Words: Grace Gargini

To mark the exclusive-to-Selfridges launch of her eponymous brand ISAMAYA, visionary make-up artist Isamaya Ffrench shares the inspiration behind her debut collection and her personal reflections on beauty, self-expression and identity.

Isamaya Ffrench has spent a decade challenging perceptions of beauty and working with some of the most recognisable faces in the world – from Madonna and Cher to that Rihanna Vogue cover (the one with the skinny pencil brows). After years in the making, she has created her very own beauty brand that feels just as bold and revolutionary as her.

Individuality and experimentation play a big part in the ISAMAYA world: “I want to inspire people and show them that there are other ways to approach beauty. To liberate them from the mainstream and to be more authentic by proposing something more artistic and highly visual,” explains Ffrench. The brand launches with a series of limited drops, each with its own theme. INDUSTRIAL sets the tone with a high-concept, unadulterated aesthetic with references that are designed to make you look at beauty through a different lens.

The five-piece line-up consists of an inky-black, stretch-effect mascara, a nourishing strong-hold brow laminator and a plumping lip serum that leaves a juicy burgundy tint to the lips. But the star of the show is the eyeshadow palette, with 14 standout shades that span textures of iridescent pearl, metallic and soft matte with a creamy, almost oily texture that intensifies the colours. Skincare is also on the horizon, with a Triple Hyaluronic Serum that gives a pearlescent, glass skin effect that's very much of the moment.

“INDUSTRIAL is a hardcore concept both visually and materially,” Isamaya explains. “It’s for make-up lovers who don’t want to conform.” At its core, the collection brings together innovative, high-performance products to create an inclusive environment that anyone can join.