If there’s anyone the beauty industry trusts to give it a good face, c’est Jigs! Probably the country’s most fashionable slash crushable aesthetician, he’s most known for his ability to transform people.
He started by doing makeup for magazines and weddings, then meteorically rose to fame, working with famous celebs such as Bea Alonzo and Andi Eigenmann for covers, print advertisements and TV. He studied in makeup schools abroad, and was chief makeup artist of L’Oreal Paris in the Philippines.
Jigs boasts of a holistic approach to makeup, which translates to grooming yourself, eating well, exercising and doing whatever it takes to become your most beautiful self. He tells us how it can benefit you in ways that stretch far beyond mere physical appearances. In fact, it might just be the real power of beauty.
I learned my makeup techniques from… The Center for Aesthetic Studies in Manila (2004); Beauty Base in Bloombsbury, London (2007); Makeup
Institute in San Francisco (2008); and Fashion Up-to-Date School in Milan (2009).
My approach to beauty is… Holistic in the sense that I think women and men shouldn’t just concentrate on applying cosmetics but also by taking care of their skin, eating right, getting enough exercise and having a great work/life balance.
Lately I’m excited about… My new roles as brand ambassador for Pond’s BB cream and as a MAC Cosmetics makeup artist.
Second to makeup, I enjoy… Writing about men’s grooming for Preview Men and for Esquire where I am a contributing grooming editor. I feel that, through the years, I’ve gained quite a following from men who ask me about men’s skin and hair products via
Twitter or even in person.
From my most recent reviews, items that men should consider trying are… Camopaste clay (available at Jing Monis Salon), Shiseido Men Skin Empowering Cream, Clinique Skin Supplies for Men Shaving Cream, Lab Series for Men BB Tinted Moisturizer and Dove Men Body Wash.
Five items every woman should have in her makeup bag are… Pond’s Flawless White BB+ Cream, MAC Brushes, MAC lipstick in RiRi Woo, MAC Mineralize Foundation and MAC Xtra Dimension Skinfinish.
Makeup hue that Filipinas should try this season is… Bright eye shadow that really pops. It’s time we experimented with colorful eye shades after years of just using neutrals.
Makeup practice I’d like to ban for Filipinas is… Overplucked eyebrows and super-light foundation, unless you want to look like a witch.
You’d be surprised to know that the most difficult people to work with are… Some mothers of the bride. Some are quite endearing, don’t get me wrong, but a few can be quite difficult
while the brides are actually very relaxed.
Apart from makeup, I have a massive stash of… Body washes. I have one for every mood. I love Dove Men Body Wash, Kiehl’s Body Wash in Rosemary and Coriander. I am currently in love with Malin + Goetz Rum Body Wash. Super yummy!
Top 5 grooming tips
In honor of Father’s Day, Jigs is offering his confidence-boosting solutions for men. Here are five ways a man can take things up a notch in the world of grooming without looking “too done.”
1. Leave shaving cream on for a minimum of five minutes to avoid nicks and cuts.
2. Always emulsify hair products between your hands before applying to your hair. I always see men with chunks of product in their hair. That’s not cool.
3. It’s OK to groom your brows. One way of doing it without making it girly is by tweezing in between your brows and shaping ABOVE, not below, your natural brow line.
4. Know your barbering terms (clipper length, tapering, texturizing, thinning shears) if you want a salon-quality haircut from your friendly neighborhood barber.
5. Go to the gym. It will sculpt your physique as well as your face. This is my best grooming advice. Trust me on this.
Jigs Mayuga’s photo from Metro Magazine and his 5 grooming tips from StyleBible.ph; his choice products come from Rustan’s, Watsons, Essenses Rockwell and Greenbelt 5, and MAC, Clinique and Kiehl’s boutiques nationwide. Follow jigsmayuga on Twitter and Instagram.