Photo courtesy of Natalie Irish.
I know I’m not the only one curious about celebs and influencers’ favorite beauty buys as well as who and what shape their view of beauty in the biz.
I’ve always believed that makeup is not just a way to express ourselves but also serves as a medium for artists to play with, especially when we’re talking about makeup maestros like Pat McGrath, Val Garland, Kabuki, and so many more. They not only create some of the most captivating and avant-garde looks that we see on magazine covers and runways all over the world but also help redefine what art and beauty are in the process. So needless to say, along with a slew of industry insiders, I also follow plenty of artists in other mediums whether it’s in ink (like comic and tattoo artists), digital (graphic designers and illustrators), or, in the case of Natalie Irish, lipstick. Yup, you read that right.
I first learned of Irish’s work when she partnered with Urban Decay in 2013 to celebrate the launch of the brand’s Revolution Lipsticks (which are now known as the Vice lipsticks) and even got the chance to interview her myself. By then, she’d already received loads of buzz on her beauty-inspired body of work, even making an appearance on Conan back in 2012! Browsing through the portraits of celebrities and still lifes rendered in creamy shades of fuchsia, plum, and, of course, ruby red, I was mesmerized by how detailed they looked, especially when I discovered that Irish doesn’t use a brush. Instead, she uses her pout to paint, which she told me requires a lot of breaks and loads of lip balm. I quickly became a fan of hers and have followed her on social media ever since.
And because she is a lip color connoisseur, I thought it only fitting to ask her to show her stash this week to find out some of her favorite formulas as well as what she wears when she steps away from the canvas, who her inspirations are, and if there might be a lipstick line of her own in the future (stay tuned for that!).
On her approach to beauty and style: “Usually, I wear zero or minimal makeup along with Star Wars or band t-shirts and jeans with Vans or boots. My style is a little punk, a little grunge, with a dash of hobo….but that’s just everyday stuff. I can also go the complete opposite with full face and crazy costumes with tons of jewelry. My style is all about FUN. I’ve had every hair color under the sun, even shaved it all off back in college, but it’s been some shade of blue/teal for the past five years or so.”
On her biggest beauty idols: “John Waters. First of all, he’s brilliant and eccentric and makes ridiculously entertaining films. He proves that it doesn’t take much to create an iconic look. He’s been working that pencil-thin mustache since the beginning of time and is forever loyal to the same Revlon pencil he uses to fill it in. Find something that works and own it.
“Then, on the other end of the makeup spectrum is one of my all-time favorites, the iconic, RuPaul Charles. Full on transformative! Makeup can be soooo much fun! And he truly shows that you can make yourself up to be whomever you want, inside and out. Also, RuPaul has the best sense of humor ever, a common quality that most of my favorite people possess!
“I love the shift in the way people view cosmetics these days, and I think a lot of it is because of social media and the popularity of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Makeup used to be primarily seen as that stereotypical 1950s idea that it is something to hide behind. Most of us still know someone that won’t go out without their ‘face on,’ or their partner has never seen them without makeup. But that viewpoint is fading away; we’re learning to love ourselves a little more, accept out flaws, and embrace the artistic side of cosmetics. It’s about transformation and expression, and like most things in this world, it shouldn’t be taken too seriously. That’s definitely one of the things I love about drag — you can be anyone! I love that you see more and more these days women and men are painting their faces because it is fun, not because it’s something to hide behind.”
On her first beauty memory: “My mother gave me a sticky, opaque lip gloss when I was in 7th grade, Avon Peach Pie. I tentatively started wearing a thin layer of it, almost like a stain. A girlfriend of mine asked to borrow it one day and slathered a thick, bright layer on. It looked amazing. I realized there are different ways to wear things, and you won’t know until you experiment with it.”
Mehron “Mini-Pro” Professional Makeup Kit.
On the first beauty buy: “A Mehron stage makeup kit in high school. I think that might explain a lot…”
On the best beauty advice she’s received: “Mother always said, ‘If you want to get ready in a hurry, all you need is red lipstick and a pair of shades.’ She rocked that look a lot when my brothers and I were growing up. Guess we kept her pretty busy. That woman has never been afraid of putting bright colors on her face and always wears them with confidence.”
On her favorite beauty tip to share: “Use things in ways they aren’t intended. I use lipsticks as cream blush almost every day. Colors can be blended and products can be thinned out for different effects. Nail polish color is a little off from what you wanted? Pour in a few drops of a different bottle and make it exactly what you want. I don’t think my Mamaw ever owned a bottle of polish that she didn’t alter a little bit, and her nails were always gorgeous. [The] main thing, you gotta play and practice. I like to try new makeup looks in the evenings before I wash my face for the day. That’s the best time to experiment. You don’t want to attempt a new multi-color, cut crease, winged eye look right before you’re about to go out!”
A peek at some of Natalie’s go-to lipsticks.
Courtesy of Natalie Irish.
On her favorite lipsticks: “I paint with a lot of stage makeup, Ben Nye and Mehron. The cream colors are super pigmented, and they have all the colors of the rainbow. I worship Urban Decay lipsticks. Every color, every finish, all perfection. On days when I do a lot of painting (most days), my lips tend to hurt and dry out so I only wear balms, clear or tinted. On days when my lips are feeling normal or when I’m going out, I’ll wear all kinds of brands and colors. I have quite the lipstick collection!
“This is just some of my lipstick stash. I have everything from high-end to dollar store, matte to glitter. This pic doesn’t even show any of my stage makeup…that’s another container entirely. Not to mention the boxes upstairs….there’s basically lipstick EVERYWHERE!”
On developing her own lipstick line:
“I have painted with lipstick I’ve made before and am currently working on my own line. It’s still in the early stages. I’m focusing on perfecting my formula at the moment and haven’t even made it to naming yet! I am a sucker for puns, so it should be….can you guess?…FUN.”
Check out Natalie’s favorite everyday beauty buys below:
Photo Courtesy of Natalie Irish.
“This is what I carry in my bag every day, you can tell I really use this too, some of the tubes are a little beat up! First off, [this] is the best small cosmetics bag ever by Tender Love & Carry. It holds everything I need and has a mirror. Sometimes I go without any makeup, but this is everything I have on hand if want to do some light makeup. I have several different “levels of makeup,” the lightest being only mascara and lipstick. I have clear blonde lashes and mascara makes a huge difference on my face. I use Revlon Kiss balm in Crisp Apple all the time on my lips and as [a] blush. It’s moisturizing, has SPF, and is the perfect red for every day.
“If I want to go up to the next level of makeup I’ll add Make Up For Ever concealer under my eyes and cover any zits or redness I get under my nose, Benefit the POREfessional Primer to the t-zone, and maybe some eye color. I think Urban Decay’s eyeliner in Rockstar may be my favorite product ever. I’ve lost count of how many of these I’ve purchased over the years. I can do a light, smudgy liner with it or keep layering it over the entire lid and make a really dramatic smokey eye with it, and I mean with just this pencil and mascara, no other products needed. As most people know, UD eyeliners stay put, so I don’t need [a] primer or setting powder or spray. I just layer on however much I want. And a little or a lot, this color just works for me every time! Then, of course, I always have extra lip products floating around my bag, my studio, my house…everywhere. I love X.Compound clear balm, it’s a local company here in Houston and I buy it in bulk. I also like L’Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Caramel Comfort. It’s very moisturizing, is a great everyday neutral, and smells like cotton candy. So there’s my everyday stash, plush a few q-tips and bobby pins, of course.”