Pepoy Tancinco's 'Reflections'
Pepoy Tancinco. It is his name that launched a thousand faces. It is his hands that unleashed the beauty that hibernates within. It is his expertise that revealed the exquisite glimpse of an evolution, from simplicity to an effortless grandiose masterpiece. It is his complex understanding of the face that makes him a connoisseur in every stroke, in each snip, in every touch, in all hues and colors that he brings into play, a reverent work of art. It is he who believes that every subject is a black canvas and that each one is a raw masterpiece waiting to be discovered. He knows fully well that the artist has the responsibility to reveal the hidden and present into a one of a kind creation, beautiful and unique. It is his talent that made possible the realization of a dream, a hundred page collection of visual presentations of his outstanding ability in hair and make-up. It is his Reflections.
Inspired by his friend and fellow hairstylist and make-up artist based in Manila, Patrick Rosas, the book Reflections was launched January this year after two arduous years of preparation and keen attention to details. The result was a spectacular collaboration between the subjects, the photographer and Pepoy himself. In every page are captivating images of each of his clients, camouflaged into an artistic portrait not to alter the innate beauty of his patrons but to enhance what they already have. It is the first in Iloilo, an ingenious idea that flourished to be an emblem of his hard work as a professional beauty specialist for more than a decade. “This book will be my legacy. I wanted to have a remembrance of what I had strived for, and this is one thing I thought that I can be best remembered even if I am already gone,” he says and further explains that he used the word Reflections for its classical value. “I was thinking of using a contemporary title to use to make this compilation more modern and edgy, but in the years to come it wouldn’t sound appropriate so I opted for a word that will never cease its value through time.”
Whether his subjects are draped with a curtain, covered with paint or even swathe with grapes, the aesthetic value of the pictures does not entirely depend on what was covered or not but in the faces of women who without hesitation allowed Pepoy to augment what is already existing and what more can be done to make them even more exquisitely stunning. “Before I do my work, I always make sure that my clients understand that each face has a limitation, and that with beauty you can only do more or less to enhance what you own.” It is, he says, an essential point to remember should conflicts arise between him and an unsatisfied client. He has never had one so far but gaining the confidence of customers is one part of being a professional beauty expert. The huge part of his work is identifying the exact requirement of an individual when it comes to the need and application like using the right combination of colors, the time of the occasion the customer will be exposed to, the skin color, the shape of the face, and the culture and lifestyle the clients is accustomed to.
“Everything in this book is thoroughly conceptualized, it was a strenuous and expensive project. I had the pictures printed out in Manila and all the other details was done there. Yet all the hard work was worth it, because along the way, I had fun connecting with my clients in a different environment and set-up.”
It’s not a startling fact that many of his patrons are high profiles, men and women who come from affluent families. His craft was gradually perfected from constant training abroad, attending Vidal Sassoon first in Toronto as a student in hairstyling and attending a year later in a make-up institution in Sydney. Having started since he was sixteen, he decided early on that his focus will solely be on developing his skill. “Since the day I realized I had the knack for making the right haircut to my classmates during our CAT in high school, I knew I never wanted to be anyone else so I did not pursue a college degree. I focused all my energy in practicing, first by working as a low-key barber here and in Manila.”
Many believe that nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion, and so does he. For more than a decade of being a professional hairstylist and make-up artist his unwavering love for his craft is one key to his success. A kind of achievement that has been often maliciously criticized by jealous entities who's only interest is to put him down. “It's funny when there are people who insinuated that I was selling drugs because I own some luxuries that other hairstylists or make-up artists normally cannot afford. But little do they know, that I have been in this business since I was sixteen and I make sure that every penny I worked hard for is spent wisely.” It's the worst criticism he had heard so far, but along with the others that has been said badly about him, the only thing he does is take it and filter the ones that can be of good use for his professional and personal growth.
It is a classic story of a man who came from humble beginnings and later emerged a successful professional. At the moment he is reaping the fruits of his labor. Being an in demand hairstylist and make-up artist, he has done famous faces from social bigwigs like Emily Lopez, and Gina de Venecia, to local and international models and celebrities, and covering special occasions and events. The most recent was last month’s Bench Fashion Show in Manila. Yet despite the prestige, the merits and awards he received, Pepoy remains modest of his accomplishments believing that humility can lead you far.
Reflections for him is another diversion of his versatility. Having worked with respected photographer, Ramil M. Gorrieza, who before leaving for England where he resides spared time to do the project, each image distinctly captured the artist's adroit masterpieces in a variety of concept, all of which have been painstakingly done. Pepoy is a big dreamer. He has a vivid image of what his future will be and then worked hard everyday toward that distant vision, goal and purpose. His secret in life is his devotion to his work and this book will not be his last trademark of motivation and ingenuity.