by Around the world, the name Isamaya Ffrench is synonymous with a high-fashion, experimental make-up style.
She has toured with Rihanna, Madonna, Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner and has been featured in editorials for just about every major fashion publication out there. The renowned makeup artist was behind Byredo’s coveted launch into cosmetics, she is Global Beauty Director for Burberry Beauty and now she has finally ventured into her own namesake brand.
“I am creating my own world for a new generation of makeup lovers,” Ffrench explains of her ISAMAYA brand. “I want to inspire people and show them that there are other ways to approach beauty. Free them from the ideals of the mainstream and be more authentic by proposing something more artistic and very visual”.
It will take a slightly different approach to its collections, where products will be released in a series of limited themed releases in collaboration with celebrated artists from around the world, all with an emphasis on individuality and creativity.
We caught up with Ffrench to find out the items he can’t live without.
What are you doing right now?
Splitting my brain between all my various projects and focusing on the biggest launch of my makeup career: my own brand, ISAMAYA!
Can you tell us about the products in your collection?
The INDUSTRIAL collection is for makeup lovers who want something new and exciting. Beautiful, sexy and portable makeup products that you can use every day and create many different looks.
Skinlacq is packed with triple hyaluronic acid complex and can be used as a luminous foundation, serum or highlighter, at any time of the day. Liplacq is a plumping lip serum with a lovely dark berry tint; a single layer will slightly intensify the color of your lips, and applying several can increase the color.
Rubberlash mascara is a deep black mascara that contains a special lash-curling agent as well as hair-conditioning ingredients, and Browlacq is a high-performance brow gel that you can use with its special comb to achieve a look of laminated eyebrows.
The makeup star of the range is the Industrial Color Pigments Eyeshadow Palette which houses an incredible range of 14 colors offering a different finish, from holographic white to silvery putty, iridescent oil-inspired green to deep matte black. , and all the highlights with various intensities in between.
What is the product you are most proud of?
Rubberlash mascara is a great staple when you want to leave home feeling like you’ve done something, but haven’t spent an hour in front of the mirror, and I wanted to develop a mascara that has the deepest shade of black. , it can build and would keep your eyelashes healthy, so we add hair conditioning ingredients in the formula.
What is your beauty routine?
Unless I’m going to an event, I really hardly wear any makeup on a daily basis. Much of my work is behind the camera. I love making up others more than myself. I am, however, addicted to mascara!
What are your beauty commandments?
Wear SPF at ALL times. Yes, even in the UK. Yes, even during the winter. There are many things that age our skin that we have little control over, but protecting it from the sun is not one of them. Also, something I wasn’t doing before but forced into my routine since the first lockdown is religiously removing my makeup every night before bed.
What is your number one favorite beauty motive?
Excessively concealing the entire area around the eyes and eyebrows, which makes your face look too flat. It’s good to have a bit of darkness around the eyes, it’s sexy!
What tools are always in your beauty arsenal?
I’m big on tools. I love the Face Halo pads they work wonders to remove makeup, any kind of Chinese massage tool for the face that really helps with blood flow and lymphatic drainage and anything that has been in the freezer that I will apply to the areas swollen from my face in the morning.
What is a product you wish you had invented?
Retinol.
How do you treat yourself?
As well as I can. We only have one life and one body, there really is no time to waste blaming ourselves for being too much X and too little Y. Cultivating individuality is the most healthy and attractive.
