Waterproof Beauty
Miranda Penn Turin
Made for heat, humidity, and sudden downpours, waterproof beauty refuses to wilt. With this in mind, makeup artist Riku Campo explains the products and techniques behind each look.
The climate isn’t negotiating. Sidewalks shimmer like a mirage, the heat relentless, the night itself gone thick and slow. Humidity hangs in the air, daring you to wilt. But in truth, your beauty is waterproof.
You’re not wilting.
IRK: To begin, how did you interpret the “WATERPROOF” theme for this beauty editorial?
Riku Campo: The idea of a beauty look that can reliably be worn through all the stressors and elements that 24 hours can throw at your face – mist, rain, sweat, chlorinated pools, hot tubs, splashing waves, etc. – that was my intention. Because your face is who you are, literally how the world sees you – you should be able to confidently predict what it will look like at the end of the night.
The shock of a downpour catches you mid-stride, soaked through in seconds but laughing in defiance. The hush of a pool at dusk, skin cooling, the world going quiet and blue. The deep-freeze buzz of a club at midnight, air-conditioning blasting like an act of mercy, bass bumping like an act of rebellion. Wherever you land, the rule is the same: melt for no one.
IRK: How did the water, lighting and photography influence the makeup looks?
Riku Campo: I knew that the makeup would have to stand up under sun, strobes and water being thrown at our lovely patient model Mae. Therefore I made choices based first on the look we wanted to achieve, which was an edgy beauty with strong color notes, and secondly, of course it had to stand up under the elements. Make Up For Ever has wonderful waterproof choices throughout the color spectrum – I knew I could rely on them.
Waterproof formulas
Because of your blue-black liner that stands its ground through a downpour. Thanks to your mascara that doesn’t abandon your lashes. Your lip stain that outlasts every kiss. In truth, these aren’t concessions to the heat – they’re a stand against it. Waterproof formulas built to hold their shape while everything else, finally, dissolves.
IRK: On balance, is the wet look simply a trend, or should it become one?
Riku Campo: The wet look is something that has been discussed and elevated since fashion photography became widely consumed by the public – for decades. Truly, I think it’s a classic, but it’s always fresh and daring. I think in the 60’s Mary Quant made it accessible to everyone, and it hasn’t fallen out of style since then.
Go bold. Go metallic. Laugh when humidity tries to have the final word. Waterproof shadows that flow like night, highlighter glittering like the wet city, lids the blue-black of a pool at 2 a.m. A lip gloss that shines like truth.
Questions About Waterproof Makeup
IRK: More specifically, which waterproof beauty products or techniques did you use, and why?
Riku Campo: I used Make Up For Ever in all the shots except the glitter one, and that was intentionally playful – we were in the pool at that point, I used Elisabeth Arden 8H Cream to make the glitter stay on her face. There are tons of wonderful glitter products on the market, though – the glitter is suspended in gel so it will stay in place on the skin.
IRK: What is the secret to using waterproof makeup successfully?
Riku Campo: First and foremost, a steady hand and a creative eye are essential for a successful look. Waterproof makeup is no different – it’s just more labor-intensive to correct if you do make a mistake. Take your time – enjoy the process, it’s an art.
Let the world get wet. Because your look revels in it.
That’s the whole point.
IRK: Finally, what is the best way to remove waterproof makeup without irritating the skin?
Riku Campo: I find that oil-based products and creams are the best for removing waterproof makeup. Make Up For Ever’s Divine Cream is very good and moisturizing too. Apply the remover with a cotton ball, pat don’t rub. Their Gentle Eye Gel is great for the eyes as well. Let the remover sit for a minute or two, then swipe off with another clean cotton ball. Follow up with a splash of water and your favorite moisturizer.
and Make Up For Ever Artist Eyeshadow #200 Arctic Frost
Photography – Miranda Penn Turin
Makeup – Riku Campo with Walter Schupfer Management using Make Up For Ever
Hair – Louise Moon with Cloutier Remix
Model – Mae Van Der Weide with Freedom Models LA
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Miranda Penn Turin is a freelance photographer and director who has been specializing in portraiture, fashion, music and beauty for decades. She first picked up a camera at about eight when her mother gave her a grey Polaroid Swinger for her birthday - she misses the smell of those squeegee tubes of fixer that came with every pack of real Polaroid film.
She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in creative writing, but her passion for photography overrode her major. In her summer breaks she interned with Boston photographers and began assisting once she graduated. (She still believes assisting is the greatest photographic education anyone could possibly get.)
She added Director to her title in 2007 when she directed her first music video for Warner Bros, and has since directed many commercials, music videos and fashion films. She works with a diverse range of clients including Coty, Max Factor, Sony, Universal, Bloomingdales, Fox, Warner Bros. Records, Converse, Conde Nast, the Four Seasons, Chase, MTV and many others. She is the official photographer of Voices4Freedom, a humanitarian organization committed to abolishing human trafficking all over the world. She is a board member of APA-LA and has been honored with awards from Communication Arts, Adobe, The Art Director's Club, APA, etc. None of this would have been possible without her team - she is deeply grateful to have the best crew on the planet.
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