Makeup artist carves niche in beauty sector

FOR more than a decade, Jessie Glova has slowly carved his niche in Cebu’s beauty industry.

He has since set up a style salon, a style studio, and a holding company, Chameleon, for his businesses.

The Chameleon stands for “Costume; Haircut, wigs and extensions; Accessories; Makeup and Merchandise; Event coordination; Lifestyle events styling; Entertainment on Other Needs.”

Jessie Colon Recola Glova first discovered his skill in high school when one time he was asked to do makeup for five brides for a mass wedding in their barangay.

“I was assigned to them and did their make up. Two weeks ago I met them again and they showed me their wedding photo and I saw my first makeup job. They told me that they loved their makeup and they were very thankful. It’s that thought of having made people happy in one of the most special events of their lives that really brings joy to me,” said Glova.

He also used to practice on his friends’ relatives and also volunteer to do the make-up of his schoolmates for pageants, programs and other events.

“I would also draw my sisters and sometimes paint. I love colors,” said Glova.

When he was in college in 1995, he joined the Sandiego Dance Company as a makeup artist and later on as one of the dance group’s performers.

A Business Administration graduate from the University of San Jose Recoletos in 1998, Glova never considered doing makeup as a profession for him until later in life.

“I was into art, I sing, I dance and joined Glee clubs in school, I paint, I draw. I’m a very artistic person. I sing in clubs to earn money. I was a working student because I thought that I should be earning my own income so that my mom would not nag me whenever I come home late at night,” said Glova.

singapore

After graduating, Glova wanted to try his luck abroad so he went to Singapore as a performer, a stylist and a makeup artist.

His employer entrusted Glova with the bands that his employer managed.

“I was the manager, the trainer, the stylist and I also do the make-up traveling to many places with the band around Southeast Asia,” said Glova.

He eventually moved to the United Kingdom where he worked in a small boutique for two years.

There he met a Filipina who convinced him to take formal lessons in skin care and makeup so that he could pursue a career in the fashion and beauty industry.

“I came back in 2004 and that was when I thought of setting up a style studio after my mom gave me a dresser for makeup artists,” said Glova.

Makeup Studio

Together with his friends who are also doing businesses in the creativity sector like designing and makeup, Glova invested P150,000 to buy a complete makeup panel to start his business Jessie Glova Makeup and Style Studio.

They started it in a rented home along Archbishop Reyes Avenue and did many free jobs for friends to help him market their new business.

“I worked with newbie photographers then who are now also bigtime photographers in Cebu for photo shoots, where I do the makeup for the models and the concept as well as the styling,” said Glova.

He eventually became known for his application airbrush makeup which he recommended to his customers because it would result in a more flawless appearance to the skin.

His clients grew that he even was hired to do makeup for personalities and celebrities from ABS-CBN and GMA-7.

Style Salon

In 2007, Jessie Glova opened Jessie Glova Style Salon at the second level of Pacific Square Condominium in Mabolo, Cebu City to cater to those who wants hair treatments and all other salon services under his brand.

In 2010, Jessie Glova Makeup and Style Studio was moved in the Pacific Square nearer to the salon so that Glova could easily move from one to the other to serve his clients.

Aside from the salon and studio, he also taught basic makeup courses every summer in the last nine months at the studio with Tesda accreditation.

To further improve his brand, Glova then set up Chameleon six months ago as his holding company.

Plans

With the holding company setup, Glova said he plans to move forward in strengthening the brand by offering franchising for the salon business.

Glova said that he would be considering a franchising fee of P350,000 to P500,000 only in strategic locations in Cebu such as Talisay City, Tabunok, and Danao City.

Glova now has 12 people directly hired for all his businesses and is collaborating with many other suppliers and makeup artists whom he trained in the past for major projects.