There’s something compelling about beauty once the edges begin to blur. Glitter catches where it falls, metallic foil fractures across freshly moisturised skin, colour circles the eyes and rouge travels beyond the places we’re accustomed to finding it. Here, precision gives way to instinct.

For our third Beauty Annual issue, photographer Sly Morikawa and makeup artist Sean Brady approach beauty as a space for experimentation – playful, tactile and deliberately imperfect. Across the faces of Archie Dowling, Anael Toula, Theo White, Eric Shyaka and Joe Mohi, familiar products are pushed beyond their usual purpose: root concealer becomes freckles, lip pencil becomes line work, and particles of glitter are left to settle at random. The effect feels less like makeup applied and more like evidence of a night, an impulse, a creative act.

Beauty notes –

MECCA MAX Matte Zoom Stick in Black and MECCA MAX Zoom Stick in Stray worked around the eyes, with MECCA MAX Single Shadow in Black layered over the top to build depth and intensity.

Beauty notes –  

L’OREAL PARIS Magic Retouch Instant Root Concealer Spray misted onto the skin, then lightly pressed in to create the effect of soft, scattered freckles. 

Beauty notes –

A mix of BYS Cosmetics Eco-Glitters blown directly onto freshly moisturised skin, allowing the different particles to catch and stick at random for an intentionally scattered finish.

Beauty notes –

MECCA MAX Zoom Stick in Bub drawn closely around the eyes, building up the line for a stronger hit of colour.

Beauty notes –

Metallic foil pressed directly onto freshly moisturised skin, then gently worked over with a fluffy brush to break up the edges and create a softer, more organic finish.

Beauty notes –

HERMÈS Trait d’Hermès Lip Pencil in Rouge H traced around the face in a spiralling, outward motion.

PHOTOGRAPHY Sly Morikawa @ Stone Street Artists

FASHION Hannah Cooper

MODELS Archie Dowling and Anael Toula @ Priscillas, Theo White @ IMG, Eric Shyaka @ FiveTwenty, Joe Mohi @ Chadwick Models 

MAKEUP Sean Brady @ AP—REPS  

STYLIST’S ASSISTANT Koby Dulac-Daley 

Feature image: Model's own necklace; MECCA MAX Zoom Stick in Bub.