Isamaya Ffrench is responsible for Rihanna’s British Vogue skinny brows, Julia Fox’s slick silver eyeshadow and turning Vivienne Westwood models into wooden puppets. Her fantastical, special-effects looks have made her one of the world’s most sought-after make-up artists. Two years ago, she launched her brand, Isamaya Beauty, at Selfridges London, bringing X-rated lipstick packaging, viral palettes and, this month, a collaboration with Lashify.

A very proud moment…

“It’s hard to take a step back when you’re a creative; you’re so absorbed in what you’re doing that you don’t reflect on the journey you’ve been on. But when my mum visited me in London last year, she brought a friend and wanted to show her the Isamaya Beauty counter at Selfridges. That was a pinch-me moment.”

My favourite job so far...

“The video for our ‘Industrial 2.0’ collection was a highlight. I was dressed in a latex suit, applying make-up to Julia Fox, who was suspended in a vacuum-sealed bed in an industrial warehouse. Pretty major.”

My beauty icon right now...

“My cats.”

My party trick is... 

“I’m very good at imitating accents."

If I could design my perfect day...

“Right now, I’d like to move out of the city to wake up in a silent environment, make art all day, research obscure topics no one cares about and share them with my friends – ideally via carrier pigeon. Because in my dream house, there would be no signal – and no WhatsApp!”