The Miss Universe pageant is an annual event that showcases the beauty and talent of women from all corners of the globe. With contestants hailing from various countries, the competition is a melting pot of different cultures and beauty standards. One crucial aspect that plays a significant role in the pageant is makeup, as it helps enhance the natural beauty of the contestants. Andrés Felipe Cabrera, a renowned Colombian makeup artist and hairstylist, has been working behind the scenes to help the Miss Universe 2023 contestants shine their brightest.
Based in Miami, Cabrera is the founder of MUBA Cosmetic and has been the official makeup sponsor of the Miss Universe pageant since 2020. This year, he and his team have been working with Camila Avella from Colombia, Mariana Downing from the Dominican Republic, Rikkie Valerie Kollé from the Netherlands, Athenea Pérez from Spain, and Antonia Porsild from Thailand. These five contestants were selected to star in a beauty video and photoshoot with the theme “Eat, Sleep, Do Makeup & Repeat,” showcasing the essence of beauty in the pageant.
Cabrera shared some insights into the makeup preparations for the Miss Universe contestants. Unlike popular belief, he revealed that they do not follow viral beauty trends. Instead, they focus on enhancing the natural beauty of the contestants without drastically changing their features. The use of contour palettes or cream contours to structure the face is avoided. Instead, neutral colors are used for eye makeup, with brown being the darkest shade. The hairstyles are kept simple due to time constraints.
The process of getting ready for the pageant is quite intense. With 86 contestants, time is of the essence. Cabrera advises the contestants to arrive with 50 percent of their makeup done as they are not a beauty salon and cannot start from scratch. The MUBA team focuses on eyes, eyebrows, and lips. The aim is to make the Miss Universe winner a self-sufficient queen during her reign. Each contestant spends approximately 30 minutes having their hair and makeup done.
To ensure that all contestants look their best, MUBA Cosmetics employs a team of 98 members who work backstage. For the first time in Miss Universe history, 43 beauty artists will accompany Cabrera. These artists are winners from masterclasses conducted by Cabrera himself and are given the opportunity to work at prestigious events like Miss Universe, Latin Grammy, AMAs, Premios Juventud, and more.
The MUBA team has even created two palettes specifically for Miss Universe. One palette features four matte colors, while the other boasts shimmer colors. These palettes are perfect for beauty queens and everyday women who want basic makeup for their daily routine. The key to great makeup is near-perfect skin, and according to the MUBA team, Miss Canada has one of the best skins for makeup in the Miss Universe 2023 competition.
The excitement for the 72nd annual Miss Universe competition is building up, with fans eagerly awaiting the grand finale on November 18, 2023. The event will be hosted by an all-female team from El Salvador and will be live-streamed on The Roku Channel and broadcast in Spanish by Telemundo within the United States. The competition will kick off with a series of preliminary competitions, and for the first time, Live Bash will be livestreaming both competitions. This year’s pageant promises to be a celebration of beauty, grace, and inclusivity, with 85 remarkable women competing for the coveted Miss Universe 2023 crown.