MAKEUP: Alex Pachas shares his passion for the glamorous world of makeup.
By Andrea Alvarado, Staff Writer
Concealer. Bronzer. Mascara. Eyeshadow. These are only a few tools utilized in the art of makeup—an art that Poly senior Alex Pachas has perfected.
Pachas’s work with makeup stems from simple adolescent pastimes such as painting and drawing. From there he transitioned to a new canvas: the human face. He soon developed a special talent for applying makeup. Like any proud parent would, his mother began sharing his talent with people she knew. “She likes to brag to people about how I do makeup, and show people pictures of things I’ve done. Then they either have some sort of project that they need makeup work done for, or know somebody who could use me,” he said. Pachas’s jobs have included beauty makeup for formal dances, weddings, graduations and runway shows. He has even done special effects makeup for Downtown Riverside’s annual Ghost Walk.
With the various genres of makeup application, whether stage or beauty, drag makeup remains Pachas’s favorite. Different from everyday beauty makeup, drag makeup calls for a combination of special effects and beauty techniques. “Drag is amazing! It’s creating new facial structure by shading and highlighting,” Pachas gushed.
Though Pachas has many jobs to keep him busy, he is seldom paid for his work. “With any type of artwork it’s expected to get paid nothing or next-to-nothing when you’re starting out. The beginning of a makeup career is all about exposure and showcasing your work, so I’m perfectly fine with not getting paid for every job,” Pachas explained.
Pachas plans to obtain a license to become a professional makeup artist in the future. “I don’t think it will be the only thing I will do career-wise, but maybe as a side job along with something else. But I love the art of it; the possibilities are endless,” Pachas said.