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!”
RELATED: Making the Cut: Celebrity Hairstylist Suyen Salazar Welcomes MEGA to Her New Hair Home
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.”
But long before she had found her beauty beat, Cleto worked as a junior architect. “I remember the first time I met you was for a brand shoot—I was working a full- time job at a firm that year, and doing makeup work and collaborations during my weekends,” she laughs. “I only started makeup as a creative outlet since I felt stuck with my design processes in architecture.”
Cleto admits that architecture was her first love. “It’s one of the biggest forms of art one can see physically,” she explains. “It involves the art and science of planning and design, and that was what made me interested in it.” The young makeup artist spent five years finishing her course and another two years recording her work experience before she could take the board examination. But it soon became evident that there was a different creative calling and waiting for her to answer.
“It took me a year of juggling work and doing makeup for fun. But there was just this consistency and stability of opportunities which convinced me to shift my main focus in my profession,” she opens up. “It wasn’t easy. It took me another year of doing makeup on the side when I resigned from work to study for board exams and another year of the pandemic to fully convince myself that the beauty and fashion industry is where I’m happier.”
Cleto adds, “As a Filipino-Chinese, there was also a lot of discouragement from my relatives when I decided to do makeup full time right after getting my license. But at the end of the day, I believe I should be where I feel more appreciated and whichever makes me happier. And that’s where I’m at now.”
Since then, the young makeup artist has continued to set her sights high in the makeup artistry field—with her work seen on celebrities like Iza Calzado, Maymay Entrata, and KZ Tandingan.
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 ROBLICO. Model TAKI YONEYAMA. Nails ELI NAILS. Fashion ARCHIVES. Shot on location STUDIO SEGUI.
