Today we’d like to introduce you to Demecio “Giusi Revlon/Mulan” Banda.
Hi Demecio “Giusi Revlon/Mulan”, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up in such a big city, such as Houston, I always felt like life was way ahead of me. I never thought that I’d be where I am at today, especially doing makeup! It all started when I got some MAC makeup for my sister after coming into some money. I used to sit and watch my sister do her makeup with the same Too Faced chocolate palette for years and so I wanted to treat her. She turned it around on me and asked if she could do my makeup and I was not thrilled to say the least. Once she finished, I was surprised to see what I looked like, a man in makeup, and given the fact that it was a big trend back in 2015-16 for men to start wearing more glam makeup, I indulged and started practicing on myself. I started small with a little Maybelline palette from Walmart. I went practiced back to back any chance I could get, even sometimes being up until 5AM doing all sorts of looks because I would get off late from work. It was that passion that drove me to take it serious, especially given the fact that I was so lost as to what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and what career path I would take. I never really thought about it until recently but when watching my mom get ready to go out, she always wore bold red lipstick in her nightlife. She was a party animal and that part of it definitely stuck with me. From 2015-2017 I practiced consistently and now I can proudly say I am a professional makeup artist, but this journey is still a growing one and still find new tips and tricks to help me with my artistry. I am also currently on my way to becoming a licensed esthetician, so I will be well-rounded in Skin Care, Waxing Facials and more. I am also a part of the underground scene known as Ballroom, that was created for black and brown LGBT youth to have space to come out and live their truth.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road; but hey, what road is, especially in Houston. I was in a really bad car accident back in 2012 resulting in the death of my mother and two brothers, leaving me as the only survivor. After that I was kind of lost in life and was not sure what was left for me on this world, even though people kept saying God has a plan for you. Eventually, about a year after, I started to settle in my new school and made new friends. I felt bad for moving on so quickly, but I couldn’t live my life in grief and needed to come to terms with what happened. I struggled after graduating though, understanding what I wanted to do with my life. I went to Houston Community College for a bit because that’s what I thought was right. I wanted to make my family proud but college just was not for me and I could not for the life of me make that work, along with working two full-time jobs and trying to maintain bills. I wasn’t prepared for what life had in store for me, but I made it through!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in Bridal Makeup, Drag Makeup, Avant-Garde/Editorial Makeup, Anti-Aging Makeup and all things beauty-I enjoy bringing out the natural beauty in everyone. I am known for all around Beauty Makeup and eventually, I will be doing Celebrity Makeup, Special FX and all things surrounding makeup artistry among creating a brand of my own. I am known for the natural beauty I bring out in others whether I am doing a full coverage look, covering up impurities and creating an all-out glam; or doing a more natural, soft glam. I also do drag makeup, which is typically a fuller coverage look that is needed by drag performers. I believe what sets me apart from others is the fact that is my ability to adjust to my client’s needs. I am also a man doing makeup on women, who typically love to hear how beautiful they are from man’s point of view. I can work with all skin types and tones as well. Also being a part of the ballroom community which gives me a different audience to cater to. The mainstream media typically places people of the LGBTQ community in the back, especially women of trans experience and even more trans women of color. I want to bring light to all women and their beauty.
How do you think about happiness?
Being a part of the ballroom scene was the best thing that could have happened to me after everything I’ve been through. At first, I thought, “me?” “a drag queen?” Never! But when I started voguing, it helped unlock a part of me that had been wanting to be set free for so long. It allowed me to be my greatest self. To me, it’s like I live two lives, one as a boy and one as a girl. I walk Drags Performance(Vogue), Drags Realness, and Drags Face. I have served my community in my own way, creating spaces in Houston for other like-minded LGBTQ individuals who need guidance and a safe way to express themselves. This makes me so happy because I am providing for my community and helping keep a culture alive and steady here in Houston, TX. Ballroom has been here for a while now, and it is my greatest honor to keep it up and running as a gatekeeper. I make sure that everyone who is interested is understanding of the history of ballroom and knowledge of how to conduct themselves in said spaces. I have multiple house/gay/trans children that I have watched grow into intelligent, creative, fascinating individuals. This experience has helped mold me into a person who enjoys helping others and making sure they are moving in the right direction in life regardless of their trials and tribulations. That is what makes me happy.
Pricing:
- $55 (Makeup Application)
- $80 (Makeup Application w/Lashes)
- $50 (Pre-Teen Makeup Application)
- $80 (Makeup Lesson)
Contact Info:
- Website: sensiastudio.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/_g.artistryhtx_
- Facebook: Facebook.com/GMakeupArtistry
Image Credits
June (Music Artist/Creative – IG: @Junemusic_official), Phoebe VanCleefe (Singer, Songwriter, Creative, etc – IG @its_behold)
