All of the women on my playlist make excellent style icons! Whether you've never worn makeup or you're currently training to become a makeup artist, I would love to share some of my favorite pop and alternative music singers' makeup looks with you. Included: their favorite brands and the aspects of each look that might inspire you to express yourself as well!
Kimbra
This alt-pop beauty stuns fans with her penchant for surreal self-expression in music videos, photo shoots, and art-making. We can almost always expect her to sport a bold lip color by MAC, Ruby Woo, or NARS. Her classic variations using Stila liquid eyeliner include a straight, crisp edge as well as a winged version, and she isn't afraid of going big or going minimal. A soft-skin secret from Kimbra: use coconut cream!
Janelle Monae
This year, Janelle Monae starred as a Covergirl emblem. From the above picture to her photo shoots embodying a Rebel pilot for the "Star Wars" line, she radiates energy and usually a fierce highlight. Her advice is to "embrace the things that make you unique," and she certainly slays at doing so. Janelle recommends Olay Wet Cleansing Cloths for gently removing makeup.
Grimes
Grimes, the "art angel" we all deserve, takes a crafty approach to her look, dyeing her hair with Manic Panic while on the road. The Kat Von D liquid eye pen is her go-to tool, while she avoids coloring her lips. I'm impressed to learn that she reworks products like lipstick and lip gloss to accent eyes instead. As you can see in this image, Grimes knows that coloring outside the lines can make you smile.
FKA Twigs
FKA Twigs makes headlines for her music and for her relationship with Robert Pattinson, but her makeup deserves attention, too. She draws inspiration from '90s fashion, and she wants to represent herself as a warrior. In all her photos, she has this perfect glow, perhaps due to her trusty MAC color base.
Thao Nguyen
Thao, of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, does not pay attention to trends, and has apparently gotten scolded by her mother and grandmother for being so carefree. But Thao's nearly makeup-free look is 100 percent worthy of making this list! In her photo shoots, she surrounds herself in bright colors and shapes, but those colors and shapes don't have to cover up her already-expressive face.
Charli XCX
This year, the "London Queen" is the focus of advertising for Makeup For Ever's Aqua XL Eye Pencil, which boasts lots of neon colors. On the daily pop star grind, Charli says that a red lip and black eyeliner define her average look. She also loves big brows, and uses the Anastasia eye pencil. As someone with naturally large eyebrows, I'm certainly inspired.
Santigold
Santigold has a new line with Smashbox that plays with ideas of aliens and earth in this truly exciting post-2012 life we inhabit! For her day-to-day routine, Rosebud lip balm is a must. She insists that makeup companies start appreciating a greater diversity of skin tones, because she has come across issues with photo shoots where the makeup artists just didn't seem prepared to accent her color. But Santigold has a lot to grin about, because she is inspiring people by being herself!