A STAR IS BORN

Welcome to the second installment of NEW ERA — an exclusive editorial series focused on bringing the delicious intricacies of personal beauty to the forefront. With each forthcoming editorial, I will introduce a new muse of mine and an original beauty look inspired by their persona. 

Meet: Destiny

Age: 23

Occupation: Model/Earth-angel

Star Sign: Pisces

Instagram: @isthisfate

Shoot Location: Manhattan, NYC

 

Destiny and I met at a dinner in NYC last year. I noticed her aura right away. Sometimes energy really does say more than words do. She was sitting on the other side of the table and we didn’t have a chance to chat much but as fate would have it, we met again on the way home and exchanged numbers. Typical of the bubble we call the New York fashion scene, our paths crossed again at a mutual event. We started our journey home together and decided to grab a bite while the night was still young. Over fish tacos and Phó we had the opportunity to get to know each other better and decided to create something together.

Rather than being inspired by a specific era or aesthetic, I let the energy I sensed from Destiny direct my artistic choices. I wanted a look that brought the architecture of her inner world out onto the surface. Something majestical, calm, yet impactful.

I see Destiny as the heroine of her own story. I wanted the look to portray that, first and foremost. Her eye makeup simulates a superheroine’s mask, underlining the innate charm of her features while also playing up the theme of personal power. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a lover of graphic lines — Destiny effortlessly wears these shapes; her eyes are so expressive. Her unibrow wasn’t specifically a focal point but we also didn’t want to make it disappear to the background. It just ended up framing the look so well.

I think it’s incredible when we love, proudly, all of the attributes that maybe set us apart from the mainstream ideal and integrate them as a feature of our beauty.

Destiny is wearing Chanel vintage earrings from WGACA

BEAUTY BREAKDOWN?

To put it simply, this look is: ethereal, chic, and timeless.

LOOK INSPIRATION

I took the opportunity to reimagine “classic elegance” for modern beauty lovers. With the metallic silver and gold, I wanted to channel the same sublime quality of royal and religious paintings, but make it casual, cool, and contemporary. I feel like there is something so sacred about this combination if you think about how so many historical depictions of messengers of important news are set against a bronzy gold backdrop, or how silver haloes floating around the head signify the purity of one’s aura…

EYES

For the metallic winged eyes, we used the Chanel Multi-effect Quadra Eyeshadow to mix metallics between silvers and golds for more dimension. We used a lotion based makeup remover with some precision cotton buds to shape and sharpen the lines and negative space. We added a brown liner into the waterline to warm it up a little, and finished with MAC Cosmetics’ Stack Mascara. Brow gel is Got2b Invincible Styling Hair Gel, applied with a clean spoolie to give the brow hairs more definition.

LIP

For the lip combination, I chose to dab on BYREDO’s Liquid Vinyl Lipstick in Molasses, topped with the clear Fantôme gloss.

SKIN

We kept the skin pretty neutral. We used the Dior Backstage Face and Body foundation and the Dior Backstage concealer to even out the skintone – applied with a brush for a satin finish. We used fingers to apply the BYREDO Color Stick in Mesolithic to the high points of the cheeks and to give the skin an all-around hydrated finish. As a highlighter we used Danessa Myricks’ Balm Highlighter on the inner corners and high points of the face, a tiny bit of Saie Airset Loose Powder to set and diffuse under the eyes – et voilà!

“Beauty has a metaphysical quality to it; it starts from within and always finds its way to the surface.”