Like many of her peers in the beauty industry, Makeup grad Melfinna Tjugito has natural talent. But unlike her peers, Melfinna has a secret weapon that sets her apart— an unquenchable thirst to learn.
With industry experience in her native Indonesia and a passion for makeup that started in her youth, she first came to Blanche Macdonald to grow as a Makeup Artist. Having been featured in British Vogue, Vogue Italia, and even on a few familiar faces, Melfinna’s talents behind the brush are undeniable – you can even catch her on set, creating makeup magic for both Netflix and Hulu!
Now, four years down the line, Melfinna’s come back to enroll in the Pro Hair Co-Op Program, determined to learn and master the art of hair.
“I’ve been doing makeup since I was really young,” she explains. “I’ve always been a fine arts kid, and makeup is my passion.” Back in her home country, she’s far from the only one who loves makeup. “In Indonesia, it’s such a densely populated country, the beauty industry is actually really huge,” she explains.
“Looking at the alumni. Most of them are very, very successful. And if you look at their stories, most of them thank Blanche for their education. That’s really important for me —to make sure that school really prepares you.”
Even with the beauty boom, getting a start in the beauty world would take finding the right connections. “No one in my family is in the beauty industry.” But even without existing industry relationships, Melfinna was able to forge a mentorship with fellow Makeup Grad Camille Lee.
With Camille’s support, Melfinna learned the fundamentals of makeup. This, along with friendships made on social media, helped her find her footing. “It’s surprising how fast it goes. By six months, I knew some people at L’Oréal and NYX. That’s how I got started,” she shares.
“Coming to Blanche has been one of the best decisions of my life and has made me feel to be a part of a family - The Blanche Family!”
So why leave a promising start back home? “I’m born and raised in Indonesia, so I wanted to try something new.” Scoring jobs back home gave Melfinna confidence that she could branch out. “I began to feel like ‘oh, if I can make connections here, I can make them in Vancouver too,” she says.
At Camille’s recommendation, she decided to look into Blanche Macdonald and liked what she discovered, “Looking at the alumni. Most of them are very, very successful,” she explains. “And if you look at their stories, most of them thank Blanche for their education. That’s really important for me —to make sure that school really prepares you.”
“As an International student coming to Canada alone, Blanche has helped me build connections through their amazing reputation in Vancouver.”
“As an International student coming to Canada alone, Blanche has helped me build connections through their amazing reputation in Vancouver. Their instructors are the top artists in the industry and will guide you towards unlocking your greatest potential. Coming to Blanche has been one of the best decision of my life and has made me feel to be a part of a family – The Blanche Family!”
“Instructor Timothy Hung has been a great inspiration, alongside fellow Blanche Macdonald graduate Jon Hennessey. He’s someone that I really look up to. He works closely with the people that I work with, and I consider him to be one of my greatest influences.”
“Instructor Timothy Hung has been a great inspiration, alongside fellow Blanche Macdonald graduate Jon Hennessey. He’s someone that I really look up to.”
Now, as a student and a busy artist, her days are unpredictable in the best way. From sculpting hair and braiding with Hair Instructor Sherry Paley to working on editorial photoshoots or creating Special FX on TV and Film Sets, Melfinna’s workdays are never boring. She’s even had the opportunity to work with celebs like Pretty Little Liars’ Janelle Parrish, Miss Universe Canada’s Nova Stevens, and The Kissing Booth’s Meganne Young.
In a few short years, Melfinna’s already had an enviable journey in the beauty industry. Her advice for aspiring Hair and Makeup Artists? “Just do what you love. Because you can’t beat passion. If you are passionate about it, you can get through everything.”
A final note from Melfinna Tjugito: “I would like to thank my current instructors such as Sherry Paley and Crystal Morgan for pushing me towards my hair career and education.”
