Beauty beyond the brush

Nix Soriano, a well-known makeup artist in the Philippines, described her amazing career transition from being a nursing graduate to pursuing her genuine passion for makeup artistry.

The chief hair and makeup artist of Nix Institute of Beauty, in an interview with the Daily Tribune, disclosed that after finishing her nursing degree and passing the board examinations, she found herself at a crossroads.

When the recession was at its worst in 2010, her grandma encouraged her to put off her travel plans to the United States and suggested that she stay in the Philippines until things got better economically. This is when Nix's interest in makeup really began to blossom.

As she and her business partners worked on commercials and other audiovisual projects, Soriano became interested in putting on makeup. She often found herself stepping in as a last-minute makeup artist when emergencies or cancellations occurred. Recognizing her talent and passion for the craft, she decided to pursue formal training in makeup artistry.

"Sometimes I would step in at the last minute like your makeup artist or last-minute cancel makeup. So, from there I took up classes."

Nix went to classes to improve her abilities after realizing how much she loved beauty and makeup.  She witnessed a growing demand for makeup services, not only among celebrities and beauty queens but also individuals attending parties and weddings. Observing the delight and confidence it gave, Soriano's excitement for makeup artistry intensified.

She set out to provide budding beauty artists in the Philippines access to reasonable but thorough training after seeing the large expenses needed for cosmetics workshops overseas.

Transitioning from nursing to makeup artistry wasn't without its challenges. Initially, Nix faced skepticism from her loved ones, including her then-boyfriend, now husband. They questioned her decision, pointing out alternative companies that would have generated greater profits. But it was obvious that she had found her real purpose because of her consistent joy and enthusiasm for makeup artistry.

"I can't imagine myself doing something I'm not happy with. It's not that I'm not happy with nursing but this makes me more happy," she said.

As her career was established, renowned pageants and productions were drawn to her talent and commitment.

She rose to prominence as the preferred makeup artist for illustrious occasions like Miss Universe Philippines. Nix's talent went beyond pageantry; in addition, she catered to weddings and worked on side jobs for advertising and commercial shoots.

She founded the Nix Institute of Beauty to broaden the reach of her expertise and provide accessibility to cosmetics courses. She set out to provide budding beauty artists in the Philippines access to reasonable but thorough training after seeing the large expenses connected with cosmetics workshops overseas. Nix believes that creating a solid foundation for makeup artistry requires starting with the fundamentals.

"We start with the fundamentals of makeup because I'm a firm believer that if you know the fundamentals, if you know the basics kahit paikot-ikutin ka, kaya mo ayusin (even if you get turned around and around, you can handle it)," she explained.

The Nix Institute of Beauty has seen a diverse range of students, including both females and males. Even photographers enroll to enhance their skills in makeup for editorial shoots. It takes pride in fostering a supportive learning environment that encourages creativity and helps students understand the theory behind their art.

Even though Soriano's path has had its fair share of lessons learned and minor setbacks, she is still passionate about what she does. She wants to continuously grow and deliver outstanding results while acknowledging that mistakes do occur as a real professional.

She reflected on how it all began with Global Asian Models, and shared her journey, starting as the makeup team for Rabiya Mateo, Beatrice Gomez, Celeste Cortesi, and finally the newly-minted Miss Universe Philippines Michelle Dee.

"It's a rollercoaster talaga, but it's a proud moment for me."

The Nix Institute of Beauty is a team of skilled hair and makeup professionals who are dedicated to empowering individuals to embrace their individuality and their own sense of beauty. They provide lessons and hair and makeup services all around the Philippines.

The team's mission is to give clients treasured experiences and memories while also acting as mentors for rising business professionals.