I am Bong Villanueva, locally known as “Bong V”. I am the owner of Bong Villanueva Salon. I do make-up for celebrities, for beauty queens and for other people making them stand out and be glammed up, making them feel beautiful inside and outside.
Believing that a face is a blank canvas, I say foundation can be your base, the concealer will do the trick of hiding away those blemishes, those imperfections, and the dark spots of the past.
I am certain that make-up is always an art and more than art; it’s more than a tool for beauty, it is also a tool of healing a broken heart, of lifting someone’s confidence, someone’s self-esteem and in gaining someone’s personality.
For so many years, I have been a beauty artist. And I started discovering my talent as beauty artist when I was just in high school. I started with doing manicure and pedicure during college while on a part time job on a salon, until then, my passion kept burning.
The beauty artistry is more than a beauty care to me, it has been my bread and butter. It helped me cross the bridge of paucity when we used to eat nothing but bananas.
But everything needs hard work, dedication and perseverance, so I worked hard for my passion, striven on it. I studied several make up classes all over the world to master the science of beauty artistry.
Until years slipped by, I started my own business, Bong Villanueva Salon. I treat my business as a job, as something that I still have to work hard for. I always believe that learning is something that is constant and circular, it should be continuous and unending. Learn more until make up blending become your cardio exercise.
My business is not just a business. It’s a hub for making lives even more beautiful, for making people feel beautiful in their own skin.
It’s amazing how I feel the fulfillment of making people more beautiful. It’s such a great feeling seeing my clients happy after getting a makeover. I feel magical inside—an immeasurable joy sparks within me. Seeing them get out of their self and looking at them wearing make-up with the better version of themselves is such an accomplishment for me.
When I make someone better, I make myself better, too.
Make up is just a set, but it really taught me a lot in life, when your life isn’t perfect, at least your make-up is. So wake up and make up, to make up your life.
Make-up is putting self-confidence that is painted directly to the face, so wear confidence like how you wear make-up.
Next, keep your lashes high, your heels and your dreams high. Always aim for the best one and never give up for it like how you worked hard for that winged eyeliner of yours.
Third, I always believe that “Kilay is life”—your brows are the frames of your face; they may make or break your face. Brows are the only thing that gets in shape without going to the gym, so keep them in shape for brows speak louder than words.
Thou shalt keep thy brows on fleek; have that fire in your soul and a killer pair of brows, and if I were to be trapped in an island and had to choose for only one make-up to bring—it would be eyebrow liner!
My fourth reminder would be to never underestimate the power of a good lipstick. Wake up every day with a good smile and a good lippie. It may not solve all your problem, but at least it’s a good start to get the spirit up.
Fifth, don’t feel insecure. Just get up with a good spirit and make your contours on point, get your cheek bones sharp enough to kill all the bad vibes in your life.
And lastly, blend your make-up harder, and work with your life harder.
Always believe in yourself, your smile is the greatest make-up you could wear every day.
Palawan Daily News asked me, “Do you get threatened by competitors and other make-up artist?” I gave them a smile and replied, “No, because I have my talents and it is always great to have a healthy competition.”
My advice to those aspiring to venture the beauty industry is to practice more and more, watch Youtube videos and be dedicated and passionate always.
In the name of beauty, may the wings of your eyeliner be always even, may thy brows be always on fleek and may your lipstick conquer the world.
Once again, I am Bong V, make-up is an art, beauty is spirit!
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