Maximalism Is In

Feb 28

Feb 28 Maximalism Is In

Minimalism is not boring. There’s a certain charm, a gentle allure in the ability to dab a bit of color on your cheeks and lips, to darken the eyes just a tad, in order to freshen up. Highlight your cheeks and nose. Swipe a bit of gel on to lock your brows in place. Blend some concealer under your eyes if need be. It’s nice, quick, and easy.

“No makeup-makeup is meant to enhance your features, not hide them.”

I can’t say I’m the biggest fan of that statement. Sure, it rings true, but who says we’re hiding?

There’s a sort of magic in being able to transform your face into a canvas: in blending rainbows into your lids, nailing wings that cut, and fashioning mind-blowing graphic looks through the tiny mirror of your eyeshadow palette. In turning your tools into paintbrushes.

The past couple of years have seen a sky-rocketing high in the creativity of MUAs, especially through the use of Instagram. There was a point in time where—and I think every avid fan of makeup remembers—makeup tutorials would consist of the same looks, back to back: natural smokey-eyes, cut creases, nude lips, and the same shades of orange and pink like clockwork. Now, there’s something about it that’s just so special.

Maximalism is in, with all of its eccentricity.

I’m not just talking about the swipe of a colored liner on the eye. Young artists today have been going all-or-nothing, and it’s remarkable to observe the way makeup has evolved from a daily routine into an art form, something that evokes inspiration in people worldwide. Accounts from the likes of Juliana Horner (vesperucca), Chloe Denyse (sylvurdust), Lucia Pereŝová (geminiblush), June Noel (visiblejune), and Ana Takahashi (anatakonyourface) take up the majority of my Instagram feed, and I could spend hours scrolling through in awe at their dauntless talents.

The creativity artists these days exhibit is utterly entrancing, and it kindles a fire in me (and many others) that desires nothing more than to burn and create. And that, I think, is simply what art is meant to do.