Kitchie Uy: Following Your Passion Can Lead to Success

Kitchie Uy is a promising and well-known, professional and passionate Makeup Artist, Vlogger, Entrepreneur, Influencer, effective modeling and makeup workshop coordinator and CEO/Founder of Passionista Community.

Many know her for being generous, helpful, intelligent, honest, frank, skilled and talented, kind when properly treated, approachable, humble, very passionate, forgiving yet feisty and a sharp person. She has reached the peak of her career in the beauty industry, thanks to her regular clients and with the support of her growing followers.

In this personality feature, we get to know her better and on a personal level. Who is Kitchie behind that strong alpha personality and beautiful facade? How did she get to where she is today? This is her story.

How She Got Into the Industry

According to Kitchie, doing makeup for herself and others was her long-time passion. As a kid, she loved dressing up and makeup (seeing her own Mother with pairs of heels and a set of cosmetics). However, she never (expected) to be a makeup artist when she grows up.

Her original goal was to become a ‘lawyer’ (and being named ‘Justice’ as her real name by her Father who finished Law and an ex-military officer with quite rigid and tough training, she was shaped to become a bit inclined to legalities, combat unfairness and deal well with people of different positions and walks of life. Through personal and painful experiences in her life journey, she somewhat shifted her fate to following her passions that truly make her happy, successful and fulfilled.

Through the encouragement of her family and friends, she finally pursued her passions since they saw a great potential in her and one of which was doing makeup. It all started as a hobby for fun, Kitchie would do free makeup makeovers for friends and others would encourage her to pursue a career in being a professional makeup artist. Soon enough, Kitchie gave it a try. So she finally and officially joined the beauty industry in 2014. Since then, she never stopped being busy and even while resting, maintains and blasts her social media platforms through vlogs, pictures and writeups.

Things weren’t easy for her at first as she encountered challenges and detractors who don’t really know her personally. Other people’s criticisms tried to topple her down. Her tough and straight personality made her misunderstood. She would talk to her Dad like a friend to vent out. With the high wisdom, support and encouragement from her Dad and other family members and some of her trusted friends, she immediately bounced back from the ground and continued what she started. This time she was stronger than ever and ready to face anything that comes her way, thanks to her priceless lessons from experiences, strong faith in God, prudence, optimism and constant interest in business, merchandise, arts, fashion, and service.

Inside the World of Make-up

People might wonder how she ended up being so good, neat and creative at her craft. Being a perfectionist as she is with a great sense of balance, Kitchie confirmed she was originally a self-taught individual of many skills and talents. She always had a mindset and attitude that even when the world shakes, the application of her liquid eyeliner is perfectly balanced or when she is purely involved with photo shoot collaborations which she started as for free with different models, the quality of her work never changes and even feels like she is being paid thousands’ worth for her makeup skills and techniques that she instilled and developed in herself for so many years now.

As far as makeup is concerned, she used to watch then apply different makeup tutorial videos from popular makeup vloggers both local and International. Few of her many favorites and also her inspirations are from Australia and the USA – Kandee and Chloe, to name a few. Now, she has always limited time to do what she used to do and prioritizes her makeup bookings, building and training teams, focusing on bigger plans, vlogging among others.

Aside from that, she also took up a “Beauty Care” course at TESDA in 2011 to develop her skills more and become more knowledgeable about her craft. Through self-application and constant practice, she became exceptionally good at what she has been doing.

According to Kitchie, doing makeup saved her and changed her life dramatically. Doing her passion, where she is at her best, opened doors of opportunities, some of which were closed at the beginning. There was a time in her life when she hit rock bottom but when money started coming in, her passion including doing makeovers turned into business, it picked her up and turned her life around.

At first, Kitchie only had a few materials in her makeup profession. It just started out with eyebrow liners, brushes and basic makeup items which she received from her brother abroad. All these jump-started her career and became vital tools to success. Her sheer hardwork, determination, the respect and confidence she gained from people through her clean and gorgeous makeovers, transformations, she got to where she is today.

Up Close and Personal: Q&A Portion

At this point, we’d like to know Ms. Kitchie’s direct answers to these important questions. She happily answered them all and these were her replies:

What do you love most about being makeup artist? – I discovered that makeup is a tool to enhance the face, not a tool to make one feel beautiful. Women must accept they’re already beautiful inside and I’m happy to be an influencer to make them realize that and become an instrument in unleashing their true beauty from within. This is one of the many things that I love being a passionate makeup artist myself that turned into a professional too.

What makeup trends do you find interesting? – Bridal make-overs (light, simple, glowing, transformations), slight to grand transformations, conceptual makeup, artistic freestyle, beautiful makeups applied with different techniques, mild to bold. It really varies, depending upon what is needed at the moment for a specific client or subject.

What are the 3 tools you can’t live without in your makeup kit? – My very own Passionista brand beauty blender sponge (in which I am still on the packaging process), lipstick and any face cream.

What are the common makeup mistakes that women make? – They overdo their makeup application and at times don’t know when to stop, they keep re-applying when it’s not yet time to do so. I can say this because of the many makeup workshops I have launched since 2016 during Passionista Workshops.

Cosmetic products you use on a regular basis? – Moisturizer with SPF or BB cream, Deta Beauty basics (Rebecca go-to lipstick shade), good pressed powder.

How do you clean your tools? I use mild soapy material (not for clothing) to remove dirt, sometimes I use a makeup soak or makeup sprays to sanitize them.

How often do you clean your makeup tools? Depends upon usage , daily or weekly.

How do you prepare different skin types before applying makeup? I will first check skin type whether it is dry or oily, identify shape of the face, complexion, what type of makeup to do on client and determine what exact products to use (concealer, contouring, etc.) and also ask the client what type of look she wants in order to meet her preferences or expectations.

How did you handle a stressful day at work? First, I pray to God or talk to Him silently to be able to handle whatever was making me feel difficult all of a sudden. I don’t complain especially on the work that is right in front of me, I just focus and use initiative on the task at hand, and I make sure the client doesn’t see my exhaustion. I just smile and maintain my friendliness and always believe that things will be better after any pressure.

How do you handle a frustrated client? First I apologize, find out what what’s the matter, then I offer for a re-do, just in case. Matured clients usually prefer the most natural of makeup. Thankfully, I have not encountered that a frustrated client.

How can women take care of their makeup to keep it looking fresh? There are several factors that can affect makeup like temperature and skin type (dry, oily, or sweaty). My advice is to use high quality make up and gently tap the face with a soft clean tissue, and never rub it.

Do a re-touch if the face becomes oily and sweaty, blot the oil using a blotter or clean tissue then finish off with a light powder. So far, the makeup brand that I endorse, DeTa Beauty, really has high quality and can be compared to high-end brands, I always get a feedback that the makeup stays really long on the face so I am very confident.

What are the biggest challenges that makeup artists are facing today? It depends from city to city, I guess, or the culture of the place you are in. In my opinion based on my experience and observation, our industry is not yet that very well-established. Some don’t or fail to apply the right protocols, values, principles and ethics or at least be truly professional. Client-grabbing, unhealthy competition, using politics to destroy others and monopoly are some of the issues we are facing today. Unfortunately, the crab mentality still exists especially in this industry instead of admiring and respecting the uniqueness of each one.

What type of events have you handled before? Workshops most especially makeup and modeling, weddings, photo shoots, and some in line with organizing and leadership skills, etc.

Popular Celebrities or local personalities you’ve handled before in terms of makeup? Katrina Acaylar (Miss Cdo 2017), some popular local models, DJ’s and some personalities.

Most unforgettable experience with a client. – Some elderly clients treat me like family and act like a mother to me. They usually start asking me personal questions and get so intrigued.

Best compliment you received from client? They really loved the makeup and are satisfied with my work. Others even recommend me to their friends. Many times they come back asking for a discount.

Easy makeup from work to night out? The makeup should be quite dark from the natural look during the day. Use a dark lipstick, dark eye shadow and mascara to make the eyes pop. These are just some quick fixes to dramatically change your look from day to night.

How do you meet photographer’s expectations during photo shoots? I ask the photographer what type of shoot will be done if he is the one organizing first, what the concept is and then I vary on the looks of the models upon seeing each one of them face to face.

What are the biggest lessons that you learned in the makeup industry? Being humble and not claim self entitlement. All these are not ours, but of God’s, keep on learning new trends, never care what people say, stand on your own ground and always realize that criticisms are a form of envy so just keep on going. Big minds talk about plans and ideas, never compare yourself to others, focus on improving own skills and talents, compete with your own self and not whatever status anyone has now. Nothing is permanent in this world especially in this industry bombarded with different people of different backgrounds, motives, principles, cultures and various classes, not to mention the generation gap.

About Passionista Talent Agency

We all know that “Passionista” is Kitchie’s baby from sheer hard work. So what is it really and how does it work? From the word “passion”, it started with her passions, hobbies and aspirations and people and marketing skills. It was a community at first composed of different people with diverse backgrounds, people from all walks of life.

Passionista is a community that empowers women and individuals from different walks of life. She created it because of what she also experienced in the past, Kitchie realized that one can use their passions to stand up for themselves. Thru the usage of skills and talents, one can earn money and not be dependent on others. Passionista was formed when she felt she wanted to do something out of her hands and mind. She’s always encountering women who wanted to be models, makeup artists, or any personality, so she came up with an arrangement with them as OJTs first and the rest is history!

Kitchie separated the Passionista Community and then built an agency called “Passionista Elites” and another group called the “Passionista Beauty Team” – composed of models and aspiring makeup artists. In big events they all gather together, Kitchie mentors them all, guiding them until they become “complete” or “all-around” individuals ready to face the industry.

The mission and vision of Passionista is empowering and inspiring women to stand up for themselves, to feel and realize they don’t need men in order to feel beautiful or valued, to cultivate own talents and skills and become a modern Filipina or modern woman who is not only feminine but strong and graceful enough to carry herself really well, no matter the situation with the use of her pure talents and abilities in good faith and without stepping on others.

The official and inner core members of Passionista who can be trusted that are already “complete” are around 12 more or less. As for the members of the community, they can’t be counted for they’re too many to mention. Kitchie Uy handles all these micro teams as the founder and CEO of Passionista.

FUN FACTS and FILL IN THE BLANKS

Favorite Quote: “Try and try until you succeed!”

Dream make-over: Oprah Winfrey

Dream job: Where I am most happy – Facing people, talking/vlogging/doing makeup/other creative tasks

Other job if you’re not makeup artist: English teacher abroad

What is your signature look and what makes you different from the others? I make sure that my works are clean and well-balanced. I am strict when it comes to training, my natural looks are light and I don’t do harsh contouring. I want it gorgeous beautiful but naturally. Just observe my works esp. the ‘Passionista Before and After’ photos.

Hobbies: Knitting, crocheting, baking, writing articles, speaking in public, vlogging, blogging, of course doing makeup, editing videos, singing, refurbishing clothes or any material, creating fresh ideas, making tutorials that is in line with her passions and strong inclinations.

Common Misconceptions about you: Snob, does not eat fast food, doesn’t know how to speak the vernacular, intimidating but in reality, she is simple, elegant in the way she carries herself especially in events or occasions, outgoing, fun-loving, straight-forward, frank, strict only when it comes to work and training, never pick ups fights FIRST. Only feisty when aggravated on purpose. How do you relax: I usually sing in front of my makeup table, or edit videos in bed or do vlogging even in my private space.

How do you relax: I edit videos in bed or do vlogging.

If a movie about your life was made, what would be the title and who will play you? The Story of My Life” or “Know Me First” and Anne Hathaway will play my role.

If you had 3 wishes: I wish for stability and greater success of my business as an entrepreneur, get married with the right man someday, and succeed too in helping and empowering women and hope to be able to motivate more people in the future.

Ideal breakfast: scrambled eggs, tomatoes, coffee, one cup of rice and a small slice of meat

What makes you laugh? simple jokes, honest mistakes

Favorite Food: sweets like cake and others

Favorite movie: The Shawshank Redemption

Pink or Red lipstick: RED

What make up item can you live without, eyebrow liner not lipstick? I can live without an eyebrow liner.

What was the last text you got? It was from Passionista Charm “Maam, where are you?”

Last song you listened to: “Climb every mountain”

Lights on or lights off? Lights On!

Sexy time or chocolates? – SEXY TIME

YES OR NO

Have you kissed any of your Facebook friends? NO

Have you ever slept until 5pm? NO

Have you ever held a snake? YES

Sat on rooftop? YES

Played a prank on someone? No, (not seriously. I did those out of sweetness.)

Have you ever eaten alligator meat? NO (not yet)

Do you believe in love? YES (Of course)

Ever climbed a mountain? Small mountains only, yes

Have you ever found more than P100 in public? YES

Ever danced in the mirror? Always

Did you ever have a crush on a neighbor? YES

Do you miss someone right now? YES

Have you ever cried yourself to sleep? YES

Are you scared to watch horror movies alone? YES

Ever told you’re HOT by a stranger? Always

Ever slept naked? YES

Do you love pets? YES

Are you a good singer? I’d like to confidently say YES

Do you like Facebook games? NO

Are you addicted to Facebook? NO (I mainly need it to answer queries and accept bookings for makeups).

Do you love listening to rock music? NO

Ever broke someone else’s heart? Always

Are you afraid of falling in love? NO (Not at all)

Special Thanks

The Explorer’s Channel and Kitchie Uy would like to extend our gratitude to the Limketkai Luxe Hotel for our beautiful venue.

About the Hotel

Limketkai Luxe Hotel is the premier and most luxurious hotel in Cagayan de Oro. They offer world-class facilities, great food, excellent customer service and the best ambiance for their clients.

Image Source | Facebook: Limketkai Luxe Hotel

If you’re looking for the perfect place for a staycation or just want to relax on a private place that’s accessible and in the middle of the city, this is where you should be.

Here are the current offerings that they have:

The Lounge offers these ice cold Drinks for you to grab and enjoy while listening to music performed live! Entertainment starts at 8 PM.

Saturday Nights will never be the same again, as they present to you on September 16, 2017 their latest addition to their Weekend Themed Buffet. Presenting the Street Food Festival, taste the different kinds of street food delicacies around the globe and have a delight on every bite.This is something NEW! This is a Must-try! Please reserve for seats at 0917-852-4786.