What happens when an illustrator discovers they have a natural talent for makeup? Turkish makeup artist Selin Prokudina Çılgın experienced that herself, and it resulted in her becoming a face of experimental yet beautiful makeup overnight.
With an audience of 90,000 followers across her social media accounts, and plenty more who’ve saved her work to their mood boards, Selin’s background as an illustrator informed the intricate, detailed designs she creates on her face, often mimicking real life objects, like candy and ceramics.
We linked up with Selin to find out how she got started posting her makeup look online, where she finds her inspiration, and more. Keep reading to find out.
XO: When and how did you first realise you had a talent for makeup?
S: “In high school, when Tumblr was at its peak, I found creators doing creative makeup and loved their work. I started experimenting on my face using my drawing materials and those photos as references. People on social media liked my looks back then and that motivated me. Over time, I bought new products and learned a new technique with each one to reach my current level. My background as an illustrator played a massive role in my makeup progress.”
XO: Some of your makeup looks have really niche references, like ceramic cats or kettles. Where do you find your inspiration?
S: “I think how you present a makeup look is often more important than the initial idea. Before deciding on a concept, I plan the pose, lighting, posture, and the specific mood I want to capture. These ideas usually come to me spontaneously from things I see around me. A scene in a video, the light reflecting on a movie character's face, or an object, like a piece of ceramic, can trigger an idea. The colors take shape based on the image I want to create. Then the forms of those colors become clear, bringing the final result to life."
“For example, the ceramic makeup concept came from a random image I saw online. When I first saw the photo, I knew I had to figure out how to make myself look exactly like ceramic. Once I figured that out, deciding where and how to apply the colors on my face came naturally.”
XO: What made you want to start taking social media seriously, and go down the path of being a beauty influencer?
S: “I have always enjoyed sharing my artworks on social media but I never shared my makeup looks. A colorful eyeshadow palette I bought back then gave me the courage to create some looks, and then I decided to share them on social media for the first time.”
“Honestly, I never expected to get this much attention at first. Just like in any art form, you develop your own storytelling language through trial and error. My personal style in makeup naturally began to form. I believe this is how I reached an audience, and I am very happy about it.”
XO: What have you found the most challenging about posting your work on socials?
S: “I was never the kind of creator who just turns on a camera, shoots a quick video, and posts it. Taking more time to shoot and edit my content means posting less, which makes it harder to grow on social media. This can be discouraging at times. Of course, I also have to accept that I don't create makeup looks that appeal to everyone. It makes me sad when all of these things ruin my enthusiasm for makeup. Ultimately, I do this because I enjoy it. Letting social media add these types of anxieties to my makeup process can be mentally challenging. But over time, you get used to it, and I guess you learn to find a balance.”
XO: What have you found the most rewarding about it?
S: “I came across many makeup artists who gave me new perspectives and showed me different techniques. It is a great feeling that so many artists share their work on social media, allowing us to discover each other and connect. Also, reaching people who normally do not know about this side of makeup feels exactly like when I first saw those Tumblr posts in high school.”
“The makeup industry often holds an anti-feminist perspective that relies on strict beauty standards, rather than treating makeup as an art form. Showing that makeup has a different side and can be a creative art form can inspire many people. I sometimes receive messages about this, and it makes me feel that my work can turn into something much bigger.”
XO: Who inspires you the most in your work?
S: “Elvira! Seeing that a normal looking actress was behind such a fantastic character design made me realize how completely a person can transform. Whenever I see her, I remember that you can turn into absolutely any character using makeup and fashion. I realize how powerful our creativity is in that regard.”
“Every time I design a look, I treat it like designing a new character. This approach helps me create makeup looks with stories behind them. I also keep a massive, constantly updated mood board where I save dozens of new pieces from other artists daily. There are so many talented artists out there. I find inspiration in a new piece of work every day. Honestly, in this current era where AI is everywhere, any work with a real human touch inspires me.”
XO: What’s your favourite makeup look in pop culture?
S: “I love the makeup Björk wears in her music videos. As a slightly different example, I think Jolyne's green lips in Araki's JoJo series are incredibly iconic. And of course, Elvira.”
XO: If you could give yourself two years ago one piece of advice, what would it be?
S: “Even though social media has many benefits, I would remind myself that taking a break when it feels mentally heavy is never a failure. You can always come back and start posting again. I would also tell myself never to hesitate when sharing something I love doing. I took a long break from posting my makeup because I feared it would ruin my identity as an illustrator. In reality, I am a multidisciplinary artist. Everything I create is a part of me, and my makeup is a natural extension of all my other work.”
XO: Lastly, what is a beauty essential you couldn’t do without?
S: “A good lip balm. I have very dry lips, making it nearly impossible for me to start any makeup application without putting on lip balm first!”
