no. 4

Makeup: Why is it so cool?!

Makeup is so fascinating. I love seeing the different ways people experiment. How crazy to transfer the art of painting and creating art onto a person’s face.

I love watching makeup videos on YouTube. Whether it is Vogue Beauty Secrets or some random TikToker who is doing a makeup look using only lipsticks, it is so entertaining.

I was never “into” makeup until now. Which is kind of weird. When I was younger and girls my age were getting started, I always felt like I wasn’t really ready for it. It was just such a grown-up thing to do. Something I used to watch my mum do. Something that I just wouldn’t do. When I got slightly older, the exact same thing. The most I did was put on mascara and call it a day. Maybe that explains why I can’t live without mascara. But maybe it’s because I didn’t want to put the effort in, or I didn’t see the reason to do it now. Like I would just do it at some other point in life.

It wasn’t really until about a couple of years ago that I started to put a little bit more effort into learning how to do some makeup techniques and buying a few more products. But still, my everyday makeup routine consisted of minimal effort and only really focused on my eyes. Now, however, consider me a changed woman. I think it’s so fun. Trying different products, doing different coloured eyeliner, and matching my makeup to my outfit. Who knew?

The skill that makeup artists have is not talked about enough. The impact of makeup on fashion shows is not talked about enough. Well, it is now, actually. But still. The way Pat McGrath broke the internet multiple times needs to be investigated. The ‘glass skin’ at the Maison Margiela show. The somewhat doll-like looks at the Christian Dior show. There have been so many.

The way the makeup in Alexander McQueen’s AW2009 show was so fitting with the clothes. The pale white base with big, overlined, blood-red lips. How eerie. How odd. How beautiful. The makeup in the Valentino SS2019 Couture show is another example. The feathers resembled extremely exaggerated eyelashes, perfectly matching each model’s dress. How random. How itchy. How fabulous.

I think it reinforces the way makeup completely transforms a look and how much it contributes to creating an ensemble in a fashion show. To see the makeup be at the same level as the clothes is so satisfying. Or when celebrities attend the Met Gala with the most jaw-dropping pieces you have ever seen and have hair and makeup that does not match the vibe. It is such a letdown. Why not commit? Why not pull off the whole look?

There’s no point in going all out if you aren’t going to all out.

Of course, everything affects everything fashion, and somehow fashion affects everything in a way, so seeing these artistic makeup looks and how they translate into people’s everyday lives is intriguing. From glueing down string and feathers on their face and having beads as a replacement for eyebrows, the experimentation with makeup and the way it has evolved into an art form is one of my favourite things to witness.

By Natasha Joshi