The Beauty Beat: Makeup Artist Janica Cleto on Making the Right Shift
The young makeup artist talks candidly about shifting professions, finding her own beauty beat, and pursuing her dreams
This is an excerpt from MEGA July 2024 Artist Confidential story.
It’s a big mood at the studio: creatives sharing the common table, drinking their morning coffee, and dancing to Charli XCX’s newly-released album. Everyone in the room is anticipating the return of A Fruity Affair, an annual pride party organized by queer creatives featuring queer talents. “You can’t miss it,” Janica Cleto cheerfully expresses, pulling out her collection of eyeshadow palettes, blushes, and lipsticks from her kit. “Everybody is going to be there, it’s going to be fun!”
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The young makeup artist, who came beaming towards her station at the studio, has a lot of things to look forward to at the pride party. “Many of our friends will be performing in drag,” she continues. “And the crowd will be as vibrant and as colorful! Alan and I would love to celebrate with you.”
Cleto and Segui have been working together on numerous campaigns and editorials for a long time now—to an extent where the creative chemistry has now blossomed into an unmatched friendship. “It wasn’t a charmed coincidence,” the photographer says, referring to the first time he met the makeup artist. “A client gave me the opportunity to choose my team for a shoot and I was eager to look for someone I hadn’t tapped yet—Janica was the first person who came to mind!”
Segui is not shy to express his admiration for her vision and talent in makeup artistry. “I never stopped recommending and tapping her for shoots,” he reminisces. “Janica has that kind of energy that you’d love to have around. She’s so easy to get along with and she makes any shoot day feel so light. We have formed this trust for each other where we never question one’s creative direction, rather, we lean into it and build the final output together.”
That, of course, is manifested in this shoot where the photographer and makeup artist collaborated on the overall direction of the task at hand.
The idea was—well, there were a lot of good ideas. One was her interpretation of an ethereal siren: a play on gradient eye makeup, metallic lips, and the most eye- catching hair architecture anyone has seen. Another was a frosted look: a harmonious combination of pearlescent skin, fantasy face accents, ice-like pressed-on nails. “Makeup artistry always felt like I was creating artwork on different canvases,” she shares. “I love creating a look with a mindset of doing art that tells a story.”
Read more about how Janica Cleto is making a name for herself in makeup artistry in MEGA’s July 2024 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photography ALAN SEGUI. Art Direction BRIE VENTURA. Sittings Editor AGOO AZCUNA-BENGZON. Fashion BITHIA REYES. Photography Assistants MILES WENCY GAYOTIN, JEO LUIS JINCO, and LYNDON KYLE ASUNCION. Makeup Assistants JERIKA CLETO and JANDREY CLETO. Hair CARLO ROBLICOS. Model TAKI YONEYAMA. Nails ELI NAILS. Fashion .ARCHIVES. Shot on location STUDIO SEGUI.
The post The Beauty Beat: Makeup Artist Janica Cleto on Making the Right Shift appeared first on MEGA.
The Beauty Beat: Makeup Artist Janica Cleto on Making the Right Shift
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