The blurred line between make-up and art is navigated with skill and creativity by Isamaya Ffrench, a 36-year-old make-up artist who has built a storied career in the beauty industry.

• Face painting at children’s parties
• Body painting male models for an i-D magazine editorial in 2011
• Collaborating with and spearheading the beauty arms of brands like Tom Ford, Junya Watanabe, Byredo Makeup, Off-White, and Burberry
• Launching her eponymous beauty line in 2022

Isamaya Ffrench’s new core collection is a standout take on the classic highlighter, with its gel-based balm infused with brown algae extract and phyto-collagen to hydrate and plump the face. The silver packaging and long, thin nozzle give it a medical, editorial feel that stands out among other legacy brands at Selfridges’ Beauty Hall.

“I created the brand for anyone who wants to elevate their look and amplify their natural beauty,” Ffrench explains. “Beauty is boundless and limitless. It’s such a powerful tool, it can transform you from feeling rough in the morning to feeling a million pounds.”
When it comes to her make-up bag essentials, Ffrench recommends multi-purpose products that can be used on the cheeks, lips, and eyes. “I think the essential things that you should have on you at all times are multi-purpose products; things that you can use on your cheeks, lips, and eyes, which cover all bases and are super lightweight.”
Her new core collection is a departure from the usual mass-market beauty products. Instead, it offers a more editorial, high-end approach to make-up. Ffrench explains, “I wanted to take that philosophy and move it, so that when you take your make-up off at the end of the day, you look even better. I want to wear skincare in my make-up and feel incredible for it.”
For Ffrench, make-up is not just about applying colour to faces; it’s about being a therapist, understanding different complexions, skin tones, and making people feel the best they can about themselves. “You need to be brilliant at understanding different complexions, skin tones, and making people feel the best they can about themselves. It’s such an incredible job, and I feel so lucky to do what I do.”
When asked about her earliest make-up memory, Ffrench recalls reading Kevin Aucoin’s “Making Faces” in a bookshop when she was seven years old. She remembers reading it “about 10,000 times” after that. Despite her success, Ffrench has never felt like just being a make-up artist was enough. She wanted to be a part of the creative expression, not just limited to applying colour. “In the past, I always felt like ‘just’ being a make-up artist didn’t feel like enough to deliver my creative expression in its entirety. But, particularly after creating the brand, I’ve realised that being a make-up artist is so much more than applying colour to faces; you have to be there for people as their therapists…”
Ffrench’s beauty icons include people like Michèle Lamy, Cindy Sherman, and Gwendoline Christie, who embody true creative expression and raw emotion. “I love people who are true to themselves and whose creative expression is part of their make-up routine,” she explains. As for trends this summer, Ffrench is excited to see a return to bright colours, textures, and interesting formulas in the lip game. “I’m very excited to get back into the lip game,” she says. “We’ve had a nudie moment, but I think bright colours, textures and interesting formulas will be back in.”
Ffrench also believes that anti-beauty is not about aesthetics, but about a lack of compassion. “There’s nothing beautiful about someone who doesn’t have empathy or is very judgmental. Beauty goes beyond the superficial—to me, it’s about what’s inside.”
Ultimately, expression to Ffrench means being true to oneself and expressing oneself in the most honest and truthful way possible. “It’s about being true to yourself, and expressing yourself in your most honest and truthful way.”
You can shop Isamaya Ffrench’s Core Collection online or in store at Selfridges.

What to Expect from Isamaya Ffrench’s New Core Collection

The new collection offers a range of products, including the Face Glaze, Metallic Balm, and Colour-Correcting Serum, all designed to enhance and amplify natural beauty. With its sleek, editorial packaging and high-end approach to make-up, this collection is sure to stand out in the beauty market.

Isamaya Ffrench’s Philosophy on Make-up

Ffrench’s philosophy on make-up is centered around the idea that it’s not just about applying colour to faces, but about being a therapist and understanding the individual’s complexions, skin tones, and needs. She believes that make-up is a powerful tool that can transform and enhance one’s natural beauty.

Key Products in the Core Collection

* Face Glaze: A gel-based balm with brown algae extract and phyto-collagen for hydration and plumping
* Metallic Balm: A lip balm that adds a metallic sheen to everyday lip balm
* Colour-Correcting Serum: A colour-correcting formula that enhances natural base

Beauty Icons and Inspiration

Ffrench’s beauty icons include people like Michèle Lamy, Cindy Sherman, and Gwendoline Christie, who embody true creative expression and raw emotion. She also finds inspiration in athletes, who use make-up as a tool to express themselves and feel empowered.

Trends to Watch this Summer

This summer, Ffrench is excited to see a return to bright colours, textures, and interesting formulas in the lip game. She believes that make-up is a powerful tool that can transform and enhance one’s natural beauty, and is looking forward to seeing how people will express themselves through make-up this summer.

What’s Beautiful

For Ffrench, beauty is not just about aesthetics; it’s about what’s inside. She believes that anti-beauty is not about aesthetics, but about a lack of compassion and empathy. Instead, she believes that beauty goes beyond the superficial and is about what’s inside.

Conclusion

Isamaya Ffrench’s new core collection is a testament to her philosophy on make-up, which is centered around the idea that it’s not just about applying colour to faces, but about being a therapist and understanding the individual’s complexions, skin tones, and needs. As Ffrench says, “Beauty is boundless and limitless.