office people: Sonny Molina

Meet our Season 3 judges below.

Photo by Danny Lim

AKKI SHIRAKAWA

Where were you born?

I was born in Osaka and grew up in Tokyo, Japan.

How did you get a start in your career?

I started cutting my friend's hair at the age of 10. When I was 11, I got my own curling iron. In my late teens, I belonged to a pop band, but I couldn't play an instrument and was in charge of hair styling for the members. After working at a hair salon in Tokyo, I was inspired to move to New York—I had a lot of passion. I studied for six years under the Italian hair master Luigi Murenu and then started working independently on my own.

What’s your daily beauty regimen?

Starting the day by saying a tongue twister loudly three times and a having big smile every morning.

Name one beauty product that, if everyone used it, would make the world a happier place and why.

Coconut oil. It works for everything.

What hair product matches your personality and what would you name it?

It would be a hair serum made of coconut oil. It would be called "AKKI SERUM:The Quality Wave".

If I wasn't in the beauty industry I would be [insert alternate profession].

Even if I was not a hairstylist, I would choose a creative job, express myself, and chase my dreams. I would challenge something big "against the gravity of the Earth” as well as hair styling. 

When do you feel the most beautiful?

When I experience the moments and embrace the scenery that make me feel alive on this Earth.

What’s one product you can’t leave the house without?

Coconut oil.

Photo by Ashley Smith 

Daniele Miller

Where were you born?

San Louis Obispo, CA.

How did you get a start in your career?

I started a band when I was 21 and met a ton of magical creative people from the art scene and blossomed into my career from there.

What’s your daily beauty regimen? 

I wash my face by using either a natural witch hazel toner or Clinique level three toner. Then I use face oil, drink a lot of water— and when I go out for the day, I put some SPF on my face and a light silky foundation. Sometimes I just use SPF and boy brow for my eyebrows and brush them up. I like Agatha Orange Gucci beauty on my lips or a clear/light pink on my lips, and I switch off from having dramatic eyes like oversized bold shapes or nothing on the eyes, it depends on the day. I’m also obsessed with mascara. And I use coconut oil on my body because I have sensitive skin. 

Name one beauty product that, if everyone used it, would make the world a happier place.

Rosewater spray. It really helps change the mood and I think if people were to try it, they would feel better and more refreshed during the day. Ever since my friend Sienna introduced me to rosewater spray, I have it on me always.

Create a lipstick name and shade that matches your personality.

It would be called "Trixie Stardust" and would be bright orange-red with sparkle hue and water-resistant.

If you were a pet, whose pet would you be and why?

I would be Marilyn Manson’s Pony because I bet he would be rad and take me to raves, let me smoke weed, do my makeup and dye my hair.

Who's your ultimate beauty icon?

It's a tie between Nina Hagen and Debbie Harry.

What’s one product you can’t leave the house without?

Lipstick in my purse—always. Usually a classic red, a black, and an orange-red or pink. And a chapstick.

Photo by Jefferson Santiago

Frankie Boyd

Where were you born?

Atlanta, Georgia.

How did you get a start in your career?

A friend who I was doing drag with in the 90s got me a job at the MAC counter in Atlanta. Then I moved to New York and started assisting in shows during NYFW. While freelancing in NYC I was able to assist all the big makeup artists like Pat, Val, Kabuki, and Charlotte.

What’s your daily beauty regimen?

I like to keep things simple with my personal routine. I use a foaming salicylic acid facial wash from the drugstore. I love Lamer and Augustinus Bader for moisturizers. Drunk Elephant Luxury Facial Oil is also a favorite lately.

Name one beauty product that, if everyone used it, would make the world a happier place.

I always love a good sheet or an eye mask. I feel like they force you to relax and take a moment to chill. I always stock the 111Skin mask in my gear for a quick indulgence.

Create a lipstick name and shade that matches your personality.

It would be called "Integra" and would be a vivid neon red/orange color.

Best non-conventional makeup tool?

I highly recommend everyone have a silk pillowcase. I noticed a few years ago I was developing a sleep crease so I switched over to a Slip silk pillowcase. I can see a visible difference in my skin when I wake up in the morning.

If you got to do the glam for an animated film, which would it be and why?

Jem and the Holograms. As a child, I loved the duality of Jem/Jerrica and the bad girl rival group the Misfits. Super glam early 80s makeup illustration at its best.

What’s one product you can’t leave the house without?

SPF and sunglasses.

Photo by Ted Emmons

Palma Wright

Where were you born?

Bucaramanga, Colombia.

How did you get a start in your career?

I founded my own clothing brand back in 2012. By creating my own brand with no budget, I had to literally become everything that was needed: the photographer, the stylist, the makeup artist, the hairstylist/colorist, and the casting director. I started creative directing on test shoots for other photographers and would jump into whatever position I wanted to work on specifically, or sometimes even all positions. I used those shoots to experiment and develop my skills as a creative director and become an artist who could precisely execute my visions accurately through photography, videography, styling, hair and makeup.

What’s your daily beauty regimen?

My beauty regimen on an average day consists of:

1) Chugging the water next to my bed

2) Take a shower (I also usually brush my teeth in the shower).

3) I ALWAYS some type of face scrub or face wash. I also use a black African soap face and body wash. For my hair, I use shampoo and conditioner. Although some days I just condition because my hair is dry from dying it so much.

4) Now, I'm out of the shower and I add hair milk to my hair and an allover hair serum/oil.

5) Then I put on two different moisturizers—an under eye and an allover face moisturizer. I also add a couple of drops of vitamin c oil and collagen serum to my daily moisture for the entire face.

6) Then I put on boy's deodorant and Vivienne Westwood perfume—one spray on the neck and one on the wrists.

7) Then I take a glass of water with my daily vitamins.

8) After that, I take a half cup of water with a two-ingredient protein shake (one scoop of collagen hydrolysate protein and one scoop of an all-natural protein powder called Designer Whey).

That’s it on an average day, but this process can get more intense depending on how much time I have. My weekend spa treatment gets pretty intense with hours of steps.

Name one beauty product that, if everyone used it, would make the world a happier place.

WATER! We all forget to keep hydrated and drink water and it can make us feel better in a multitude of ways! It gives more energy, fewer headaches, and can help to make you fuller and help your skin to look great. 

Create a lipstick name and shade that matches your personality.

The shade of lipstick would be holographic/translucent and it would be named "PLUR".

Best shade of eyeshadow to wear on a Saturday night? 

A deep blue or a glossy lid always kills.

One product you can’t live without?

Chapstick/lip scrub.

When do you feel the sexiest?

Fresh out the shower, baby :)

Photo courtesy of Lana Jay Lackey

Lana Jay Lackey

Where were you born?

San Diego, California. 

How did you get a start in your career?

Which one? For styling, it starts with my mother. She collects vintage pieces and I would ravage through her closets growing up and would dress my friends, who also were photographers. This went on in Portland, Oregon which had a massive DIY punk house community at that time. I learned if you want to make something, you could go for it and it could be cheap, or even free. Fashion is fun—it can be punk. Within that scope, I knew that New York was the place to be, so I moved here 9 years ago. I feel that I have found my place working in a few different mediums. I do styling, collage art, and I am a bookmaker. I created SEDITION Magazine which is a punk paper inspired by the DIY communities of my childhood.

What’s your daily beauty regimen?

I start with a shower with a Yerba Mate tea and some loud rap song on repeat. I have mild acne, but it's enough to make me obsessed/depressed over it. So my beauty regimen is to stop looking in tiny mirrors, listen to my dermatologist, and get good sleep. If I am going out, I wear make up and If I’m going to the office, I give my skin a break. A face free of makeup makes me feel like I’m 12 yrs old. But if I do use makeup, I like a tinted moisturizer by Kosas, concealer by Hourglass, mascara by Benefit and eyeliner by Kat Von D. Lately, I’ve been loading on the glitter, there’s a trashy liquid glitter that I love from Urban Decay. It makes me feel like a sexy princess. My haircut is called “Punk Rock Princess Diana” and is done by Dylan Chavles. I took fabric scissors to it over thanksgiving. She was away at the Hard Rock hotel in Jersey so I had no choice. I use a lot of dry shampoos and tease the shit out of it. If I do this, I get a lot of compliments, even though I always think, "please don’t smoke to close to my hair so it doesn’t catch on fire."

Name one beauty product that, if everyone used it, would make the world a happier place.

Glitter, because of Trashy Princess.

If you were a pet, whose pet would you be and why?

I like the cats that live at casa Rick Owens. They are those tiger looking ones and climb all over the place. You really got to think about the baby voice one makes when you talk to animals, and whose you could listen to. His voice I could do. 

Create a lipstick name and shade that matches your personality?

It would be called "Totally Titty Pink" and would be baby pink.

What’s one beauty trend you’re sick of seeing on Instagram?

The 80 layers of concealer makeup. The covering and camouflage of a face.

What’s one product you can’t leave the house without?

CV skin labs lip balm, it was formulated for cancer patients and you can use it on any body part.