L ET T ER F R OM
The Editor Sophie Shaw | Beauty and Style Editor Photography by Anna Letson
Beauty is just as important, if not more so, to fashion than the clothing itself. Because it has to do with our biology — our skin, our bodies, our features — it is a clear representation of who we are recognized as. We may use makeup or skincare to alter or enhance our appearances, but we are still visible beneath those filters. Beauty is also an art. Painting your face with foundation, playing with vibrant pigments and choosing which features to highlight takes skill. Designers hire teams of makeup artists, hair stylists and manicurists to transform models to fit their creative vision. For this edition of Fringe, we wanted to focus on ideas of modern beauty, like confidence and acceptance. Historically, flowers have been symbols and signifiers of discrete messages, such as a red rose given to show affection. The flora used on our lovely models’ faces convey a simple message: everyone has a natural beauty about them. The petals highlight an intersection of individuality, nature and beauty. Whether you choose to use makeup as a transformative tool or treat yourself to some self-love through skincare, individual beauty is worth celebrating. Thank you to everyone featured and involved in creating this amazing issue, especially our multimedia team — Anna, Polina and Julia — who captured the perfect moments of organic beauty. Also, thank you to Oriana, Malcolm, Sabrina, Sarah and Sophia who let us meticulously apply flowers to their faces with eyelash glue. And lastly, a big thanks to our talented writers who find the words every time.
I can never “ pronounce [acai] but great drag name —
Acai-She.
But I’m not a healthy b*tch so I kept looking.
WITH MALCOLM LEWIS
What makes a queen? A figure of grace, grandeur and gregariousness. All attributes which fifth-year Tandon School of Engineering student Malcolm Lewis masters. Standing at over six feet tall and garnering attention from all eyes wherever he goes, Lewis is the quote-unquote face of Tandon, but how did he rise to this level of fame? It’s all rooted in the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent that is drag. From the seemingly small island country of Staten Island, Lewis was a member of his local LGBTQ center where he had a “gay family,” which is a fictive queer kinship composed of all the key characters of any family tree — a mother, an aunt, an uncle and cousins galore. His gay family, specifically his gay aunt, introduced him to drag by taking him to a local ball (events where members of the LGBTQ community meet and perform in drag). “I’ve gotten up in a wig and dress before and done a tune or two, but the first time I did [drag] was my senior year in high school,” Lewis said. “The LGBTQ center down the block was having a queer prom. My gay aunt knew how to beat a face so she was like, ‘Why don’t you do drag?’ And I was thinking to myself, ‘I can’t do that on my own.’ But then I figured out I had a whole team.” The beat — the ritual of applying makeup — is a rigorous process — one that isn’t achieved alone, but rather through a band of Lewis’ close friends. Lewis’s gay sister, makeup artist and beat queen David Flores always does drag makeup for Lewis. “He paints me because of my skin tone since I’m a really dark shade,” Lewis said. “We hang out a lot and play with makeup a lot. I’ve had a real girl paint my face, and no tea no shade but it’s just different makeup from drag makeup. It’s heavier and the Covergirl doesn’t cover boy.” Without Flores, the show can’t go on. As Lewis scrolled through looks that Flores has done for him and on Flores, himself, he gushed about how essential makeup is to his whole performance. “Some people are good with just dressing up and prancing around on stage, but for me I want to go all out,” Lewis said. “Makeup takes the performance to a whole other level. Some queens are good with no makeup but [Flores and I] go all out.” To complement his glow and dramatic brows, Lewis must have an outfit to tie the entire look together and give his audiences the full experience
of him in drag. Generally dressed in gender queer clothing, Lewis uses some of his own pieces but often looks to his girl friends for assistance, too. “My girl friends always hook me up with their skirts and tops for my performances,” Lewis said. “I have this one thicc — T-H-I-C-C — girl friend, and we’re the same size so I’m always snatching stuff from her closet. Otherwise we’re heading to a thrift store.” With a complete look, Lewis has to take it to the stage. He credits NYU with giving him a platform to perform drag. “My second time performing [drag] was at NYU’s Drag Bingo,” Lewis said. “I just got to meet and interact with other drag queens. Ever since then, I’ve been performing at yearly drag events that NYU hosts [during Welcome Week] and I perform for NYU’s LGBTQ fraternity, Delta Lambda Phi, at [its] annual gala.” While Lewis continues to vogue and give us face, he knew he had to give audiences a name to put to such a face. But Lewis said he struggled to come up with a name that was memorable, funny and true to himself. “I worked for this woman over the summer who loved acai bowls,” Lewis said. “I can never pronounce [acai] but great drag name — AcaiShe. But I’m not a healthy b*tch so I kept looking.” Lewis went through a lot of trial and error before settling on his current title. “Lukas LaRiviere [from NYU’s LGBTQ Student Center] was telling me I should go by Malcolm the Drag Queen as a play on, if you know, Bob the Drag Queen,” Lewis said. “I was like, ‘Oooo, that’s funny!’ but I needed my own twist. So now, my drag name that I’ll be going by until I find something funnier is Malcolm the Not So Well Known Drag Queen.” Before his current drag name, he went by just Malcolm since most people Lewis knows are aware he performs drag. He didn’t want to detach his day-to-day personality from his drag persona. Rather than a name differentiator, Lewis uses his outfits and paints his face to define his two practically synonymous personalities. “The glitz transforms Malcolm into Malcolm the Not So Well Known Drag Queen,” Lewis said. “When people see me, I just want them to go ‘What the shook.’” Pamela Jew, COPY CHIEF Email Pamela Jew at pjew@nyunews.com.
D IVING INTO T H E BEAU T Y I N DU ST RY I N
‘More Than Skin Deep’ PAN EL
M
akeup, haircare and skincare, oh my! On Oct. 18, the “More Than Skin Deep: Riding the Wave of the Changing Beauty Industry” panel, hosted by the Gallatin School of Individualized Study, brought together powerhouse figures within the beauty industry for a panel and Q&A discussion of pertinent topics in the field. The four panelists in attendance included Sarah Brown, a contributing writer and former beauty editor at Vogue; Jennifer Tuchman, the senior vice president general manager international for La Mer; Zahir Dossa, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Function of Beauty; and Blair Lancer, the director of communications at Lancer Skincare. The panel of beauty industry insiders fielded questions on issues such as inclusivity, environmental awareness and the growing importance and influence of social media on the beauty industry at large. Due to each of the panelists’ unique respective areas of expertise within the industry, each question was discussed and considered from a myriad of perspectives and outlooks. While each panelist is now a beauty authority in their own right, no two panelists found themselves on the exact same path toward establishing a space for themselves in the industry. Brown — first and foremost a journalist — found herself in the world of beauty after landing an internship in the beauty department of Elle magazine while in college. After discovering her passion for beauty magazines, Brown continued to delve deeper and
deeper into the realm of print publications with beauty sections, going on to write for publications like Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle and Nylon. After freelancing for seven months, Brown went to Vogue as a senior beauty editor and, within a year and ahalf, was promoted to beauty director. Dossa, on the other hand, a graduate and doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, did not originally envision himself in beauty, nor did he have a particular passion toward the industry specifically. After studying computer science and management in undergraduate and then sustainability for his doctorate, Dossa channeled his expertise into the beauty industry by founding Function of Beauty and The Argan Tree before that. “Beauty was the industry that I selected because it was the most bloated and had the most middle men,” Dossa said. “We haven’t seen much changes from a technological perspective in the beauty industry in the last two centuries. I thought there was such a lack of transparency between stuff that’s in your product and what companies advertise to you.” While the panelists, of course, love the world of beauty, some were conscious of some areas worth improving within the field. Gallatin 2015 alum Lancer spoke about the thin line the beauty industry walks in terms of advertisements jading reality. “I think the main thing that needs to be addressed is the industry’s authenticity,” Lancer said. “When consumers look at magazines and
advertisements, they are looking at models in photographs that have had hours of photoshop and editing done. The models’ skin tones are always perfectly even and there isn’t a pore in sight. It’s a tricky space because advertising is all about selling perfection and fantasy. Companies won’t sell a product if the model doesn’t look perfect, but there should be some way to bridge the gap between fantasy and reality.” Tuchman, who received her MBA from Stern School of Business, addressed the double-edged sword that is the dynamic nature of the marketing behind the beauty industry. “My favorite thing about the beauty industry is that it moves rapidly and is ever-changing, and my least favorite thing about the beauty industry is that it moves rapidly and is ever-changing,” Tuchman said. “It always allows for innovation, which I love, whether it’s products or commercials, but it means that you continually have to maintain the thread of your heritage, while changing all the time.” In an industry that has garnered a reputation for being exclusive or restricting, all the panelists acknowledged this problem, but also all agreed that the industry has rapidly begun its change toward inclusivity. “It’s becoming way more inclusive, that’s the point of beauty,” Brown said. “It’s to celebrate everyone’s beauty and to give everyone a way to feel their most beautiful, and I think that right now, the world is becoming a more inclusive place, in every respect.”
E RY “SEV IN G L E
PERSON HAS BE AUT Y. Zahir Dossa
Dossa agreed that the beauty industry is now seeing much more representation of minority groups. “Now we’re even seeing [advertisements] that are catered to, say, black, trans people,” Dossa said. “That’s such a specific category, but there is now a beauty archetype that does exist for that. I think back in the day, we would say beauty was an exclusive industry because that type of person would never really be catered to, but now we’re seeing that they are.” Within the vein of growing inclusivity within the beauty industry, each panelist believes that beauty is much more than an expression of vanity or superficiality, but is rather an expression of individualism and originality. “Beauty can be seen as superficial if you are using makeup to hide something or make yourself look like a different person, but in reality, beauty is what someone feels when they take care of their skin and feel comfortable going out without hiding anything,” Lancer said. “The industry gives people what they need in order to radiate beauty from the inside out.” “For me, beauty is confidence,” Tuchman said. “It is how you project yourself to the world, and it doesn’t mean you have to be beautiful, but you have to feel the most
beautiful you could. It’s not just a superficial moment, it’s how you feel about your skin, about yourself.” Brown agreed, alluding toward the antiquity of the entire concept of beauty standards. “I think that as we all share more and are exposed to more things, the beauty standard — what we consider beautiful — changes and expands and broadens,” Brown said. “I hope we get to a point where there is no global beauty standard, and all we have is beauty. Where everyone is considered beautiful, and beauty, and what is beautiful, goes way beyond what someone looks like.” Dossa — whose company, Function of Beauty, is centered upon individual, unique formulations of shampoo and conditioner for each customer — agreed with Brown and Tuchman. “I think that the one thing that has always stayed true to me is that beauty really rests on the idea that every single person is unique,” Dossa said. “Therefore every single person is beautiful. Every single person has beauty. If you keep following that line of logic, you’ll see that beauty truly a function of how unique every single individual is.” Thomas Chou, DEPUTY FEATURES EDITOR Email Thomas Chou at tchou@nyunews.com.
The Dark Side o
of Skin Lightening Many cultures value paleness as a hallmark of beauty. People of color — women in particular — face a staunch standard of fairness as a litmus test for allure. This has precipitated a practice in Asian communities, among others, of bleaching one’s skin to achieve a lighter complexion. Skin lightening has ballooned into a $10 billion industry, with cosmetic giants like Fair and Lovely, a fairness solution skin care company, emerging in countries all over the world. It is a niche in the beauty industry that has deep roots in Asian culture with skin lightening powders and practices dating back to ancient China and Japan. The antiquated belief was that a fair complexion indicated wealth and social status. Today, Fair and Lovely advertisements feature pictures of South Asian women with natural-looking skin and after shots of the same women looking much paler. Some Fair and Lovely advertisements even feature white women. White women are not the target demographic for skin lightening products but are, presumably, the ideal result for their consumers — the impossible expectation which men and women alike solicit in most Asian cultures. Steinhardt junior Grace Moon explained that there is a social emphasis placed on fair skin in Korean culture. According to Moon, being pale or having lighter skin symbolizes femininity in South Korea. She also spoke about the ingrained sense of racial hierarchy in Asian populations. “Among Asians there is a racial hierarchy that is replete with multilayered systematic oppressions, all of which highly stem from Western capitalist influences,” Moon said. The NYU Asian American Women’s Alliance recently held an event titled “Conflicting Beauty Standards in the East and West” that addressed issues like the one Moon raised. At the event, confidence-boosting activities such as live makeup tutorials and a photo booth offered attendees a space to unwind and open up about the societal beauty standards by which they feel burdened. The event ended with an open forum where topics like colorism in Asian communities, the stereotyping of Asian women as delicate and petite and the importance of sun protection were discussed. Amanda Tiew, AAWA president, said that the event was intended to celebrate the positive side of beauty ideals while also acknowledging the negative ones. “Celebrating body positivity was a huge thing, but also recognizing and calling out the unhealthy beauty ideals that have been imposed on us for a very long time, in systemic and institutionalized ways like white supremacy and classism,” Tiew said. While skin bleaching was not brought up during the event, Tiew privately shared a few thoughts on the subject. She addressed its long-entrenched history in Asian cultures, and also explained how these are now connected to modern ideas of social class, the unfortunate anti-black sentiment within Asian communities and also the current prevalence of white supremacy. The rise of colorism — or treating lighter skin tones preferentially within a specific race — has perpetuated the same idea of racial hierarchy that Moon mentioned. “We felt a need to address [colorism] within our own commu-
nities while also being allies for let’s say the black community that’s been very affected by that, too,” Tiew said. “You Look Like the Help: A Disturbing Link Between Asian Skin Color and Status,” an essay by Mari Santos published in Splinter News, looks at colorism from a personal account. The essay details Santos’ childhood growing up as a Filipino who looks Korean and the impact it had on the development of her identity as an Asian woman. Santos cites the Filipino value for pale skin as dating back to the Binukot — young girls who were chosen as children for their beauty and kept inside for their entire lives to shield their skin from the tanning rays of the sun. These girls were considered beautiful. The media is largely responsible for whitewashing people of color, specifically of Asian descent. It is also responsible for the reversal of that repression. In 2013, Fei Fei Sun became the first Asian woman featured on the cover of Vogue Italia. This was a revolutionary step that came way too late in history to be a point of pride. American Vogue went 82 years without printing an issue with a woman of color on the cover, and 121 years without an Asian woman. That is not a victory — merely reparation for nearly a century of consecrating only one skin tone as beautiful. It is also worth noting that Fei Fei Sun is considered exceptionally fair by community standards. However, fair is not better, and the steps people take to achieve paler skin are unhealthy. Even though a lot of skin bleaching products advertise the use of 100 percent harmless ingredients (as Fair and Lovely claims), the practice is harmful, and not just in the physical sense. The mentality that forces one to try to bleach one’s own skin to achieve a society’s standard of beauty is deprecating and dangerous in itself. Kiara Ventura, CAS senior and founder of ArtsyWindow, a multimedia perspective-based collaborative, grew up seeing skin bleaching creams in the bathroom cabinets of her family members. She recognized that those products propagated an unhealthy image not only physically, but mentally, too. “Not only [are skin bleaching products] chemically toxic but mentally toxic to those using them,” Ventura said. “It can easily make one believe that the lighter the skin, the more beautiful.” Tiew also recognized the chemically damaging measures that some women take to achieve fairer skin, saying that altering one’s chemical composition is not ideal. The pale preference among Asian populations is now publicly being called out. Tiew get straight to the point when she said, “These are standards that don’t serve the Asian American women’s community in any way.” Kate Holland, STAFF WRITER Sophie Shaw, BEAUTY & STYLE EDITOR
From the summer of 2015 to present, the CAS journalism graduate moved up the ranks from intern to editorial assistant to beauty writer at the cool-girl style, beauty and entertainment media site Refinery29. Chan currently writes on a myriad of topics within the beauty-scope, ranging from “25 Trader Joe’s Beauty Products That are Actually Amazing” to “Confessions of a Vagina Facialist,” in addition to hosting a R29 YouTube series, Beauty With Mi. When it comes down to it, Chan prefers makeup over skincare. “What I love about beauty is that there is so many different ways you can go,” Chan said. “You can go the science route, you can go the art route, you can go the inspirational makeup porn images kind of route. There’s a lot going on in this space right now.” However, she didn’t always know that journalism or beauty writing was the career she wanted to pursue. “I always loved to consume magazines growing up, but I also never saw it as something that could be a job,” Chan said. It was during her junior year, after an internship at W magazine, that she declared her journalism major and started thinking about pursuing an editorial path. She also landed an internship at Refinery29 that same year. After that, Chan intermittently freelanced for several startups and blogs and spent a few months during the summer before her senior year interning at New York Magazine’s online style and pop culture platform, The Cut. She then took a chance and applied for a full-time position as an editorial assistant in Refinery29’s beauty department and got the job. During her last year at NYU, Chan balanced her last few credits with her work. Chan expressed gratitude for her experience at NYU, citing her professors as the best resources for career advice. But the classroom wasn’t the only place she was learning. “Doing internships was like everything for me,” Chan said. “I think you should still do well in your classes, but I think it’s almost more important to have that network of people that you’ve worked with, in terms of getting a job.” Learning on the job, according to Chan, is one way her education has continued. For example, adapting to the pace of a digital platform taught her how to become a faster writer and to recognize that there’s less time for perfectionism. “I think you need to understand that to you a piece may never be done,” Chan said. “If I wanted to make everything perfect, I probably would never write anything.” As a beauty writer, Chan has acquired a vast vocabulary when it comes to the ingredients and methods of cosmetic products and treatments. She easily prattles off kaolin clay and frankincense in conversation about makeup and skincare — kaolin is used in a Chan-recommended concealer from It Cosmetics, and frankincense is an essential oil to be wary of, if sensitive to fragrance. YouTube was helpful for building her formative knowledge, especially when it came to learning about makeup. Some of Chan’s favorite beauty YouTubers include Tati Westbrook (@glamlifeguru), Emily Eddington (@emilynoel83) and Jackie Aina (@jackieaina). Now, she says that reading and research for stories, as well as interviewing experts, has expanded her knowledge. Chan also raised the point that there’s a lot of learning that other entities in the beauty industry should be doing, too — specifically concerning inclusivity. Representation of different ethnicities, body sizes and sexualities is important, and people are are starting to hold companies accountable for what images they promote or
fail to promote. “I’m so tired of seeing campaigns for a limited run celebrating diversity or body positivity, because it really should be in all the time,” Chan said. “I think it’s great that brands are doing this, but I do think it should be a mission that you strive for constantly rather than just like one mascara launch.” Chan believes that beauty companies will begin recognizing that diversity does really well, ultimately boosting profits and overall success. Fenty Beauty’s instant popularity and newsworthiness for including 40 foundation shades is proof of this. Chan also applauded Glossier and its “Body Hero” campaign for featuring diverse women without bringing attention to itself.
“
T HE R E’ S A LOT G OING ON IN T H IS S PACE R IGHT NOW. Mi-Anne Chan
“It was such a diverse range of body types, skin tones, that sort of thing, but they didn’t call it out,” Chan said. “I really respected that, and the media was still like ‘It’s so diverse and inclusive,’ but as a brand they didn’t have to say it.” As an Asian-American, Chan understands how it feels to be underrepresented in the media. She believes steps are being taken in the right direction, but there’s still a long way to go. In her career, Chan realized that some people in the beauty industry are still illequipped to adapt to diversity. She mentioned that she has worked with makeup artists who lacked experience or knowledge of how to properly apply eyeshadow on monolids or hooded eyes. With over 9,000 Instagram followers and nearly 500,000 views on her most popular Beauty With Mi video, Chan has a vast platform to promote diversity and inclusion. She is proud of her Singaporean heritage and thinks it is important to address where you came from and what experiences shaped you, but people should not be primarily defined by their ethnicity. Along with representation, Chan also promotes another important quality: confidence. She said that no occasion is necessary to wear fun or daring makeup. Even for those in more conservative work environments or social settings, Chan encourages people to experiment, try something new and rock the look if they want to. According to Chan, their reactions will likely be positive. “People are probably going to think you’re cool.” Sophie Shaw, BEAUTY & STYLE EDITOR Email Sophie Shaw at bstyle@nyunews.com.
Mi-Anne Chan Refinery29 beauty writer Mi-Anne Chan opted for a slick swipe of onyx, winged liner and a healthy, highlighted glow when we met. It was a tame look compared to the colorful, often glittery, always bold makeup she features on her Instagram and in her articles. Chatting with Chan about breaking into the industry, society’s shifting sense of beauty and what it means to be a person of color in the public eye provided a peek into what it’s like to be a fresh face in beauty media.
P HOTOGR A P HE D B Y R U B E N C HA M OR R O
P HOTO C OU RTE SY J U L IA C HOI
Julia Choi
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development freshman DESCRIBE YOUR BEAUTY EVOLUTION. I’ve always focused on skincare and only worn very minimal makeup. I used to be so insecure about my skin because I had [a] considerable [amount of] acne from middle school to the beginning of sophomore year in high school, so I devoted a lot of time [to] researching what factors were triggering my breakouts and how to combat them when they did happen. Since I got into skincare, I’ve felt so much more confident about myself. As for makeup, I’ve never worn much of it because I don’t like the feeling of it on my skin. I really appreciate makeup as an artistic medium, though, and I’m a strong believer that people should wear as little or as much as they want. HOW DO BEAUTY AND SKINCARE FIT INTO YOUR LIFE AS AN NYU STUDENT? As an NYU student specifically, I’m in the process of creating a new skincare routine. I’m from California and everything from temperature to pollution levels is different here, so my skin is going to have different needs as it adjusts to a new environment here in the city. I
always consider cost-benefit and environmental impact when I buy new products. I won’t buy anything with palm oil or microbeads. Cost-benefit is also really important to me because I won’t waste [money] on a product that won’t give me my money’s worth.
JULIA’S FAVORITE MAKEUP PRODUCTS: Goof Proof Brow Pencil Easy Shape & Fill in #6, MAC Cosmetics Eyeshadow in “Soba,” Colourpop Super Shock Shadow in “Central Perk,” Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara and NARS Cosmetics Blush in “Orgasm” JULIA’S FAVORITE HAIR PRODUCTS: I don’t have any holy-grail hair products, but I’ve always been a big fan of hair oils. My hair has been through a lot. I keep it healthy by putting one or two pumps of oil in it that makes it concentrated at the ends. I’m hesitant to be a fan of a certain brand because I haven’t found one that’s too different from all the rest. But anything with jojoba oil seems to work for my hair. FINAL THOUGHTS? It’s OK to like makeup, skincare and fashion. You can like all of that and be smart and strong and everything else. Be unapologetic about the things you enjoy.
Izka Edmond Liberal Studies sophomore
DESCRIBE YOUR BEAUTY EVOLUTION. Growing up, I was always into my mom’s makeup. I just played around with it a lot. Most of my collection now is my mom’s stuff. But I was a pretty big tomboy, and I didn’t get into makeup until Valentine’s Day of 2016, when my dad got me a foundation as a gift. I think it just flipped a switch inside of me, and I wanted to learn everything I could about makeup. I think having something I could solely focus on for hours on end was really fascinating. When I first started, I always had a full coverage foundation on and really bold looks, but now I am really into cool natural and dewy looks. But I’m not one to shy away from my roots. I’ll break out a bold look once in a while. HOW DO BEAUTY AND SKINCARE FIT INTO YOUR LIFE AS AN NYU STUDENT? Being at NYU is pretty stressful, and you really lose sight of the fact that you have to take care of yourself and pay attention to your body and what it wants and needs. Skincare and makeup really let me be present and remind me that I have to take care of myself and pay attention to myself because I can get lost in all the craziness that is NYU.
P HOTO COURTE SY IZKA EDMO ND
P HOTO C OURT ES Y ERI C V EG A
Keeping up a beauty and skincare routine in college can be tough, given the time crunch all students are in, but several NYU students have found ways to make it work. Here are a few of their recommendations and words on how to put your best face forward.
IZKA’S FAVORITE MAKEUP PRODUCTS: Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint, e.l.f. Cosmetics All Over Color Stick, NARS Cosmetics Illuminator in “Laguna,”, Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer and Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm IZKA’S FAVORITE SKINCARE PRODUCTS: Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser; EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46; Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Herb and Rosewater; Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment and Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask IZKA’S FAVORITE HAIR PRODUCTS: Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk Original Leave-In Moisturizer, SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen and Grow Shampoo, Camille Rose Naturals Curl Maker, As I Am Naturally Leave-In Conditioner and Ampro Pro Styl Protein Styling Gel FINAL THOUGHTS? Do it for you and nobody else. There really shouldn’t be an assigned gender when it comes to who can and can’t wear makeup and taking care of your skin. Also, investing on good makeup brushes and good products overall can make a whole lot of a difference.
Eric Vera
Rory Meyers College of Nursing sophomore DESCRIBE YOUR BEAUTY EVOLUTION. Three years ago, I had really bad skin. My mom was like, “You should go on Proactiv!” When she said that, I [had] never felt more personally attacked by my own mother. I really thought about it and realized that, you know, she was right. So, I got Proactiv because I didn’t know anything about skincare. But it wrecked my skin; [my skin] was peeling, it was crusty, it was disgusting. Then, I decided to make my own routine. I’m really into Korean beauty, and I had been doing that for about two years until I started my Instagram account (@thegoodskincare). And that’s when I started using other types of skincare. Now I use more green beauty and authentic beauty products. And I didn’t start wearing makeup until last year. I just rub highlighter all over my face and call it a day. I guess that’s my evolution thus far. HOW DO BEAUTY AND SKINCARE FIT INTO YOUR LIFE AS AN NYU STUDENT? High school was a rough time for me. As I got more into skincare and beauty, it became more and more of an escape [by] doing a full routine every night and every morning before school. So, the self-care and therapeutic aspect of it has always been important in my beauty evolution that I’ve carried into college. In terms of makeup, seeing people on Instagram [wearing it]
made me realize it’s not that serious and that you can do whatever you want. So, that’s how I got into makeup. I think, if you’re a guy and you want to wear makeup or be different and do whatever, here is the place to do it. I grew up in a Latino household, and I always felt like I had to hide myself. Here is that safe space where you can do whatever you want. But at the same time, you can get caught in that bubble.
ERIC’S FAVORITE MAKEUP PRODUCTS: MAC Studio Face and Body Foundation, Hourglass Cosmetics Ambient Lighting Palette, Ciaté London Dewy Stix Luminous Highlighting Balm, Glossier Cloud Paint Blush in “Dusk” and Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat Radiance Perfecting Concealer Pen ERIC’S FAVORITE SKINCARE PRODUCTS: Pixi Beauty Double Cleanse, Paula’s Choice Skincare SKIN PERFECTING 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, Boots Botanics Shine Away Ionic Clay Mask, Kiehl’s Cilantro & Orange Extract Pollutant Defending Mask and Sunday Riley Juno Hydroactive Cellular Face Oil ERIC’S FAVORITE HAIR PRODUCTS: OUAI Wave Spray and As I Am Naturally Coconut Cowash Cleansing Conditioner FINAL THOUGHTS? I felt like at times, I [wanted] to do whatever I wanted without it becoming a statement. By nature, though, it is a statement, so you just have to own it.
THANK YOU Malcom Lewis, Oriana Siphanoum, Sabrina Song, Sophia Eras. Not pictured Sarah Strohecker.
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