Monday, July 7, 2008

Make Up Schools in Manila


The art of makeup is no longer limited to beauty salon workers. More people are enticed into learning the craft- from supermodel Lala Flores, to beauty queen Abbygale Arenas, to people taking a leap from their corporate jobs, to just about anybody, including myself.

The job as a make up artist starts when you land your first paid gig. There aren't formal trainings or licenses required, especially here in the Philippines. With a few brushes and basic cosmetic kit, you can immediately start a career. That is, if you are skilled enough for the job to convince clients to trust you. It usually takes years to master the craft, with a few hits and misses but if you want to accelerate the learning process or develop the talent you innately have, enrolling in a good makeup school will help you enormously.

Personally, though I was already getting clients even before I had a formal training, I decided to go to a makeup school because I was raring to learn some more. I chose the Academy of Beauty and Arts in Manila because at that time, it was Sir Lourd Ramos who was handling the makeup classes. He used to work for Mac and was inches away from snagging the title of the very first Mac pro artist in the Philippines. He transferred to Smashbox and is now the company's regional trainor for Asia. He was a very good teacher and generous with the knowledge he shared.

The exposure to different events was also a factor in choosing my school. As an ABA student, we were able to do assist our mentors in several ocassions like fashion shows, tv guestings, magazine editorials and outreach programs. My most memorable stint was being a guest make up artist for YSL. A few months after I returned to CDO, my ABA classmates had the opportunity to do makeup for the Supermodel Philippines 2007.

Studying make up may be pricey but it was one decision I don't regret. The experience and the lessons I learned were priceless, even if I don't pursue a full time career in it.




Here are some of the fabulous make up schools in Manila that I recommend:
The tution fees may not be up to date.

*Academy of Beauty and Arts (ABA)
3rd floor Triplewell Bldg.
1167 JP Rizal St. Guadalupe, Viejo
Makati City
Tuition fee: P30,000 for 2 months,3x a week hair and makeup inclusive of materials and portfolio
or P9,000 for 2 months, basic make up, no materials
note: Sir Lourd Ramos is no longer with them
*News is that they moved to Cebu since May 31,2008 where the owner is based. The school in Cebu is still under construction, though.

Australian College of Hair Design and Beauty (ACHDB)
4th Level, THE PODIUM
ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Tel. No. 632) 637-9967
Mobile: +63917-8AUSSIE, +63918-8AUSSIE
info@achdb.com.ph
website: http://achdb.com.ph
Tuition: P125,000 Certificate II in Makeup Services 440 hours
P 150,000 Certificate IV in Makeup Services 744 hours
P 200,000 Diploma in Makeup 964 hours
P 30,000  Image Consultancy / Basic / Bridal Make-up (15 days /82 hours)
P 20,000  Glamour Make-up / Air Brushing (5 days / 30 hours)
P 20,000 Media Make-up (5 days / 30 hours)
P 30,000 Special Effects Make-up (8 days / 48 hours)

Basement Salon
Ground Level,  Carpark Building,
Shangri-la Plaza Mall, EDSA Corner Shaw Boulevard,
across Rustan's Supermarket and Starbucks
Tel No. (02) 510.2533/(02) 638.2222/0917.828.8483
basementacademy@gmail.com
website: http://basementacademy.com
Tuition fee: P18,500- Beauty Makeup Course for 2 weeks, 28 hours, models are provided
P 22,500- Advanced Make Up Course for 8 meetings, 28 hours

Center for Aesthetic Studies (CAS)
2nd Floor, Franck Provost Building
120 Jupiter Street, Bel-Air Village
Makati City, Philippines 1209
Tel. No. 895.34.01 to 03 ext. 113
http://www.isdanco.org/cas
Tuition fee: P26,000 for 2 months 3x a week Basic Makeup (inclusive tuition fee, uniform, portfolio & 1 pallete 6 shades kryolan ultrafoundation)

La Salle College International
Bloomingdale Bldg, 205 Salcedo St. Legaspi Village
Makati City
Tel. No. 840-1543/ 840-1476
http://www.lasallecollege.com.ph
Tuition fee: P14,500 exclusive of materials, on Saturdays for 7 sessions

Make-up Design Academy
Mother Ignacia St., Quezon City (just across ABS-CBN)
contact # : 416-1730
Basic Makeup for 60 hours(Php18,500)
Advanced Makeup for 50 hours (Php20,500).
http://make-up-design.com/

Makeup For Ever Academy
Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Tel# 02-856-5243/ 0922-864-2461/0918-4928851
Module I- Beauty, Fashion and Visagism
P30,000 (VAT exclusive) 50 hours
MWF: Lecture and demonstration 10am-12nn/ Hands-on training 1-4pm
Module II- Beauty 2: Beauty, Photo and Fashion makeup
P33,000 for 50 hours exclusive of VAT
TTHSat : lecture and demonstration 10am-12nn/ Hands on training from 1-4pm

School Of Fashion and The Arts (SOFA)
55 Paseo de Roxas near cor. Buendia
Makati City
Tel No. 8928807 or 4915536
http://sofamanila.com
http://sofamanila.multiply.com
Tuition fee: P 15,000 for 14 weeks Saturdays Basic Makeup


41 comments:

  1. Thanks for the helpful info! :) By the way, love your works. Hats off.

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  2. My pleasure. :) Thanks for the compliments.

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  3. Need your help please..LCI or SoFA for make-up classes? SoFA kasi they got Xeng Zulueta to teach. Okay kaya yun? Same rate lang but 4 hours lang per session si Xeng. I believe kasi magaling sya eh. Kaya hmmm..si RB Chanco naman I heard magaling din eh. Im so confused and I'm under time pressure. Hope you can help me decide.
    Thanks!

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  4. Hi Una! I would be as confused as you are if I were to choose between SOFA and LCI. Personally, if I'd go back to makeup schooling, I'd like to try Make Up For Ever because of their curriculum.

    Having Xeng Zulueta as a teacher in SOFA is a rare opportunity. I'd probably grab the chance to be her student. It's a plus factor to your resume to be trained by her. But then RB Chanco is an experienced makeup teacher and MUA as well. I haven't had the chance to be a student of either so I couldn't really tell who's the better teacher. It would really depend on other factors, like if you seriously want to make a career out of it or is makeup just a hobby? Consider which is more accessible to your place, too.

    Good luck on your schooling. I'm sure you'll have fun. :)

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  5. hi MUA!!!
    wow!!!a physician with make up art on the side!!!hats off to you!!!:-) Im from iligan city and i am interested in hair up and make up too.though i dont have any formal training im quite interested to go further and take a hair cutting and make up course.do you have any comments or knowledge the toni& guy course?i have heard make up forever academy has a good course too.like you, im also busy managing our business and i would like to squeeze in time for this course whether i want to pursue it professionally or not.hope you can share some info or two. i would super appreciate it!!!!:-)

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  6. hi chubbyprettylicious! I don't know anyone who went to Toni & Guy but I heard they're good with the hair, so I guess you can have your your hairstyling/cutting courses in that school. My hairstyling teachers in ABA were trained from Ricky Reyes and their works are impressive.

    MUFE Academy is a good makeup school. Bobby Carlos is teaching.

    Go for what you want! I went schooling to enhance my skills and even if I decided not to go fulltime as MUA because I still want to make use of my medical education, I don't regret enrolling in a makeup school at all. I was glad I did and makeup still serves as my form of therapy or detox. :)

    Good luck!

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  7. Which make up course is better taking up at Lasalle? Basic Make Up or Make Up Artistry?

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  8. Hi kilobyte! I can't really tell coz I didn't go to LCI for my makeup schooling. However, you can ask Sophie of beautynomics.com because she studied makeup artistry there. :)

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  9. hi there, saw your thread, just to inform you guys that i dont teach im MUFE anymore. thanks you have a nice blog going on here.thanks

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  10. sir bobby, it's an honor to have you visit my blog! thanks for the info.

    not having you as a mentor would sure be a factor in a student's decision on whether or not she should pursue her makeup schooling in MUFE.

    if i had the time and the means to study makeup further, i would love to learn from you, as well.

    thanks!

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  11. I wanna tip you guys about a really good makeup school in Los Angeles, and the prices are amazing...

    It's called European School of Makeup
    and the webadress is: www.esmmakeup.com

    Good luck guys!!

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  12. wow! thanks for posting this very helpful info! super hirap mgdecide tlga :)

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  13. It's good, If you are going to college and learn theory as well practical fine arts for beauty and makeup industry,

    i learned my artistry of makeup in the worlds first makeup school based in California, they have awesome learning and teaching faculty for the international students across the globe.

    i recommend to students, Join and learn makeup artist courses in EI School of Makeup (http://www.ei.edu/) if they are willing ti make and boost their career in makeup industry worldwide.

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  14. hi, im just wondering, how should i start if i wanna go to a hair & make-up school? i've graduate high school like 3 years ago. location doesnt matter. im in sweden now but i want to study in the philippines if it's possible.

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  15. hi! i'm thinking of taking up makeup classes in basement academy. ok ba dun?

    thanks!

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  16. can you suggest a school in davao, cebu or cagayan de oro? or even just a center or something?

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  17. chell-ann: you can start by getting in touch with the schools. the numbers and websites are posted on this blog post. thanks.

    ra: since i have no info regarding basement academy, i didn't include it in the lists. however, if in case someone who went to that school reads this, i hope inputs will be shared.

    kitttyglitters: i'm from cagayan de oro myself and i had to go to manila to study makeup and hairstyling. i'm not sure if the transfer of my school ABA from Manila to Cebu materialized.

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  18. hi! i want to enrol in either CAS or ABA, but i can't decide which school to go. which is beter? can i have the website of ABA? thanks

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  19. hi. sorry but ABA is no longer existent as noted above. not sure if they really pushed through with the cebu plans. the other schools posted here are good options. please don't hesitate to get in touch with the schools using their contact details. good luck!

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  20. My wife wishes to attend the Academy of Beauty and Art in Cebu when it opens, Can you give us some information about it and if Lourd Ramos will be attively involved.

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  21. I'm sorry but I have lost touch with the people of ABA and I don't know if they have opened in Cebu at all. However, if you've been to an X-Salon branch in Cebu, you may inquire from them because the owner of ABA also owns X-Salon.

    I don't think Sir Lourd Ramos will still be involved in ABA Cebu because he left the school even when the branch in Manila was still up and running. He's a very busy guy. Right now, he's still connected with Emphasis Salon in Manila.

    A famous makeup artist in Cebu who also teaches basic makeup is Jessie Glova. You can google his name which will lead you to his contact details and samples of his works.

    Hope this helps.

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  22. Hello,

    My niece is thinking of enrolling in the Center of Aesthetic Studies to do a 6 month diploma in Cosmetology.

    What are your thoughts on the Center of Aesthetic Studies?

    Regards,

    Pearla Ordillo

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  23. Hi Ms. Pearla,

    CAS is one of, if not the first high-end makeup school to offer makeup artist courses in the Philippines. When I was studying in ABA, I had classmates who graduated from CAS but took advanced courses in our school. I can say they were really taught well. CAS has a classroom setting of teaching and they begin with the basics which is an advantage for newbies. i'm not sure about the advantages of a 6 month diploma course over the 2 months usual course but overall, CAS is a good makeup school to go to :)

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  24. Hi sis, I am about to enroll in CAS Basic Makeup Course but then I found a blog thats really disturbing about the school. Here's the link:

    http://www.spot.ph/2009/04/15/center-for-aesthetic-studies/

    So now im confused whether to push thru or enroll at MUFE. Did you also study in CAS?

    How about la salle college? You think they also teach good makeup techniques?

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  25. hi, i read about that blog before. no, i didn't go to CAS. as stated in my blog post and in my previous answers, i went to ABA, which unfortunately closed down. :( the complaint about CAS is defended by some students who went there,saying that all the criticisms helped them become better.

    if you're like me who learns better in a happy, inspiring environment but is utterly sensitive to negative remarks, i suggest that you find another school. but there are other more benign teachers at CAS. perhaps you can work your schedule to enter a class with "more tame" teachers.

    however, be warned that when you go into the makeup industry especially in Manila, you will be working with various personalities that do not fit into the "nice" category. there will be bitches along the way, whether it be a client, model, competitor or more popular co-workers. terror teachers in makeup school actually give you a feel of what it's like outside.

    MUFE as I have gathered, is good, but downside is you will be limited to MUFE products. Reading through some blogs of La Salle graduates, I think it's a good school especially if you have work and are free only on weekends, as LCI gives classes during Saturdays.

    I recommend that you check the curriculum of the school you are considering. Again, your choice will depend on personal factors: your goal, budget, location, etc. In the end, the mastery of makeup skills will depend on the student and not on the school. Hope you'll enjoy your makeup classes!

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  26. Hey there! can i ask you something? where can i buy spirit gum and remover? i'm not based in manila and i have to have spirit gum within the next 2 weeks...can you help me with this? i appreciate it....tnx...

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  27. try the kryolan multiply site. i saw them selling spirit gums a few days ago.

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  28. Hi, I'm from Canada and I'm going to manila this Oct 15 upto Nov 15 , I'm planning to go for a makeup school on my stay in the philippines. I was wondering if there's an International makeup school available around Manila. Since I have a limited time taking the course, I hope that there's a class that'll fit in my schedule. I checked LCI but the makeup class doesn't start till Nov. I'm interested in attending the course at MAKE UP FOREVER but I don't know when the classes start and If the certificate is acknowledged/accredited here in Canada.. Thank you in advance for your time and I look forward to your response, Have a good day.

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  29. Hello, Cloud. ACHDB is a makeup school with international accreditation ( at least in Australia). Not sure if it applies to Canada. But with only one month training, that would only cover a short course and not the diploma courses they offer. As to MUFE academy, I wish I knew the answers to your query but I have no idea about their schedule. Please call them through the numbers provided. Too bad I couldn't find an their email add. From what I know, their school syllabus is based on the MUFE Academy in Paris.

    There are good makeup schools in Canada. Have you considered enrolling in one? Some local makeup artists flew all the way to other countries to train so why not take advantage of that chance? Anyway, whatever you decide on, hope you enjoy your makeup schooling!

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  30. hi there! i was wondering if you could help me find a training school that is limited to teaching personal make up only? im very interested in improving my looks but i find it much easier to learn through demos. I recently bought a make up book by iman but i really found it hard to learn the basics.. i need help..

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  31. Hi MsPlainJane,

    For personal makeup applications, getting a one-on-one training with a makeup artist would be the practical way to go. Xeng Zulueta is accepting tutorials. I just don't know how to get in touch with her. But she has a twitter. :)

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  32. Hi there!

    Makeup forever school or SOFA Manila? Would it be accredited abroad? I'm not so well off so I'm wondering if you would happen to know the modes of payment for Makeup forever?

    Thanks a bunch! *.~

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  33. Hi.:)

    I have no idea regarding the payment options of MUFE. When I enrolled in ABA, we had the option to pay in cash or 50% down and the rest in 2 divided payments.I'm not sure if MUFE offers that option. Thanks for visiting!

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  34. Hi. For months now, I kept thinking about how I can work on my plan of going to a makeup school... the hesitations I have are:
    1. that I might be too old for such school. Is 31 old for make up school?
    2. I do not know anything about makeup

    Honestly, I am nervouse going back to school again.

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  35. 1. as far as i know, there is no age limit in makeup schools. i know 35 year olds who have fun studying makeup and i don't think age should be an issue. this is makeup, not gymnastics.

    2. ask yourself, "why do i want to enroll?" are you considering taking classes because someone else told you so or because you want to?someone with the expertise of juan sarte does not need to enroll in a basic makeup school but people who want to learn how to apply makeup properly do.what's the point of studying makeup if you're already an expert?

    look into the curriculum of the school and check if it suits you. there are schools that take it one step at a time while there are some (like the one i went to) that immediately immerse their students into events, thus requiring some background.

    good luck!

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  36. hi, i would just like to ask if anyone has heard of make up design academy along mo.ignacia?

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  37. hi. sorry ,no idea. if there's somebody who knows about that school, i hope infos will be shared.

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  38. hi , i would like to ask coz i want to work in a fashion industry and since makeup is the best way to get in i would like to ask which school is best for career since im already 33 would it still be ok if i study makeup class,pls advice tnx.

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  39. adding to my question will it be a good career path to be a makeup artist as of your experience is concerned?

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  40. @wena: if you want to work in the fashion industry, SOFA has classes not only for makeup artists but for fashion enthusiasts.

    regarding your next question, it's a case to case basis. i cannot really answer that based on experience because makeup artistry is not my bread and butter.

    however cool makeup artistry has become, some people will look down on you as if the field is limited to those who cannot afford a college degree. there are still people who are ignorant about this evolving profession. it takes skills, determination, patience and humility to succeed as a makeup artist. if you think you got those, then go for it. good luck!

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  41. COMMENTS ARE CLOSED. I get several messages asking the same questions over and over and over again.. mostly on what makeup school i recommend. please read through the comments and notice that i have already answered it. the contact details of each school are already posted above. please find time to contact them yourselves and direct your specific questions about their school through their email or telephone number.. thanks.

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