Lynsey Alexander, Prada Beauty’s Global Creative Make-up Artist, has become a leading figure at the forefront of the luxury beauty world–working with the biggest names in fashion, while also crafting palettes meant to be used by women of all walks of life. During her time at Prada, with the team she has vastly diversified the brand’s foundation colour scale, using AI technology to create tones for people of all shades while creating palettes embodying the Prada colour ethos–browns and metallics found together–this time fit to suit all groups of women. Born in Scotland with creative parents, Alexander arrived in the city of London with fresh eyes and a talent that could have been applied to any medium, yet found the beauty industry by chance. Lynsey Alexander sits down with hube to discuss her work, her drive, and her life outside the two that make it all worthwhile.
hube: How has your background in philosophy shaped the way you approach beauty and its purpose in our lives?
Lynsey Alexander: When I started studying philosophy, if it shaped what I do in beauty, curiosity is what sparked the conversation. For me, philosophy is about asking questions. It’s about seeking information. You’re storytelling and exploring escapism, characters, fantasy worlds. There are all sorts of different angles to go down in the world that I work in creatively. So, for me, I love that escapism part of it, creating a different world, whether it’s fantasy or reality, or from the past or the future. It’s very much about exploring. That’s how I would connect the two.
hube: So, for you, escapism is really a form of creative expression?
LA: Absolutely. 100%. And the older I get, the more I return to the inspiration coming from the natural world, the universe greater than the standard pop culture, film, art, and architecture. Things that are happening around us in the world contribute to where you land creatively.
Being in tune with the world and the times and the needs, more than ever, as a culture of people with so much disaster and destruction around us, it’s such a luxury to work in a world that is creative and an outlet—escape and create wonderful, magical things through art, fashion, and people and storytelling. The world that we work in, it’s a live subject matter. It’s not fixed. So, it’s not like you start out with a fixed idea; the world of makeup, fashion, photography, and art can be very surreal. And sometimes, you set off on a journey trying to create something, and by accident, you end up somewhere completely different. Those are often the most rewarding moments in the work that we create because you have that freedom to explore.
Makeup is my subject. If you put me on a stage to talk about politics, I would shrivel up and panic. But to me, I’ve been surrounded by art and creativity. My mum was an artist, my brother’s an architect. It’s part of my DNA. And I think, going back to the philosophy thing, I think it was that natural exploration for information that took me there that weirdly has lent itself very well to working in the creative industry. People say to me all the time, ‘How did you get into makeup? Did you always love makeup?’ No was the answer (growing up) I care about the creative image. I care about the team. I always knew at school I loved fashion, but I didn’t ever want to be a fashion designer. And nobody ever told us, ‘You don’t have to just be a fashion designer.’ I stumbled into makeup by accident. I didn’t know it was a job. When you’re filling out your university forms, makeup artist is not on there. And I grew up in a small farming town in Scotland, so it’s a happy accident that I went down that road. I always loved art. I loved travel, I loved languages. I loved English and, weirdly, makeup. I travel the world. I get to speak French, I get to speak Italian. I get to talk creatively about my subject matter. I get to create more avante-garde style painting but on a live subject, which is, for me, even more exhilarating than a 2D item. I’m working on 3D—which behaves and responds in ways that you might not expect. You constantly have to change your style when you’re creating something in makeup because you are working on a live matter. Their eyes might start watering, they might start sweating etc. I had a boy at a show in Paris this weekend who had stitches above his lip. You never really know what you’re going to be dealt with. And I quite love the challenge of that being a live matter and it never being stagnant or predictable.
hube: Makeup is increasingly being recognised as a true art form. What is it like to work with a canvas that’s always evolving—human, emotional, unpredictable?
LA: It just gives you a completely different connection. I did a shoot recently with Charlotte Rampling, an absolute icon. So, first of all, I was a little nervous, apprehensive, but she is so experienced and so beautiful, she set the tone for the day. She put everyone at ease, and everyone then becomes creatively more confident because you’re not afraid. So, there’s this wonderful connection with the talent and the artists. It’s not a piece of paper we are working on. It’s something that you get energy back from. And the more boundaries that are broken down and the more open that conversation is, and that dialogue and that communication, the more creative and free you can be to create something. And I watch it all the time. It’s the exact same with a model in a chair with a photographer. If you have a young girl who’s maybe very inexperienced and very shy and not sure how to model, perhaps a little bit awkward in their body, it really is the team’s job to empower them, to make them feel confident, to bring out the best of them. Otherwise, you end up with the expected when you’re in this creative environment and you can come together as a team and really bring out the best of everyone. Same with my team. When I have them backstage, I’ve watched so many people backstage at fashion shows get stressed with their team, lead hairdressers, lead makeup artists, stylists, and it suppresses people. We don’t get the best out of people when they work from a place of fear. When you can work openly and encouragingly and subjectively and give creative and objective feedback, it empowers people. There’s a big part of my job that isn’t just necessarily painting faces or coming up with concepts and briefs, but it’s about developing people and making them feel safe, confident, and brave. There are a lot of philosophical elements that naturally filter into what I do day to day—no one has really ever asked me that question, but now I’m answering it. I guess it is quite relevant.
hube: When working with a new face, what’s the first thing you notice? Structure, energy, emotion and what is the role of fear in your work—how you navigate it, how you’re motivated by it, how you suppress it?
LA: I think fear is the biggest restrictor in our lives. Fear of failing, fear of not being good enough, fear of not fitting in. If I speak to my colleagues, everybody, somewhere in the back of their minds, has this feeling of imposter syndrome—but sometimes, fear can work in your favour, and it does keep you on point, and it does push you to be the best that you can be. I’m very lucky that I work in a team. I don’t ever work solo, so I never get to be left too long on my own. And that’s maybe where fear can creep in a little bit, if you’re just left to your own thoughts and emotions. But when you work in a team, it really is your job to remove fear and implore and encourage confidence and growth. And the fun thing about what I do is it’s not permanent. It takes a lot, but if something isn’t working, I’m not afraid to take it off and start again. Sometimes if I’m not sure where I’m going with something Ive stopped and thought actually, it’s not working. And then, sometimes, the beauty is in what you remove, not what you add. 15 years ago I’d have asked myself, ‘What can I add to make this better? What would the finishing touch be to make it more magical?’ Now I’m asking myself the question, ‘What can I remove to make this better?’
Can I take something away to make this more magical? I’m a little bit bored of more being the better option, and I’m simplifying the way I work and trying to be a little bit more mindful and work in a manner that maybe less is more.
