“Beauty as a culture used to be about connecting with others and self-actualization,” said “Pixel Flesh” author and cultural critic Ellen Atlanta in an interview with FACES last year. So, instead of being guided by unrealistic, social media-driven and neatly filtered beauty ideals, we should use make-up to discover facets of ourselves to adorn ourselves, make statements or simply try something out because we feel like it. At the end of the day, it’s all about finding your vibe. We’ll show you what that might look like on the following pages.
BADDIE ON THE FLOOR
If you want to stand out in the dim light on the dancefloor, you need the right outfit and a look that nobody can miss. Lashes that rival a flap of wings are not only a tribute to baddie make-up à la Instagram anno 2016, but also a free ticket to an extra portion of deserved attention.
VAQUERA
BARE IT ALL
You can love make-up and still be a facial nudist. With perfectly groomed skin and simple make-up that doesn’t look like make-up at all. Even if lipstick and the like are piling up at home, it’s not so bad to enjoy how beautiful a face is in its pure state from time to time – without any decoration.
ASHI
DREAMGIRL FROM OUTER SPACE
Alien core, weird core, dream core? On the one hand, these are strange internet terms that mean something to those of us who are chronically online and are used to describe offbeat music genres. At the same time, we call the looks that make you look twice, three or four times, because accessories or hairstyles stand out so much that you wonder whether aliens are among us after all.
COLLINA STRADA
ALMOST FAMOUS
25 years ago, William Miller was not only chasing rock bands in the movie “Almost Famous”, but above all Penny Lane, with whom he was madly in love. She, in turn, loved music more than anything else – she was the ultimate groupie. Today, we would probably call her a fangirl. Whatever the terminology, the look of a music lover who spends her evenings at concerts remains the same.
ANIYE RECORDS
BLING BABY
Shine, glitter and glitter make everything better. Anyone who doesn’t believe this has never put a bit of bling on their face or even their body. Sometimes this is the only recipe against the gloom of the world: bring in a little light. If your face sparkles, perhaps the world will sparkle back.
MAISON SARA CHRAIBI
GOTH DIVA
The best aesthetics come from the subcultures. Even almost fifty years after the goths emerged from the post-punk and new wave era, nothing beats a thick load of black. On lips, eyelids and clothes, but not in the soul. Despite all the darkness, bleached brows go perfectly with this look.
AVAVAV
ICE QUEEN
If you stand out in the freezing cold for too long, you will see a natural miracle: your eyelashes freeze and produce unique ice crystals. As beautiful as this is, you can also apply make-up in the cozy warmth of your home instead of freezing in the winter cold. The best way to do this is to watch Disney’s “Frozen” again.
WEINSANTO
PARTYGIRL, DO A TWIRL
The eyeliner is smudged, only the outline of the lipstick is left, you can’t get a comb through your hair: for some, the look after a night of partying is sheer horror. Others see it as a very special aesthetic. One that celebrates life with all its imperfections.
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
ART SCHOOL DROPOUT
What do you do when you study art? That probably looks different for every student. What they all have in common is that they turn their innermost self outwards and express it through art. Perhaps one of the things they do is glue feathers to their eyelids. Because normal eyelashes bore you over time.
THOM BROWNE
BLACK SWAN
Where does the best inspiration come from? That’s right, from movies and pop culture. If you still have “Black Swan” flickering around in your head fifteen years after its release, this look is for you. You don’t even have to be able to balance on tiptoe or pull a feather out of your own flesh. Nevertheless, the look is Oscar-worthy.
VIKTOR&ROLF
RETRO DISCO PRINCESS
Without the past, there is no future. Did some philosopher say that? I don’t know, but without nostalgia there would be very few trends, because someone is always rummaging through past decades and bringing old aesthetics into the here and now. Brightly colored eighties retro charm is still irresistible in 2025.
FIORUCCI
24K GOLDEN GIRL
Some people dream of decorating their hands with several carats of gold. Fine food fans find that real gold also looks good on desserts. Make-up professionals, on the other hand, know: Gold belongs first and foremost on the face. And not just on the eyelids in the classic way. Eyebrows can also have a golden shimmer.
BIBHU MOHAPATRA
COME ON BARBIE
Ever since Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie”, for which crowds of people dressed in pink stormed the cinemas in 2023, we have known: A hyperfeminine appearance is completely okay. Not everyone has to like it, but being girly says nothing about your own strength. After all, the pink-washed Barbieland of the director’s imagination worked a lot better than any democracy in the real world.
SINEAD GOREY
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Photos: © Launchmetrics SpotlightSM
