Like us, you’ve defo been drooling over Doechii, Tyla, Saweetie, Ayra Starr, and more of the It-girls’ glam lately, and wondered: who exactly is behind these masterpieces? Well, we linked up with the legend herself who’s behind them: @makeupbychelseax.
London-based MUA Chelsea Uchenna specialises in the Bratz-coded beauty looks all over the red carpet that you just can’t get enough of. Linking up at our office, she let us know all her favourite products, how she got into makeup artistry, and who she’s been most starstruck by. Keep reading to find out.
Interview by Lauren Mohindra
What’s your first memory relating to makeup?
“I feel like my first memory of makeup was watching my mother and her beauty routines and I was just so interested as to why she was putting so many layers [of makeup] on and why she’s putting black in her eye, I was so confused but also very intrigued and interested.”
What inspired you to become a makeup artist?
“I think when I first kind of got access to the internet and social media. I was introduced to makeup through my mum and then I remember like one time my neighbour, she had this play makeup kit, and those like Claire’s fake makeup thingy’s, so we would play with each other. When I got access to socials I was always on YouTube watching the beauty influencers and I just started doing it myself. Then I realised I could do it on other people. I was like okay cool!”
What’s a beauty trend you hate/have never bought into?
“I feel like I’ve done all the beauty trends. I mean there was a period where it was trending to do clean girl makeup, and I think cuz I’m such a very extra glam girl, I just couldn’t make that switch because it was just so not me, but I respect it.”
What do you think is the next big makeup trend?
“I feel like frosty lips are coming back and they’re large in charge! So, if frosty lips come back and is the next trend I would be very happy.”
You’ve done Doechii, Tyla, Ayra Starr, and Leomie Anderson’s makeup – how do you tailor your approach to different people?
“I do a lot of research. I’ll be stalking their pages, like how do they usually like their glam, and what is a recurring theme when it comes to their makeup? I ask a lot of questions as well, for example, what is it about glam that you like the most and I can help tailor it. I be stalking the girls, I be staring at their faces, and I do what I think will look good by tailoring it to each girl.”
In particular, Doechii’s iconic glam blew up on socials earlier this year, following her attendance at Paris Fashion Week. What’s your favourite look you’ve done for Doechii?
“I have a few. There was this look that we did for Chloe and it was just super like Erica-coded, so cool, that whole moment was so fab. Then, I’d probably say there was this look that we did for her meet-and-greet in New York City and it was just it! It was like a frosty lip moment, cool tone blush – very Chelsea. I will [also] have to throw in Schiaparelli because Schiaparelli was too too fab!”
What are your opinions on the recent trend of using candyfloss coloured blush?
“I love it down. I just think it’s so Barbie, hot, Bratz, fun, cool. Like it’s just fun. I love bringing fun back into makeup because it’s actually not even that serious.”
Can you give your three favourite beauty trends in the last few months?
“Thin brows. If you get it, you get it; cool tone makeup looks; and the overly-blushed look.”
What’s your favourite product in your kit?
“Mac lip liners, specifically in Chestnut or Nightmob. I have to have them, if I don’t, that’s really spooky.”
Who is your makeup inspiration?
“I have a lot of like online creators that I love and of course OGs like Pat McGrath, Danessa, Kevyn Aucoin, Sam Fine. I have a lot of people that I follow online that I love. I love Sam Visser. Love him boots. When it comes to like glam glam, I love Lake Sanu. I think her artistry is incredible. She’s very talented, I think she’s a UK girl too. So, shout out to Lake.”
You use every colour under the sun in your looks, but what’s the colour you couldn’t live without?
“Blue. Oh my god. Immediately blue. It’s the first colour I reach for, it’s the first colour I think of when I think of makeup.”
What’s your all time favourite beauty moment in pop culture?
“There’s so many to choose from. There was this one time Rihanna had this beautiful purple-pink fuchsia blush and eye and cheek and lip and it was just so beautiful and I love that look. Also love the look that she did with the gold highlighter that Fenty used to have, that was very iconic. There’s this one music video that Beyonce did, Kitty Kat, with a leopard print eye, ooh, too fab. I would say Kelis’ glam with a pink brow moment, and glitter all over her eye, but I think about that look a lot. So shout out to Kelis. She ate the looks up!”
