In a MEGA Exclusive, Nix Soriano, founder of Nix Institute of Beauty, unveiled the beauty of their partnership with Miss Universe Philippines and her thought on what makes Michelle Dee a standout candidate
Preparing for a pageant competition requires a lot of work, commitment, and determination. Imagine—candidates are expected to perfect their posture, master their interview skills, and discover their signature pasarela within the given training days—but that’s not all. Aspiring beauty queens are required to learn how to do their makeup. “Many people often characterize pageant makeup as over-the-top stage makeup with black smokey eyes, exaggerated contour, and overly flushed blush,” said Nix Soriano, founder of Nix Institute of Beauty. “However, there is more to It.”
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Her proficiency in pageant makeup artistry is reputable. After all, Nix Institute of Beauty is awarded as the official makeup team of Miss Universe Philippines. “We have to take note that for pageants, the coronation night is not the only event they have,” she continued. “Candidates also have activities that call for makeup to fit the occasion. This means that it is not ideal to have a super glam look for all events they are going to—one mistake I usually see with some candidates. So the key point here is to match your look to the occasion. Be subtle when needed, and be fierce when it’s game time.”
Naming the artist
Nix Soriano is certainly among the artists who made a name for herself in makeup artistry. Over the years, she pursued her craft through pageant and modeling competitions, commercial and editorial shoots, as well as fashion shows. But it appears that her career is a canon event. “It started with me just loving the idea that makeup is like painting,” she reminisced. “From there, it evolved to me wanting to learn more and create more masterpieces. After a few years of practicing, I decided to take up a few more classes to advance myself more.”
It wasn’t soon until the artist learned that makeup classes are not as accessible to Filipinos as compared to other countries. “After taking up more classes, I was invited one time to do a talk for a bunch of college students about makeup and the proper application,” she said. “From there, I saw a new path for me—and Nix Institute of Beauty was born.”
On her most memorable pageant makeup experience
In the realm of her team’s partnership with Miss Universe Philippines, the makeup artist revealed that every year is memorable. “But one story that I would always have fun sharing was my experience with Miss Universe Philippines 2020,” she recounted. “It began with the typical events and shoots where I could bring as many as 30 makeup artists under my team. But then, the lockdown happened because of the pandemic. We had to stop the events for almost six months if I’m not mistaken. And when we were asked to resume, guess how many makeup artists I was allowed to bring? None!”
Nix looked back at the time where she was the only makeup artist during her three-week lockdown schedule that ranged from shoots to the coronation night. “What we did instead was to have online classes with the candidates individually before going up in Baguio for the lockdown,” she shared. “Once we were in Baguio for the shoots, the girls were asked to do their makeup and I just had to supervise and correct if there was a need. It was one of the highlights of my career to be the only MUA for all 50 girls during the Miss Universe 2020 edition.”
On what makes Michelle Dee standout
Of course, the conversation wouldn’t be complete without bringing light to Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee. “MMD is authentic!” Nix answered when asked about her thoughts on what makes the candidate standout. “It is no secret that she does voice out what she likes and doesn’t like, in a very respectful manner. I guess that’s what I like about her—she doesn’t pretend! She will make you feel heard, she listens, and she expresses her most sincere thoughts for whatever matters under the sun.”
Photos: NIX INSTITUTE OF BEAUTY
