YouTube Beauty Sensation Patrick Starrr: ‘Lipstick Is So Important to Me’
Over the past year, many beauty brands have gotten a much-needed facelift; that is, companies have finally begun diversifying the faces representing their products and the people they wish to reach.
CoverGirl’s inaugural “Beauty Boy” campaign with James Charles, Maybelline’s male ambassador Manny Mua, L’Oreal’s True Match ad with the Plastic Boy, and many more have not only challenged our perceptions of what beauty can be, but also asserted that men and boys are an integral part of this conversation.
Now Patrick Starrr, a popular YouTuber and makeup artist, is puckering up as the face of Anastasia Beverly Hill’s new lip palette.
The palette boasts 18 highly pigmented, customizable matte lip shades that are perfect for either the makeup newbie or the seasoned pro. For the campaign shoot, Starrr struck glamorous poses while sporting a nude lip from the collection in front of a hot pink backdrop.
“Makeup makes me feel fierce!” Starrr told Yahoo Beauty. “Lipstick is so important to me because it accentuates my smile. I feel a good lipstick can command attention and articulate what you wanna say … hey, girl!”
Claudia Soare, the president of Anastasia Beverly Hills, believes Starrr “represents the unexpected.”
“He is glam while remaining attainable to his fans,” she said. “The entire story [of this collection] supports being your own artist, doing things your own way, and having fun.”
While there is still a lot of work to be done in creating inclusivity and diversity in the beauty biz, Soare understands why the strides Anastasia Beverly Hills has made are important.
“I identify with being from somewhere else, or not fitting into the usual foundation range, which is too yellow or orange for me. I’m sensitive to not having options for my skin tone,” said Soare, who is Romanian-born but Los Angeles-raised. “We live in a diverse world. I think it’s a given that any makeup brand — not just ours — should cater to a variety of skin tones.”
With Starrr as the face for the brand’s new lip palette, the discussion remains an ever-present topic that deserves attention.
“It is amazing to see different faces represented in the spotlight,” said Starrr. “This is important because brands like Anastasia Beverly Hills are breaking beauty norms. The world is diverse, and it is supercool to recognize diverse beauty.”
As far as Starrr’s favorite lip shades from the new palette go, he told us he is “loving #8, this beautiful deep peach flesh-tone color, as well as Primary #3, which is the red! I love a good neutral lip to complement my skin tone and a bold bright red for any time of the year!! I’m trying to get a date!”
With so many male makeup artists finally getting their moment in the spotlight, one may wonder how they, too, can use makeup as a way to walk in their light. Starrr had this spot-on advice: “Being a professional makeup artist is more than just makeup. You have to love people!”
And for those looking to create connections and find that right opportunity? Starrr said, “Life opens up when you do. You need to engage with someone every single day with every moment you have. You never know who you will meet. Just know, dreams do come true.” We couldn’t agree more.
The Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Palette ($48) is now available at anastasiabeverlyhills.com.
Read More:
Beauty Brands That Broke Diversity Barriers in 2016
Maybelline Names Manny MUA as Brand Ambassador
Let’s keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
