After winning the MEGA Fashion Awards 2024: The Next Makeup Artist title, Angeline Dela Cruz is turning her gaze to the beauty of creative expression and growth as well as celebrating the joy of finding a supportive community in the industry
This is an excerpt from MEGA February 2025 Artist Confidential.
Sisterhood, beyond the bounds of blood, forges unbreakable bonds through shared passions, interests, and experiences. This comforting kinship reminds us that no woman stands alone. Sisterhood radiates in moments of solidarity, companionship, and empowerment, fostering a nurturing, caring, and supportive community—these are what perfectly capture the magic that happens in the makeup chair of artist Angeline Dela Cruz.
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“Womanhood means uniquely for each person, but for me, it’s the sorority,” she reflects, reminiscing about the meaningful friendships formed in the glam room. “I have witnessed how discovering your creative community can transform your artistic journey. When you’re surrounded by kindhearted, encouraging, and talented individuals, you’re continuously inspired to show up and do your best work.”
And it shows at the day of her shoot: presences are welcomed, photos are taken, and pleasantries are exchanged—all of which set the right mood for the day. “Congratulations!” a friend exhales from afar, praising the artist for her feature and her newly-engaged status. Angeline, clad in a black catsuit and an oversized blazer, saunters in arms wide, dapping in everyone with her most heart-felt gratitude. “Thank you,” she says, smiling graciously.
You can get a sense that she has a similar energy to a sister that you need in your life: bright, caring, with a sense of wit that never fails to make you laugh—the kind of multihyphenate and passionate creative that looks after you. But there is no posturing here, this is the exact energy that her peers and collaborators admire about her. Her partner, Jharwin Castañeda says, “I always admire her for the way she cares for her muses, sobrang maalaga at maasikaso, and that makes any project for them feel so light and easy even if the shoot lasts for more than twelve hours.”
Soon after, the artist pauses to compliment her muses. “You guys look so great!” she calls out, waving at no other than celebrity photographer BJ Pascual and actress Chie Filomeno at a distance. “It’s silly to think I only met them through social media a couple of years ago,” she says. “The first time I worked with BJ was for the 2023 Opulence Ball, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. Many would agree he’s so easy to talk to. He knows exactly what he wants for a look, but I never felt too restricted to do my own thing.”
“I have the same work relationship with Chie,” she continues. “I met her through Anthea Bueno, who referred me to do her makeup for an event. At first, I was so nervous around her—the same feeling I get when I meet a client for the first time. But through that, we were able to share a bond and learned that we have creative chemistry. I appreciate her for the trust that she puts in me.” She adds, “The best thing about working with them is, I always try my best to change their looks every time. It’s a push that I love to give myself. I’m okay with repeating certain looks, but being an artist, that’s the best excuse for being a little crazy.”
There is something about the camaraderie in beauty, as she puts it. “In this industry, people can be competitive,” she starts. “But to me, the right people will make you feel that not everything in life is a competition.” That reality is, somehow, freeing for the artist. She has found herself at a harmonious point in her career where her passion and ambition are aligned with the creative community that she works with.
Discover Angeline Dela Cruz’s journey as a makeup artist and how she found her creative tribe in MEGA’s February 2025 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photography by JHARWIN CASTANEDA . Art Direction BRIE VENTURA. Sittings Editor JONES PALTENG. Hair DALE MALLARI. Styling ROKO ARCEO. Models BJ PASCUAL and CHIE FILOMENO. Video STEPHANIE CEA. Fashion NERIC BELTRAN. Shot on Location PIONEER X. Special Thanks to DOOKIE DUCAY.
