Pro Makeup Tips We Got From Makeup Artists Lala Flores and Denise Go-Ochoa at the Allure Beauty Congress
The back-to-back masterclass explored technique, instinct, and the philosophies that have shaped generations of Filipino beauty.
Day 1 of Allure Beauty Congress also saw the first Allure Masterclass session, Icons of Artistry, a rare back-to-back demonstration led by two of the country’s most influential makeup artists.
Kim Santos
Celebrity makeup artists Lala Flores and Denise Go-Ochoa, joined by their muses Pam Prinster and Breanna Estacio, offered an inside look at the techniques, instincts, and philosophies that have defined their careers. The session was moderated by beauty creator and industry pioneer Michelle Dy.
Kim Santos
Throughout the masterclass, both makeup artists shared helpful tips and insights. Whether you want to experiment with makeup or nail your camera-ready look (or even learn about what to remember if you’re an aspiring professional makeup artist), they’ve got you covered.
Kim Santos
1. If it’s oily, skip skin-care prep.
Flores has a piece of advice for those with oily eyelids: “Don’t do skin prep,” she says. Skin prep just makes your lids even more slippery. And if that tip doesn’t do the trick for you, you can opt for a mattifying eyeshadow primer before applying makeup on your lids.
You can also do your eyeshadow last. “If [a client] has oily lids, I do the whole makeup [look first], then I do the eyes last because they’re gonna develop oil fast.” On non-oily skin though, Flores prefers doing the eyes first and then the base last, “because I like [having] the base fresh.”
2. Use eyeliner as a base for eyeshadow.
It’s a bit unconventional, but Flores shares that she uses eyeliner as a base for her eyeshadow makeup. “That helps me [build] eyeshadow faster,” she says. This is particularly helpful when you’re working with a palette that’s not pigmented. Because eyeliners are naturally pigmented, they don’t need much to complete the look.
3. There are better synthetic brushes to choose from.
There’s been a long ongoing debate about which makeup brush is better: natural or synthetic? According to Flores, there was a belief before that natural brushes, made from natural sources like animal hair, were better.
However, concerns about animal rights, ethical sourcing, and sanitation came up. Now, most makeup brands opt for synthetic brushes and have improved since then.
“Synthetic [brushes] na lahat na halos ng brands, and marami naman nang magagandang synthetic ngayon,” she argues. Nonetheless, it always comes down to the blending skills.
4. Work with your undertone when contouring.
For morena skin, “Normally, it depends on the skin tone, because may morena na warm, may morena na cool,” Go-Ochoa explains, debunking the misconception that morenas are automatically warm-toned. She even suggests going for a cool-toned contour to create a shadow.
5. Sculpt your base and blend properly.
Go-Ochoa has a simple tip for sculpting your base: “Follow your natural lubog,” she says, referring to the jawline. “And then you also want to give warmth to the forehead para it’s also sculpted,” she adds.
Another simple tip: blend properly, because on camera, the contour will be easily noticeable.
6. Do the sandwich technique.
Go-Ochoa loves to put powder over a cream product: “After putting powder, di ba nag-ma-matte siya? So if you wanna put back the light, you add another layer of cream product on selected parts.” These are the parts where you want to show glow or a little bit of shine.
7. Tap, don’t slide the highlighter.
For highlighting, Go-Ochoa’s rule is to just tap the product gently on the face, and to avoid sliding. This trick prevents disruption to the base, because the highlight usually is the last step in the makeup process before the fixing and setting spray.
8. Take test shots of your makeup.
Go-Ochoa says this is how you see if your makeup is camera-ready. “[Back then], we only had polaroids, so nakikita lang namin yung effect when the magazine is published,” she recalls. “But now, we can take photos and check [the makeup look.]”
9. Don’t be afraid to have fun and experiment.
“Don’t be afraid,” Flores says. “It’s just makeup. Let’s have fun,” she encourages young aspiring makeup artists. As someone who started as a professional model with strength in fashion instead of beauty, Flores says that letting go of perfectionism and high expectations was the first step that she took in order to become the iconic makeup artist that she is now. “That’s how I trained myself to not be afraid,” she shares.
“Lakasan nalang ng loob,” Go-Ochoa adds. “That’s how I learned.” She’s a firm believer of the popular mantra “Fake it til you make it.”
10. Improve your skills, and practice humility.
If you’re an aspiring professional makeup artist like Flores and Go-Ochoa, you need these two most important things: skills and humility.
“More than networking, you really have to work on your skills. Because networking can get you to the door, but once you’re in the door, they’re gonna measure your skills. They’re gonna measure your talent,” Flores says. “There’s so many of you, so you have to stand out. You have to know what makes you different amongst your colleagues,” she continues.
Meanwhile, for Go-Ochoa, the most important thing is to stay humble, kind, and curious. “Skills really matter. You have to be different. But if you wanna be a professional, it’s also very important for you to always be humble, and be curious with everything that is new,” she says.
Behind the iconic artistry
The session offered what few artists reveal onstage: not just technique, but instinct, restraint, experimentation, and the emotional intelligence behind a great face.
As the first Allure Masterclass of the Congress, Icons of Artistry set the tone for three days grounded in expertise, creativity, and the stories behind the work that defines Filipino beauty.
