Freedom of expression

Propel the classics into experimental new territory by throwing out the rule book and embracing your creative spirit. Time to draw outside the lines.

SHINE ON

When assigned to lips, high shine feels reminiscent of the 90s. The updated take involves gloss all over the lids, or frankly, wherever you see fit.

Ombre Première Laque in Desert Wind, $52. Baume Essentiel Multi-use Glow Stick in Golden Light, $71.

SOFTLY, SOFTLY

Rebooted sorbet pastels are taken to brow line and beyond, proving that the quietest statement can be just as impactful. Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in Elemental, $100. Éclat Du Désert Limited Edition Illuminating Powder, $90.

LINE UP

For an update on a standard winged liner, take the almond shape up a notch by extending the curve both above and below the lash lines. Want to go bigger? Dial it up with metallics.

Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-lasting Eyeliner in Noir Intense Blanc Graphique, $47. Ombre Première Laque in Desert Wind, Rising Sun, and Rayon, $52 each. Mascara Le Volume Ultra-Noir de Chanel, $56.

everything about Lucia Pica’s make-up on Ugbad Abdi is wrong. Who puts blush (it may even be eyeshadow!) on the chin and forehead? Or shimmering gloss on the face and lips at once? But for those familiar with Pica’s work – and indeed the work of any of the truly great make-up artists who like to play with colour and texture rather than follow tradition – it’s all par for the course. Pica, who is Chanel’s global creative make-up and colour designer, believes in keeping the job fun and inventive. “It’s important to not think that something is a mistake,” she says. “You don’t have to contour your nose. And if you want to put lilac between your eyes, you can. This is about freedom.”

Yes, freedom. But with guidelines, such as the perfectly executed elongated black eyeliner or the evenly placed glossy red lip colour on these pages. Without these rules freedom could mean erring into child’s play, rather than an appealing child-like approach; or descending into a big hot mess, rather than keeping on the right side of crazy.

So, how do you find the sweet spot? Throw out the step-by-steps, the paint-by-numbers, the “you must do it this way” approach so favoured by YouTube tutorial hosts. Pica suggests identifying your mood as a starting point. “I tend to go with how the woman in front of me is feeling, working with what is happening at the moment, rather than creating any set, predefined look. You need to let go a little – not necessarily every day and not necessarily in as big a way as this – and if you start following your feelings, overall your make-up will look a little less structured and a little bit more dreamy, inviting and beautiful. With all these different looks, for example, I started with one idea and let it evolve into the other images, shot by shot.”

CONVENTION DICTATES THAT

We also need time and the right mindset to enjoy ourselves, to be present and to play with abandon. As well as a degree of technical know-how. “It’s important to understand how texture works, because this will create depth,” explains Pica. “Take the shimmering eyes that you see on the previous pages, that’s not just gloss, there’s a layer of shimmering eyeshadow underneath.”

By varying the pressure of your fingertips, brush or any other tool you use for application, you will also create a different mood. “The red lip colour I used was almost the same texture as the watery eye colours, but I used the red in a much more heavy-handed way and achieved a very different effect as a result.”

Perhaps the hardest thing to learn, following Pica’s approach, is to know when your look is complete. “To recognise the moment when you stop is in a way to recognise yourself, your own concept of what is beautiful,” she advises. “And then you know it is finished.” Or as the saying goes: free yourself, and the rest will follow.

“If you start following your feelings, overall your make-up will look a little less structured and a little bit more dreamy, inviting and beautiful”