The ‘Beauty Reborn: Makeup Artists transforming the industry by melding Art & Beauty into one’ article is one of our online ISSUE segments, head to THE EMERSION ISSUE for the complete article experience
Makeup mavens have established their own personal creative space by allowing their artistic persona to take the forefront in their makeup looks. Inspired by nature, sculptures, and letting their imagination soar, makeup artists are creating multidimensional looks that bridge the gap between beauty and fine art. Their unbridled experimentation with makeup gives way for a new meaning of beauty to emerge; stereotypes are disregarded and makeup is treated as an artistic medium.
This experimental makeup falls under the umbrella of avant-garde beauty. Avant-garde is a term coined in the early 19th century, in France, referring to innovative approaches to art. Its radical nature challenged existing norms and processes, encouraging artists to be controversial to produce their pieces. Today, makeup artists host the term in their own community, in creating looks that push the boundaries of creativity.
Avant-garde makeup, often characterised as unconventional, has seized the beauty world with its bold colours and dramatic brushstrokes, creating unusual looks. From whimsical to distressing, avant-garde makeup encompasses the artist’s emotion through intricate pieces that emulate an oil-painting on canvas. Artists focus on expressing passion and unleashing their creativity, aiming to exude feeling from those admiring their work.
Creating these looks is an adventure in itself. Each artist is able to express a piece of their personality through their looks, by moulding the notion of avant-garde makeup to fit their aesthetic.
Makeup Artists embodying the Art & Beauty movement
Mei’s (@meicrosoft) detailed creations treat the skin as a canvas, creating literal art. Her playful brushstrokes illustrate irregular shapes on the face while her experimentation with shadows and layered hues adds depth to her looks. Inspired by her surroundings, Mei often adorns her face with beautiful flowers – their intricate petals alluding to a painting moments from being brought to life. Other times, she incorporates swirling hues and mosaic colours, creating optical illusions.
Muse’s (@muse_offeb) whimsical looks transport us to a utopian dimension. A feeling of warmth radiates from her creations as she draws inspiration from flora and fauna around her, aiming to express the vibrancy of nature. Muse experiments with softer colours, mixing smoothly applied shadow with delicate brushstrokes to increase intricacy. Her chosen colour palette adds a fairy-like element which evokes us to dream in hues.
Nostya (@anstroge) centres her focal point around the eye, giving power to one of the most expressive features of the face. Lips are kept at a soft nude while makeup on the skin is also minimal, highlighting her natural freckles. While illustrating her elaborate eye looks, she intentionally stacks contrasting colours, creating fantastical looks of layered pigment. Her exaggerated brushstrokes are given sharp, defined, clean edges, adding to the intensity of the look. Her fearless use of vibrant colours, coupled with accessories such as pointy elf-like ears and gemstones, add a futuristic element to her creations.
Experimentation
These artists are paving the way for individuals to realise that beauty is malleable through blending textures, contrasting pigments and eccentric brushstrokes. Their approach to beauty serves as an extension of identity, a depiction of their inner-world on canvas. More than that, it channels feelings of freedom and self-expression, reminding us that there are no rules when it comes to makeup. In a society where we’re constantly told how to define beauty, this makeup movement is revitalising.
Beauty is not a definite term; it is boundless.
Written by Stella Georghiou
Visit the ISSUE for the complete editorial and images