Retro Forward

Future." These are words of wisdom from one of Manila’s makeup masters, Henri Calayag, or "Mother" as he is fondly called by his loyal clients because of his nurturing qualities and sincerity.

Henri’s passion for his craft draws clients to his H-Salon. And if you stay here long enough, you’ll see how he transforms into a ship captain with H-Salon as his ship. He encourages his staff to attend to each client, to render the best service and to create the look they want which Henri completes with his "motherly" touch. This is why his clients remain loyal and happy – Henri has the gift to see the real you but at the same time, he can transform you to your fantasy persona.

This time, Henri transforms F host, Angel Aquino to different personas. According to Henri, "With only slight changes such as lightening her eyebrows, using light colors for a fresher look, Angel’s classic beauty gets a modern appeal. It’s elementary to use dark colors on someone who wants a change in her look – that’s easy. But to create a new look on someone without piling on makeup is the challenge."

I watched Henri work his magic on Angel. He started with a "bare-faced" look, then gradually built up the colors to create another look. And for the finale, Henri did a dramatic ‘do and makeup.

With today’s fashion trends taken from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, it’s hard to resist incorporating them to your wardrobe. But be wary of looking like a blast from the past; mix and match modern and classic pieces to create your own personal style. And don’t forget the finishing touches – a great haircut and makeup that shouts "You" instead of "Who?"

As Henri said, "It’s retro forward honey, not retro nostalgia."

Look back, look forward … look now!

(For more of your suggestions and inquiries, e-mail me at jenniepperson@hotmail.com)