Emerging in beauty is the concept of smeared lips, advocating for the beautiful ugly, lipstick after a kiss, the end of a night out or the makeup of a performer.

This is an interesting trend as it defies beauty norms and can be unsettling to the viewer. With leading makeup artists such as Isamaya French paving the way for seeing the face as a canvas for texture, pattern, lines and colour a new generation of artists are experimenting and questioning our beauty perceptions. 

By Geraldine Wharry | Research and concept contribution: Maud Flamand