green cancels red, orange cancels blue, so on and so forth. We all have skin imperfections, so again, work with it.
6. Perfect the brows first, then you're good to go. Perfecting the brows is not a talent, but a skill. This is the most tedious task we ever had in HD. Once you master brow shaping and shading, the rest of makeup application is a breeze.
7. Time is gold. Yes, you're the makeup artist. You're at the bottom of the food chain. So do not be a primadonna. Whether you're a CEO of a company or the President of the Philippines, during a wedding, you're just the makeup artist. So be on time.
8. We live in a dog-eats-dog world - including the makeup world. It's tough competition out there, so don't expect everyone to be kind and understanding. People will back-stab you and worse, steal your customers. Just do what you know is right, and do it right - and watch your own back, no one will do it for you.
9. Isang blog ka lang. This is what Sir Jeave always tells us. True to what FPJ's box-office hit tells, yes, one blog post will kill you and everything that you worked so hard for. So again, be nice, even when everybody's not nice to you. Respect colleagues and clients. When you hear something, keep it to yourself then use it to your own advantage. And again, do your thing right.
10. Love what you do. As with any profession, it's impossible to succeed if you don't love what you do. Don't do makeup if you're just after the money. Focus on improving your skills and learning new things. Don't dwell on the bad things. I quote Confucius, "Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life." Enough said.

There you go. I know this is quite a long post but I hope you enjoyed reading it. Here are some photos taken during our graduation day.

I miss you guys! =)

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