Beauty Committee: Round II

With all the boring, dry ass content out there in the world, we've made it our imperative to always keep you guys visually and mentally hydrated so we thought it only fitting for our second round of products to do the same. With that being said, we have three non-toxic moisturizers for our lovely panel of judges to test out: "Hydration" by Luminance Skincare, "Truffle Therapy" by Skin&CO, and last but not least, "Mandarin Maximum Moisture" by John Masters Organics. The cherry on top? We have hair guru and Beauty Committee judge Shingo Shibata here to give us the lowdown on each one. Check out his answers below and stay tuned, because we have our next judge coming in red-hot tomorrow afternoon!

The best part about each product?

I don't know.

Which one would you most likely keep on your bathroom shelf?

"Truffle Therapy" by Skin&CO.

Which one would you use before work? At the beach? Before bed?

Before work I would use "Truffle Therapy," at the beach I would use "Mandarin Maximum Moisture" by John Masters, and before bed I would use "Hydration" by Luminance Skincare

You can only use one of these moisturizers for the rest of your life—which one do you pick and why?

Skin&CO—I just like it.

Beauty

Taiba Taiba Braids Your Wasted Objects

What is your fondest memory of hair?

When my mom let me get blond hair extensions to look like Beyoncé.

Describe your hairstyles in three words.

DIY, Artistic, Bold.

If you had only one tool to style hair, what would it be?

A pintail comb.

What are you excited about?

Making things.

When they see something, they can tell it's my work.

What do you want people to notice about your work?

When I’ve done it. When they see something they can tell it’s my work.

Describe the first hairstyle you ever did.

I did my friend's hair with two plats at school.

What is the most creative style you’ve done? Or want to do?

I sprayed the hair of a girl to look like a Burberry scarf.

What did you want to be when you were a kid?

A backup dancer.

What everyday objects can you turn into hairstyles?

Anything, everything. I can look at something turn it into something made out of hair.

What is the most difficult material you’ve braided on?

The bag I did for Rihanna because of the tiny LV monogram detail.

How does waste inspire you?

I can turn it into something beautiful. It is surprising what you can do, before and after, with something someone doesn’t want.

Everyone is always going to become more and more experimental.

What is the best DM you’ve ever received?

Rihanna [laughs].

How does the future of hair look like to you?

Learning more about Black hair and hair care becoming more of a thing. Everyone is always going to become more and more experimental.

How would you want your hairstyles to be remembered?

As something no one would imagine it being a hairstyle and crazy but in a good way.

Beauty

Painted Faces for Colin LoCascio FW23

February 15, 2023

Queens-based designer Colin LoCascio would say: "Good girls go to heaven, bad girls go to Queens, New York." Starting on a high note this season in his debut runway show, LoCascio's Fall/Winter 2023 collection was filled with vibrant colors, patchwork, layering and crochet and sequin textures. The ready-to-wear collection is similar to that of pieces The Nanny's Fran Drescher would wear.

In addition to fitting each look to the person wearing it, the emerging designer took the time to coordinate soft glam makeup looks unique to each model. Each look tells a story, literally from head to toe. LoCascio collaborated with the New York Makeup Academy to bring his visions to life.

office went behind the scenes of LoCascio's show to learn more about the process behind the collection, in particular, the make-up that perfectly harmonized with each person and look.

Text by Marisa Kalil-Barrino
Photos by Q iao

Through vivid childhood memories, euphoric senses and curiousity, LoCascio was able to achieve this collection. He took on a dream-like approach to create pieces such as a layered, crochet vest representing various identities. Whether it be chasing fireflies, riding carousels or visiting the Botanical Gardens, LoCascio's nostalgia was apparent in both the models' eyes and clothes.

I noticed flowers in almost every piece. What was the meaning behind them?

Flowers are an ongoing motif I launched in spring 2021. We made crochet flowers and I tried to evolve it and it became a signature. It's in our logo and I wanted to blow them up and make them cartoon-like. They're super encrusted in crystals and stones.

Sequins have been a long and heated debate in fashion for years. Were you hesitant to work with a lot of sequins?

We've never used sequins, but we are a brand that does push novelty fabrications that really felt genuine. We wanted to introduce that in sequins and really strong silhouettes. Sequins were a way to glitz it up for Fashion Week since it's my first show.

Being your first show, how do you think it went?

I think it was great...I had an amazing team. This was always a dream; I grew up in Queens, worked in the industry for so many other brands. To finally have a show with my name on it, it's such an honor.

Talk about the cohesiveness between the garments and the models' makeup.

We wanted saturation on the eyes and balanced it with a dark, smoky eye with dramatic false lashes on the top and bottom eyelids. Looking at each look, we dictated which colors would be best. We wanted to bring a New York grit with the under-eye falsies.

How do you want people to feel in this collection?

I want them to feel empowered. We had so many different types of models on the runway and it's all about embracing your individuality. Leading with that, I think there are so many amazing pieces. When you put on something that you feel good in and are excited about, you have that vibe and shine, like, 'I'm a bad bitch, I don't care what any of you say...' and that's a Colin LoCascio girl.

Beauty

Spurred by Kitsch and Glamour

As promised, the WILD STAR collection pays homage to our inner cowgirl — sexy, powerful yet always aligned and the spirit of the natural world. Ffrench is creating an entirely new fantasy for us this time, in a fashion similar to how she creates the multitude of eccentric, sparkling characters through her own beauty looks. From the brand's previous collection, the hardware-heavy BDSM-giving INDUSTRIAL, we see a major transition in identity to WILDSTAR, with vibrant hues of pink and baby blue that glitter against matte nudes to create a feminine, gorgeous look. Bold lip liners outline burnt bronze shimmering lipsticks that sparkle with seduction.

As if we needed any further evidence that we should join the Ffrench fanclub, each of ISAMAYA’s collections are accompanied by a partnership with a charity supporting causes close to founder Isamaya Ffrench's heart. The WILD STAR Collection joins ISAMAYA with the American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC), a nonprofit organization defending America’s wild horses and burros to protect their freedom, preserve their natural habitats, and promote human standards of treatment.

For the collection launch, ISAMAYA will be parking an Airstream in different locations each day previewing the new collection, WILD STAR. Founder Isamaya Ffrench herself will be on site, offering makeovers and more. To follow the journey or meet Isamaya herself, head over the the brand's Instagram for more information.

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Beauty Committee: Round II

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