From an early age, Elmer Laron Catungal knew he had the talent to go beyond the local scene. With a flourishing career in Manila’s fashion and entertainment industry, he dreamed of making it big in Hollywood — and he never let go of that dream.

Catungal’s impressive portfolio includes work with Star Cinema (Love Me Again, One More Chance), ABS-CBN (Lobo), and GMA (Sa Kamay ng Diyos, 2008 Station ID). Among the celebrities he’s worked with, he names Kristine Hermosa — his muse in Enteng Kabisote Parts 2, 3, and 4 — as the most beautiful Filipina.

His craft was shaped by the artistry of mentors like Jomel Razon, Edwin Aguilar and Alex “Bo” Vicencio. Internationally, he drew inspiration from Gilbert Soliz of Marc Jacobs Beauty, Make Up For Ever founder Dany Sanz, and the late, legendary Kevyn Aucoin.

Middle-Eastern promises

“Mahirap ang buhay sa Pilipinas. As a makeup artist, hindi sapat ang kinikita ko para sa pamilya. (Life was hard in the Philippines. As a makeup artist, what I earned wasn’t enough to support my family),” Catungal shared. “At para matupad ang pangarap ko na makapunta sa Hollywood, I went to Manama, Bahrain and worked with Sephora (To pursue my dream of reaching Hollywood, I moved to Manama, Bahrain, and joined Sephora).”

As part of the LVMH Group, Sephora is a global beauty giant known for transforming the cosmetics retail experience. From March 2009 to April 2022, Catungal served as the territory’s senior makeup artist.

“I was responsible for giving professional beauty-consultation advice that will secure the client’s loyalty and delivering the highest standard of customer service that ensures guaranteed customer satisfaction,” recalled the Mandaluyong City-born and Makati-raised Catungal. “My period of time working with Sephora was so hard in the beginning as it was my first time working in retail. I began learning new things with makeup, skincare and fragrances.”

In between, Catungal worked with Marc Jacobs Beauty in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from June 2014 to February 2016, assisting clients achieve their desired looks for everyday wear and special occasions by creating ideal makeup strategies.

“I also generated additional revenue by up-selling complementary products using friendly sales tactics and product knowledge and held consultation with clients to learn about their desired outcome and to assess their skin type and facial structure,” added the Jose Rizal University computer science graduate.

The French connection

To further hone his skills, Catungal joined several competitions. He was a finalist at the 2012 Sephora/Dior Makeup Master for the Middle East, placed second in the 2013 Sephora/Chanel competition, and clinched the championship in the 2016 Sephora Beauty Masters for the Middle East.

In 2017, he earned a coveted spot in Sephora’s One-Year Development Program in Paris, where he was certified as a senior makeup artist.

“While in Paris, I learned that to become a strong communicator, I need to be self-confident and trust myself, and that I have to be a good listener and be like a ‘sponge’ to absorb all the information whether it is good or bad,” he shared.

The American dream

Catungal flew to the United States just to do the hair and makeup for his cousin’s wedding. But as destiny would have it, he reconnected with a good friend from the Philippines, the former Viva Hotbabe Ella V, who owned Esthemax Philippines.