Inside the World of Chiko, Where Makeup Becomes Storytelling
At 8 a.m. on the West Coast, I’m sipping my morning coffee, easing into the day. Across the world, it’s already 7 p.m. in Dubai, where Chiko, is settling into her evening. The distance feels vast, but the conversation doesn’t. Creativity has a way of collapsing time zones. It connects instantly, effortlessly, like you’re sitting across from each other. And from the moment she begins speaking, it’s clear this isn’t just a conversation about makeup. It’s about identity, artistry, and the quiet confidence of someone who knows exactly who they are.
“So, I’m Chiko, Mitchiko, full, but I go by Chiko. I’m 29 years old, and I was born and raised in the Philippines, but now I’m based in Dubai,” she says. But even in that introduction, there’s a deeper intention behind how she defines herself.
“And I would like to call myself an artist, who is also a beauty content creator, because I’m an artist at heart. I’m a multifaceted artist.”
That distinction matters. In a beauty industry often driven by trends, perfection, and replication, Chiko’s work feels like a quiet disruption. Her looks don’t follow rules, they rewrite them. Faces become canvases. Color becomes language. Texture becomes emotion. “And I would say that my work is very experimental, it’s experimenting on colors, on bold textures, and it’s more of storytelling than the traditional glam.”
That storytelling didn’t appear overnight. It was shaped early, rooted in the Philippines, where creativity isn’t just encouraged, it’s embedded into everyday life. She describes growing up surrounded by festivals filled with movement, performance, and color, where costumes were vibrant and expression was limitless.
“Well, if you know about the Philippines, we have a very rich and colorful culture… we used to have festivals that showcase really colorful costumes… some drag queens perform as well. So, as a kid, I grew up surrounded by that type of culture.”
There’s a confidence that comes from being raised in that kind of environment, one that doesn’t ask you to shrink your creativity, but expand it. “It’s so rich, so colorful, and I think most Filipino kids… have an innate creativity to them, because we grew up in such a rich, cultured country,” she explains. There’s pride in her voice when she adds, “I’m very proud of my country, if I’m being honest.”
Like many creatives, her path sharpened during a moment when the world slowed down. The pandemic, for her, wasn’t just a pause, it was a turning point. “It started in the pandemic… we were all stuck in our houses, and I’m a creative at heart… everybody who’s creative knows that we have to put our ideas out there… or we’ll explode,” she says, laughing lightly but meaning every word. What began as small, detailed looks quickly evolved into something bigger, more intentional, more cinematic. “I just started doing my makeup, and it just evolved from there… into really full production looks.”
But her relationship with makeup goes back much further, to a memory that feels both specific and universal at the same time. “I remember Bratz dolls being the main thing when we were kids, and I had my mom buy me this Bratz necklace that has a pendant, but it’s not just a pendant, it’s also a small lip gloss,” she says. You can hear the nostalgia in her voice as she continues, “So I wore that everywhere. If I could be allowed to wear that in the shower, I would’ve. And every hour of every day, I applied that on my lips… and I felt so cute and felt so fancy.”
That feeling, of transformation, of stepping into a slightly more elevated version of yourself, never left. It simply evolved. “I think I’ve always been the type of person to not be afraid to rock a bold look… I was going to university wearing a full red eyeshadow and just a bare lip,” she says. Today, that instinct has matured into something more layered and intentional.
“Now it’s evolved into something entirely new… like a full-on artistry in my face.”
Her inspiration reflects the way modern creatives move through the world, fluid, observant, constantly collecting ideas. “As creatives, we take inspiration from everything… from nature to just doomscrolling… you see something cute and you’re like, I’m gonna save that,” she explains. But unlike passive scrolling, hers is curated. Built deliberately. “I built my algorithm brick by brick… I engage with like-minded people… I seek people who have the same tenacity when it comes to creativity.”
That same balance between instinct and intention shows up in her creative process. She doesn’t begin with a final look in mind. She begins with color. “I like to start with colors first… sometimes I take a pic of a color and combine it with another, and the look just evolves from there. If I feel stuck, I always run to color.” It’s a method that feels less like planning and more like feeling your way through art.
And in many ways, that’s exactly what she’s doing. Before makeup, there was painting. “I actually started a watercolor account before I started makeup… I just found a new canvas, and it’s my face,” she says. That background is unmistakable. Her work doesn’t sit on the face, it moves across it.
But what she’s really creating goes beyond visuals. It’s emotional. “I love to invoke emotions in my looks… I want people to feel inspired, or sometimes curious,” she says. In a beauty landscape that has long been about perfection, symmetry, and polish, her work invites something different, something freer.
“I want them to see my makeup and be like… you know what? I might do that look and go out and rock that look.”
That shift toward individuality is something she sees happening across the industry as a whole. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, filters, and hyper-perfection, there’s a growing fatigue with things that feel too perfect. Too polished. Too distant from reality. “I think the industry right now is moving towards imperfectionism and more personalization… people just want human touch,” she explains. She pauses slightly before adding, “It looks beautiful, but it tends to become tiring when you keep looking at it… I want a little bit of imperfectionism… just to prove a point.”
It’s a subtle rebellion, one that aligns with a larger cultural shift. Beauty is no longer just about looking flawless, it’s about feeling real. And Chiko’s work sits right at the center of that movement.
Her advice reflects that same grounded approach. Instead of telling beginners to go bold immediately, she encourages curiosity. “You just have to start small… like a colored wing or a colored mascara… just play around with it. Makeup is supposed to be fun.” And right now, fun is having a moment. Whimsy, color, experimentation. A return to play after years of minimalism.
“It’s time to be whimsical… a lot of people want to be whimsical now… and I’m very, very here for it.”
When it comes to dream collaborations, her answer is immediate and completely fitting. “I’ve always loved Rihanna… she’s just so iconic… I just want to be one of those people behind that face.” It’s not just about celebrity. Rihanna represents a kind of creative freedom in beauty, the kind that allows artists to experiment, to push boundaries, to create without limits. The kind of space Chiko is clearly meant to occupy.
Behind all of this artistry is a life that requires balance, discipline, and intention. “I’m actually a stay-at-home mom… it’s a little bit chaotic sometimes, but I try to find ways, because I really love what I do,” she shares. Her work isn’t rushed or accidental. It’s layered, thoughtful, and time-intensive. “A makeup look takes 2–3 hours… but editing, conceptualizing takes days… they’re my babies, basically.”
And when those “babies” resonate, when they inspire someone else to create, that’s where the real reward lives. “I get comments like… you’ve inspired me to start creating again… that, to me, is priceless.”
At the end of our conversation, I ask her what it means to be a Neon Gurl. Her answer feels less like a definition and more like a mindset, a way of moving through the world.
“Being a neon gurl… is somebody who’s not afraid to take up space, somebody who’s unapologetically themselves… so in tune with who they want to be… that everything else is just background noise.”
And just like that, across time zones, across cultures, it lands.
Chiko’s not just creating beauty.
She’s creating space.
