Damien Frost is a London-based Australian-British art director / graphic designer who spends his time during the day working in the theatres of The Big Smoke and immerses himself to document the city’s alternative queer life by night. His latest project is an ode to social distancing as he uses his opportunity in isolation to portrait creative compositions featuring some of the world’s most dynamic drag queens.
“I began the Social distancing project when we first went into lockdown in March as I quickly realised i was going to miss capturing the ephemeral art of the people I normally document and not only did I want to find an excuse to keep using my camera but I also needed to focus on something to distract me a little from the unfolding drama and try and document it in some safe way.
Around the same time that I began the project many people who work in the nightlife economy had their livelihoods and cash flow immediately cut off – there were parties due to happen that people were depending on to pay their rent and some of these people began to pivot towards creating online social content – doing smaller scale performances form their bedrooms or party organisers moved the parties to be Facebook live feeds where the do’s would still play and people would tune in, dance around their lounge rooms and still talk shit over drinks (or warm tea even) and collectively solve the worlds problems albeit via text chat rather than the smoking area of a club, and so I’ve been capturing people before they do a show or after they do a performance or makeup tutorial video and present these portraits in The Social Distancing project,” Frost commented.
Each portrait from the series carefully captures each queen’s individual character in the comfort of their homes as they transform themselves for their respective performances which creates a raw outlook / performance out of the concept of social distancing in itself.
“I find the term Social Distancing fascinating for it’s inherent oxymoron being social and distant at the same time and so this project is exploring that, how we are connecting with each other during this strange moment in time. I wanted to show the process also- the image quality of the photos is mostly terrible as it’s very dependent on both the video call connection, the camera the other person is using on the other end and the lighting they have available and then I’m just taking photos with my camera of a pixelated video feed on an old iPad but this poor quality is also partly the point – the technology we have is imperfect and nothing can replace the personal social experience but at the moment this is all we have and so we make-do.“
“ At first I thought there wouldn’t be a lot of people doing transformative looks during this period but I’ve been surprised by just how many people are still practicing their craft – using this time to play with new ideas, engage with challenges with other artists and just keep ploughing on. Despite the fact that many people are in extremely precarious and difficult circumstances and often not knowing where they will get the money for the next rent payment people are trying to keep positive in the knowledge that we are all in this together and there’s a strong desire amongst everyone I talk to that hopefully we can all learn from this situation and we might come out of this situation more thoughtful about each other and the delicate balance of the world we live in.”
Keep up with the artist and view the full version of the artists featured @damienfrost.
What can your skin say about you? Your lips part: you are elated. Your ears wiggle: you are excited. Your eyes gleam: you are mesmerised. Up close, each hair, freckle and pore move, interact and breathe together in their very own eco-system: an image ROWSE beauty want to embody. A brand built on passion for natural ingredients and passed-down processes, ROWSE beauty is all about the gentle communication of nature.
Nuria Val is a quiet woman when you first meet her – shy, bashful almost, with a blush to her cheeks when she speaks about nature, family, photography.
When you get to know her, she is timid yet driven – holding ambition that is humble and decidedly environmentally aware.
Alongside Gabriela Salord, Nuria has co-founded the skincare brand ROWSE as a celebration of raw beauty, inspired by personal values and a deep respect for the environment.
With a mission to connect people to the planet through an intentional line of plant-based skincare, the duo are aiming to develop meaningful dialogue about how we understand and interpret nature. Their plant-based formulations and recipes are non-toxic, organic, cruelty-free, and tested in independent laboratories.
This brand feels like it is Nuria coming into her own: with a plastic free promise by 2020, Nuria’s love of the environment is clear, alongside her determination to create a brand that is dedicated to the natural needs of the wonders of our bodies and skin.
The winter oil is a coup – the smell alone transports you to memories you never thought you had, and the recipe tab is a brilliant edition: there is not always a singular solution for skincare, and this encourages us to listen to what our skin needs (rather than what we want) and to interact with ourselves accordingly.
We spoke to an incredibly inspirational new brand, budding from meaningful purpose and honesty-driven values.
Why did you want to launch ROWSE?
I came up with the idea of ROWSE while travelling to inspiring places such as Lanzarote, Reunion Island, Japan, Iceland, Stromboli, Philippines, among others. I was dazed by the power and beauty of nature there and curious to explore how it could be used for beauty purposes. When I met Gabriela Salord, co-founder of Rowse, we both connected really well from the very beginning and we decided to start this adventure together
What does ROWSE the name mean?
our name comes from the concept “the rise of raw”
What do you hope people will learn from ROWSE?
Our mission is to connect people to the planet through an intentional line of plant-based skincare; build and nurture a purpose-driven creative community; and develop meaningful dialogue about how we understand and interpret nature.
What was the last thing that made you excited?
We’re about to launch a ceramic collaboration for ROWSE that we will share in September, I just took the pictures of the collaboration and I feel so excited to share them!
During the past few days make up artist Thomas De Kluyver has partnered with photographers Harley Weir, Fumiko Imano, Shama Osborne, Lea Colombo among others for the release of an IDEA book entitled All I Want To Be. The book, launched at Dover Street Market last week features exclusive work created by de Kluyver and his team of creatives as they explore themes of gender identity, politics, representation and individual expression in beauty and fashion. ”I want people to have fun with make-up and experiment with their identity,” he explains.
Throughout the book, the 150 pages are brought to life by the colourful images of these talented creatives which are introduced with a beautiful poem by Wilson Oryema on the fluidity of identity.
“It talks about how our identities are never fixed, or set, and how important it is to be able to express ourselves the way we want to. Our starting point for All I Want To Be was making sure we captured the people that feature in it somewhere they felt safe. So many of the images are shot in bedrooms, bathrooms… The kind of places we’re able to shut the door and experiment with who we are freely and without any judgement,” explains the photographer. The book concludes with photographer Harley Weir’s chapter which features a cast of full body painted subjects. Given the themes of the book, the photographer will also be donating a share of the proceeds to gender non conformity charity Mermaids UK.
“The world of fashion and beauty has a long history of challenging gender norms but more needs to be done to represent the beauty within all of us, regardless of our gender. We hope Thomas will continue to be a powerful force in gender acceptance in an industry that shapes the way our society understands power and beauty” said Susie Green Mermaids UK CEO. Thomas De Kluyver’s All I Want To Be is currently on shelves at Dover Street Market London.
inner/ outer / self by Oliver Hadlee PearchAwake by Lea Colombo
In a special series of images for Twin, we unpack the idea that perfection is on the surface. In a social media age, nothing is more important than owning your best self on the inside. You know who you are: strong, powerful and empowered. That will never change, but that doesn’t mean you can’t switch it and experiment for kicks – this #betterfacechallenge is served with a wink and a smile. Online is the space to play, take ownership of the fun you can have, all the while knowing that your perfect self is in all your imperfections.
Models Moffy at Storm, Elaine at Nii, Lola at The Squad, Aoi at Tomorrow Is Another Day, Melody at The Hive, Make Up Siddhartha Simone at Julian Watson Agency using CHANEL Vision d’Asie: L’Art du Détail and CHANELRouge Coco Flash, Hair Anna Cofone at The Wall Group, Script/Writing Sonya Titus
Italian streetwear label GCDS recently embarked on a new venture of branding introducing their first beauty line called The Bag Essentials. The line is set to feature a collection of products which hints at the brand’s playful ironic aesthetic while still minting it’s high end Italian quality. The first drop of items which launched at the beginning of November included a series of four lip products: Hype — a fresh mental transparent lip balm with deep idratation, Blinghoe — A flirty sparkling pink lipstick with a plumping effect, Marijuana — A green ph reagent that turns into a blushing tint with a natural cherry shade when applied on the lips and Velvet D.I.C.K — a rough red lipstick with a matte finish. The beauty line is set to expand on a wider scale in 2019 with a series of launches always to be accompanied by the brand’s twist of irony.
Embrace spring with this new scent from Louis Vuitton. Offering top notes of mandarin with hints of blackcurrent, jasmine and peony, this is a fresh, energising scent to kick start the day. Surround yourself with a sense of the new season: buy it now.
Time to swap up your lipstick shades, change your nail polish, lessen the bronzer and swaddle your hair and skin in central heating antidotes: Autumn is here. In the first of our beauty edits, Twin rounds up bold, playful and on trend products and perfumes to add to your favourites this season.
Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet
Embrace dark nights and new adventures with Chanel’s long-lasting velvet lipstick – the intense shades are a perfect match for a deep glass of rich red wine.
NARS Audacious Lipstick, Lana shade
Embrace autumnal tones with the colour of the season – both on the trees and on trend. NARS thick lipstick ensures a playful upgrade to your look. Wear with retro flares in burnt orange and orange tinted glassed (ala Bella Hadid) for a fashionable finish.
& Other Stories, Paris Atelier lipstick
The new range from & Other Stories is inspired by community gardens of Paris. Made from 85% natural origin products, their creamy lipstick with cold-pressed certified French plum oil works dreamily against central heating.
Timothy Han eau de parfum, she came to stay
Inspired by Simone de Beauvoir’s 1943 existential novel of the same name, Timothy Han’s unisex perfume blends notes of geranium, basil Indonesian clove with a hint of patchouli to offer an addictive, immersive scent.
She Came to Stay, Eau de Parfum #002
Maison Margiela, Lazy Sunday Morning
Shroud yourself in the feeling of freshly washed sheets and cosy mornings with this soft, supple scent from Maison Margiela – good enough to take to brunch.
Byredo, 1996
Inspired by the photograph ‘Kirsten 1996’, taken by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, Byredo’s new scent is warm and evocative, much like the Dutch duo’s work.
Byredo, 1996
Reek perfume, Damn Rebel Witches
Edinburgh-based perfumers REEK make empowering, rebellious scents for modern women. Expect scents that blend punchy, unexpected hints of blood orange and hazelnut – the splash of attitude you need to enliven the everyday.
Susanne Kaufmann
Hailing from the Bregenzer Forest in Austria, Susanne Kaufmann knows a thing or two about making resilient, high-impact beauty products. Invest in her plant-based hair mask for a season of winter-proof locks – and it smells so good.
UKA hair oil
Japanese beauty brand UKA may only be stoked in select stores in Europe, but it’s worth hunting down. Their hail oils combat harsh climates, and the packaging is super cute too.
Something about this month’s launch of Rihanna’s new beauty line – Fenty Beauty – has touched a nerve with consumers and it’s not entirely owing to her A-list cred. In a sea of celebrity-endorsed fashion and beauty collections, Fenty stands out thanks to its notably diverse range of foundation shades (all 40 of them, near revolutionary in its inclusivity), from lightest of alabasters to the deepest of coffees, with a range of authentic skin-loving undertones as well. Word on the street is that customers are liking – and buying – what they see: there are reports of the darkest shades selling out instantly, which flies in the face of the argument of bigger brands that producing darker shades is a risk for their profit margin. But it’s not only dark-skinned girls loving the range, a number of people with albinism have sung the praises of Fenty for making shades light enough for pigment-free skin, using the hashtag #AlbinoMatch to broadcast the discovery on various social platforms.
Of course this isn’t Rihanna’s first foray into the world of beauty, with products from her RiRi for MAC collection reportedly selling out in hours. However, with a whole makeup line created by the original bad girl herself – and with names like Trophy Wife, Moscow Mule, Sinnamon, Killawatt and Pro Filt’R – this one’s got RiRi written all over it, in a very good way.
The beauty ideal has remained shamefully homogeneous in recent history, but is it fair to say there’s a new mood afoot? If current trends in fashion and beauty casting are anything to go by, there’s an unprecedented appetite for diversity in the faces that make up our visual landscape: one that better reflects the complexity and nuance of the real world, where interest and authenticity trumps perfection.
Beauty photographer Felicity Ingram captures this new mood in her work (pictured), and says a big part of the equation is in casting the right face, someone whose appeal lies more in their character than in their symmetry. She elaborates: “I got bored of clients and magazines telling me I couldn’t shoot a certain girl because they weren’t a ‘beauty’ model. Personally, I think this idea’s very dated. I’m more interested in shooting faces that I find interesting; girls with personalities that engage with the camera”.
Similarly model bookers are riding the crest of this more inclusive movement, and seeing a shift in the way clients are responding to ‘unconventional’ models. As Steve Haynes, Head of Women’s New Faces & Image Division at Nevs Models explains: “2017 has definitely been a turning point for this, it’s been a bit of a domino effect. As an agent, if you don’t offer diverse talents then there’s no way of the clients booking these models, therefore how can the industry open up and grow in this area. I think once clients are presented with more unusual or alternative talent they can be enlightened and swayed into thinking outside the box. This is happening more and more as time – even the year- progresses.”
Trends in social media have given rise to street casting, which is shifting the beauty paradigm into new territories too. Model Julia from Storm (pictured) explains: “street casting and Instagram have changed the rules of the industry and the opacity of the game is diminishing. I think the more human models become, the more human we want them to be, I really hope that trajectory is stable”. Where previously it was a top-down dictatorship of the beauty ideal, now there’s a shift towards a more democratic selection process, where the people choose what they engage with and what they find beautiful; and in 2017 this certainly feels a little something like progress at the very least.
As celebrity collaborations go, this makeup collection from NARS designed by Charlotte Gainsbourg is a doozie. Capitalising on our collective fascination with the French, François Nars has chosen the ultimate Gallic poster girl in Gainsbourg, whose artful effortlessness is a thing of real beauty. Paradoxically the French actress is known more for her understated approach to makeup, so the stronger shades might come as a surprise; however, each piece is a reflection on a certain aspect of Gainsbourg’s life, including the streets she grew up on, her famous mother Jane Birkin’s beauty habits and of course her own unconventional approach to what she finds beautiful. She has said that: ‘I learned early on what suits me’, preferring little touches that enhance, rather than alter her unique look, and this is the way in which the sheer and wearable collection has been designed: to look lived-in, low key and very authentic. Featuring glow-enhancing cheek tints and off-kilter kohls, the collection is a little piece of French Girl Beauty we can all get behind.
NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg: ‘Portrait of the Artist’ is available to buy now.
We’re happy to admit a certain fascination with Lily-Rose Depp, the face of the new makeup campaign for Chanel’s ROUGE COCO GLOSS, following on from her N°5 L’EAU perfume campaign debut for the brand last year.
Not many can claim a pedigree such as hers; the child of actors Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis, Lily-Rose is a name to know now, and not just due to her illustrious parentage and remarkable beauty (though if there is such a thing as the Genetic Lottery, this girl has the winning ticket). Having won awards for her turn as dancer Isadora Duncan in Les Danseuse last year and now enjoying the much-coveted gig with Chanel, the alluring Depp lives a thoroughly charmed life it would seem… and all at the tender age of 17.
Taking the reins at Chanel from her much-celebrated maman – who’s also been a face of the iconic brand since the 90s – it’s clear that beauty is a family affair with these two: the resemblance is more than just fleeting, making Depp an inspired choice for reaching the heritage fashion house’s younger buyers, while Paradis resonates with the more established Chanel market. Depp lends Chanel Beauty something modern, insouciant and of course, quintessentially French: watch this face.
As winter draws to an end, there’s no better way to welcome a new season than with a new scent. For those who want to take the romance of cosying up with a good novel with them wherever they go, BYREDO’s new perfume Bibliothèque will prove positivelydreamy.
Peach, plum and vanilla notes fuse to evoke that unforgettable scent of fresh pages, strengthened by hints of patchouli and leather. Originally a candle and then a room spray, the Eau de Parfum will be released for a limited time only.
Bibliothèque Eau de Parfum (100ml / £150) is available from March.
As the darkest evening of the year snakes quietly towards us, and the autumnal hues give way to a starker and far colder season, nothing is more needed for hibernation than a decadent scented candle. Reader, meet Byredo’s 2016 Holiday Collection: the solution to your winter blues.
This new set of three scented candles, Bibliothèque, Cotton Poplin and Fleur Fantôme, all come in their own coloured glass holders, and offer a perfect compliment to these cold nights in the run up to Christmas. Best enjoyed with a stiff drink and a warm bath. They’d also make the a welcome Christmas gift, if you can bare to share them.
Did you ever dress up in your mother’s pearls and lipstick when you were a kid? Watching your mum’s beauty ritual has probably profoundly affected your own make up routines and tricks. But this can work two ways – Dove’s latest research reveals that 34 per cent of mothers admit that their child mimics their negative beauty behaviour. So keeping this mind, Dove has created a new film to inspire women to pledge their positive beauty legacy, and asks them to share who in their life inspires them using #FeelBeautyFor. The film, Dove: Legacy, highlights how important it is to see your own beauty so you can instil these qualities in younger women around you.
This is the latest instalment in Dove’s Self Esteem Project, which has reached over 14 million young people with self-esteem building programmes.
The chilly winter months are not kind to our skin. The wind can cause you to feel dry and without much lustre, so if there was ever a time to invest in your beauty products, it’s now. The best ingredients to look out for at this time of year are Vitamin C, glycolic acid and fruit acids – they help renew and bring back that healthy glow. Whether you’re a product junkie or someone with a simple daily routine, Twin has picked four skin saviours that will help you regain a brighter complexion. These nourishing products with revitalising ingredients will protect and hydrate, leaving your skin with a new lease of life to see you through till spring.
Cowshed Raspberry Seed Anti-Oxidant Oil, £36, cowshedonline.com & Guerlain Midnight Secret Late Night Recovery Treatment, £65, selfridges.com
This season Uslu Airlines have recruited a pair of co-pilots. The Berlin-based beauty brand have teamed up with Graffiti artist SuperBlast and the makers behind his artistic weapon of choice, spray-paint-specialists Montana, to create TRU: a new nail polish which reflects the same signature blue hue you will find featured in SuperBlast’s artwork. To accompany this creative cosmetic collaboration, Montana have also launched a limited edition version of their infamous spray can – both of which are available to buy now exclusively at Colette, Paris.
It’s that time of year again when the majority of people think about tanning. However, I am not in that majority. I can count the number of times I have tanned in my life on one hand and I am fast approaching forty. Therefore, for a great number of years I have remained proudly milky pale. I think it’s an alternative/indie thing, in my teens, the eighties, red lipstick and pale skin were the apogee of underground style, as epitomised by Vivienne Westwood muse Sara Stockbridge and the androgyne model Jenny Howarth. Nowadays its indie queens like Gwen Stefani, Beth Ditto and Dita Von Teese who embody the pale look. And it’s these gals I’d want to be in a gang with, not orange hued WAGs or Katie Price. However this year I have to admit, for the first time in a lifetime I’m strangely drawn to the idea of tanning. Obviously it would be a very subtle golden tan, not the creosote hue once favoured by Victoria Beckham. But some kind of gentle olive tint, a Mediterranean sun kissed teint, might just be nice come summer sun. I have yet to explore the range of products on offer, but I’m thinking the St Tropez No Tan Tan might be the one for me. Or at least a touch of Johnsons Holiday Skin on my rather chalky legs. I’m not sure if this is a flirtation or a genuine commitment to the idea of a tan. After all my whole identity is bound up with being pale. Whatever, I will keep you posted.
In addendum to my post a few weeks ago about beauty shopping online there is another destination that I have only recently discovered that is absolutely amazing for beauty brands. Unexpectedly, it’s amazon.co.uk. It’s usually my number one stop for books – the marketplace for second hand books is excellent – the only place that rivals it is Abebooks for older, rarer titles. Anyway Amazon also happens to stock some fabuloulsy recherche French haircare that you could previously only find in Harrods. I’m talking about Leonor Greyl, which I know Chanel muse Lady Amanda Harlech used to rave about and disappeared from these shores several years ago. But who knew!? Amazon are now stocking it, and they produce some magical oils and treatments that are worth tracking down. They’re also home to another cult French haircare range called Rene Furterer which I discovered years ago in French pharmacies. It’s cheaper than Greyl – their shampoo is about £7.50 – and equally good for treatments and day-to-day haircare. I’m really surprised I didn’t know about Amazon‘s health and beauty department before – they also have French pharamcy staples such as Klorane and Biotherm – another two of my favourite brands – Klorane‘s dry shampoo is unsurpassed. Another shop to bookmark on your browser for competitively priced beauty shopping.
Last season’s vogue for minimalism wasn’t something I could buy into wholeheartedly. To eschew brights and patterns from my wardrobe, and colour from my make-up palette would make me very sad and disheartened indeed. Minimalism was something I quite liked to buy into on occassional days – days when I felt rigour and understatement were called for – a visit to my therapist for example! So there is the odd day when I find that natural make up, nay a dearth of make-up and clothes in camel and black are appropriate. These are like detox days in a sense, a holiday from the rabid sartorial mayhem that usually makes my heart sing. I wash my face, scrape my hair back and apply the bare minimum of maquillage – usually Givenchy Phenomen’eyes mascara in black, eyebrow pencil by Laura Mercier and if I’m feeling particularly lavish some Clinique Chubby Stick in Richer Raisin. The latter is Clinique‘s latest innovation for lips and its rather wonderful. A fat, waxy little stick that you stroke on lips and that imparts nourishing balm and a veil of colour. Richer Raisin reminds me of a cult lip colour that Clinique used to make in the Nineties called Black Honey. Everyone wore it for that slightly enhanced nude look that so epitomised the nineties.
Anyway, those are my tips for a reductive make up routine. I’m loathe to say less is more because in general I don’t really agree with the aphorism, but there are occassional days when it feels like it really is.
Despite the on-going globalisation of beauty – Estee Lauder is expanding rapidly in India and China – not everything is now American. I still believe that the French and the Japanese are the go-to cultures for skincare. The French for reasonably priced pharmacy brands such as Biotherm, La Roche Posay, Nuxe, Caudalie, Darphin and Decleor – with these products you really can afford to do as chic French women do and stock up on every item in the range.
The Japanese excel in hi-tech anti-ageing (as they do with technology generally) and in creating ultra-light gossamer textures packed with nutrients and advanced scientific ingredients. Perhaps my favourite Japanese skincare brand of all (and I’m a huge fan of Shiseido, Kanebo and especially Shu Uemura) is SKII, a wonderfully futuristic skincare brand that is heavily used by superstar make up artist Pat McGrath when she’s making up models backstage at the shows. A caveat: these products are expensive and only available online at harrods.com. But they do really work. The narrative of how the brand started is also rather lovely. Some scientists were visiting a Saki brewerey in Japan and noticed that although the workers faces were wrinkled, their hands were incredibly soft, pale and line free. Investigations and experiments followed to identify what was causing the workers to have such youthful hands and the scientists found out it was Pitera, a by product of yeast and the brewing process. Thus is 1980, over 30 years ago, SKII was born, a skincare regime based upon the active ingredient Pitera. It was subsequently bought by the US beauty giant Proctor and Gamble, so it’s perhaps not quite as authentically Japanese as it once was. Best products to sample are the Skin Signature Moisture Cream, an excellent anti-ageing moisturiser with a nice light texture. Out this month are Cellumination Mask-In-Lotion and Brightening Derm Specialist – the former helps lock in moisture and even out skin tone pre-hydration and the latter is a dark spot and pigmentation eraser.
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