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Move over, Brat—Charli XCX is in her rock era. Not genre-wise, although her new song is titled “rock music,” but in the next phase of her artistry, she’s opting a rocker aesthetic, as showcased in the beauty looks for her new music video. Out today, the release showcases two different makeup looks. One is pared back, with a glossy lip and taupe eye shadow on her lids and temples. The other has been dubbed “oil-slick eyes” by her makeup artist, YSL Beauty ambassador Raoul Alejandre.
Her hairstylist, Matt Benns, took a similar glam approach and created two different hairstyles—a messy party hairstyle and a pulled-back ponytail. “I wanted the hair to feel like it had history to it, like it had been touched, danced in and lived in,” he says. “A little raw, a little rougher, and still hot. That undone energy is what makes it feel like Charli. The Brat hair was super big, attention-grabbing, and really about her natural texture. Now it has evolved into something a little more smooth and styled, but both have one thing in common: it is never too perfect or too glam.” Below, Alejandre talks about the new album, his rock ’n’ roll influences, and Charli’s vision.
It’s so exciting that Charli has new music out.
I know. I’m so excited for this new era. The song is so cool. It’s going to be so major. I grew up in the 2010s, and it feels referential to that era. I don’t want to say too much, but it’s such a nostalgic album. I’m super excited.
Were you influenced by any rock greats when you were thinking about these looks, or did you have any mood boards that you were pulling from?
Joan Jett was definitely on my mood board. Think of if you were to see Joan Jett at the end of the night, when she’s super sweaty and the makeup is lived in. For the lashes, I [was inspired by Man Ray], this photographer from the ’30s that did these glass tears. For the lash look, we did ones that were super long and textured, but still pretty separated, which I really loved. But I didn’t want to get too specific because Charli is an artist in herself. When you start pulling references, it becomes a little repetitive. I do really love fashion, which is where I started. [I was inspired by] some of the older [John] Galliano looks that were created back in the day. I looked at campaigns that incorporated glosses on the lids.
How has Charli’s beauty aesthetic evolved from the Brat era? What is a hallmark of this new era?
She has a really strong sense of self. She’s a really confident woman, and what I find inspiring about her is that she can definitely pull off a beat. We were able to incorporate a strong eye that we saw in the Brat era, but in a deconstructed way, which is a catalyst into this new avenue of imperfect, beautiful makeup. She can do really heavy makeup, but she is also not afraid to see her skin and to embrace that. That was really something that I got to see when I was making this video with her. But a strong eye is definitely part of her beauty Rolodex, and I think that’s something that she loves to use.
I love that you’re calling it an oil-slick eye.
I was looking at all of these messy, dirty eyes. It felt oil-slick, but with oils, there are different hues. It was almost a tar eye. This video truly inspired me.
Charli’s oil-slick eye makeup.Charli XCX / YSL Beauty
How did you add dimension to her makeup for the black and white parts of the video?
The video was shot on an older camera. Everything got a little fuzzy, and I felt like [the makeup] was starting to look too flat. The only way to create dimension with black and white was to add a gloss finish onto the high points of the face. Unfortunately, I was not prepared on set, and I didn’t have any balms. I ended up melting a little bit of the [Candy Glaze Gloss Stick] on the palm of my hand, and we pressed this on the lid and on the high points of the cheek. As the day started progressing, we kept adding more and more gloss to the point where it looked sweaty and lived in, but still beautiful.
Did you use mascara for her clean look?
She knows what works for her. For the natural look, we didn’t use mascara. We didn’t even do a clear mascara. It was just a raw eye. I usually like to cheat and do a little bit on the root of the lash, but it was like, “No, if we’re going to go clean, we’re going to go clean.”
How involved was Charli with the look?
It was definitely collaborative. She’s very, “Yeah, I trust you. Go through the process.” But as we’re going through the makeup, I ask questions. When we were doing the dark [look], I could see her changing into a different version of herself. I know that I’m doing a good job when she looks up and [I can tell] that she’s like, “I feel hot.”
YSL Beauty Lash Latex MascaraYSL Beauty Lines Liberated 24H Waterproof EyelinerYSL Beauty Candy Glaze Gloss Stick
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
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