NYX Professional Makeup owns Halloween. It’s the holiday that represents everything we’re about— creative expression, entertainment and fun-filled transformation. This year we’re bringing you six characters inspired by the magic of Cirque du Soleil and surreal makeup that’s made to perform!
After starting in Montreal in 1984 by two street performers, they’ve gone big. Traveling the world and creating wildly innovative shows that include fire breathing, acrobatics, trapeze and death-defying stunts made us super excited to partner with these magic makers! It’s a natural fit given that they celebrate artistry and entertainment and it’s always about costumes and makeup for circus performers. We’re thrilled to be the official makeup sponsor of the most demanding entertainers in the world, who will be putting NYX Professional Makeup to the test!
"As a brand rooted in entertainment, creativity and self-expression for all, we are honored to partner with Cirque du Soleil, a world leader in live entertainment, who is devoted to creating unique memories, inspiring authenticity, and defying conformity,” said Yann Joffredo, NYX Professional Makeup Global Brand President.
“This collaboration provides a way for our long-wear and efficacious products to truly be put to the test on stage through high-energy performances and to enhance the dramatic signature looks of these talented artists.”
And there’s no shortage of excitement from Cirque du Soleil either! Nickole Tara, Chief Growth Officer of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, had this to say of the partnership, “Halloween is momentous occasion to celebrate the individual artistry of our diverse performers who serve as the quintessential pallet for Mimi Choi’s vision with NYX Professional Makeup. We at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group are constantly challenge ourselves to create entertainment without conformity, beyond expectations and possibilities, and are proud to provide inspiration for NYX Professional Makeup and this highly anticipated collaboration!”
NYX Professional Makeup Assistant Vice President of Artistry, Erika Guinn was just as enthusiastic, “Every year Halloween gets more provocative and more daring around here. That’s a lot of pressure, but Cirque du Soleil is so iconic we knew we wanted to bring them to our Gen Z audience with these curated looks. We went to Montreal to shoot on set, using their background performers, trapeze artists, acrobats, still performers and makeup artists, bringing their ideas to life in a new way. It was the perfect hybrid of our artistry with ours.”
Cirque du Soleil performers get trained by professional makeup artists to do their own makeup for performances. That’s a level of pro-artistry that’s very unique to their dynamic and as a tongue-in-cheek nod to that, we used makeup artists as models in the campaign with the uber talented trifecta of talent Mimi Choi, Meicrosoft and Kimberley Margarita.
For this collaboration, NYX Professional Makeup introduced seven different special effects SFX paints that are next level. Mimi Choi one of our key artists and models for the campaign says, “This is going in my kit, this is all I want to use.”
And now let’s bring the curtain up on the artists who executed this genius…
THE QUEEN OF SFX AND ILLUSION ARTISTRY
MIMI CHOI
IG: @mimles
Mimi is a Vancouver-based professional makeup artist renowned for her unique artistic style. Her pioneering illusionary work is inspired by patterns and textures from her surroundings, photoshopped digital art, and surreal paintings from illusionary masters such as Salvador Dali and M.C. Escher. Mimi suffers from sleep paralysis--a condition in which her mind is conscious, but her body becomes temporarily unresponsive while waking. During these bouts, she experiences vivid and often frightening visions which have inspired many of her more morbid and distorted face looks. Talk about Halloween vibes!
THE FANTASY LOOKS TRENDSETTER
MEI PANG
IG: @meicrosoft
Mei Pang aka Meicrosoft is a Toronto-based artist that has shaken up the beauty industry by challenging conventional beauty standards, so naturally NYX Professional Makeup loves her! She studied drawing and painting at university and soon used faces as canvas and shared her content on-line as a self-proclaimed oversharing internet kid. Known for her bold and technical looks, shaved head and symmetrical tattoos, she has gained a loyal following and collaborates with the hottest of who’s who to keep pushing the boundaries.
THE GEN Z AUTHORITY
KIMBERLEY MARGARITA
IG: @kimberleymargarita_
Hailing from Vancouver Island, Canada Ms. Margarita aka Colour Creep is, known for her bold, colorful, abstract makeup designs and imaginary pop-culture character look. After graduating from John Casablancas Institute, she quickly rocketed to digital superstardom and regularly brings her mind-bending optical illusions and precision whimsy to everyone lucky enough to watch.
This trio of brilliant talent were responsible for executing these badass personas and they couldn’t have done it better. Who do you wanna be this Halloween?
Salty Siren
Inspired by aerialist mermaids and the sultry sea, this is a look that’s easily achieved. Sketch and scallop a graphic outline with Epic Wear Liner Sticks, and fill in with Ultimate Shadow Palette in Brights with as many tropical color choices as there are seashells. Finish with a coral lip and Butter Gloss and go make a splash at the parties.
Slithering Enchantress
Kick off your Medusa inspired artistry by sketching a serpentine outline with Epic Wear Liner Sticks, fill, layer and refine details with our Ultimate Shadow Palette in Ultimate Utopia and pro tip: stipple scales with the heel of a lip brush, letting them dry in between, so they don’t muddle. Finish with Jumbo Lash Vegan False Lashes and a crimson red pout and go strangle Halloween you’re your charm.
Angel Face
Inspired by Cirque’s silk performers, the graphic detail in this look will make your heavenly dreams a reality. Create a seriously winged eye with SFX Face and Body Paint and carry the artistry on by stippling clouds onto neck and décolletage layering with a blending sponge for realistic dimension. Highlight skin with Jumbo Pencils and paint a pink pout that will get you in the pearly gates or outta this world parties!
Fire Cracker
This dramatic Halloween look is lit! Cirque’s fire performers bring the heat in a major way with their flame throwers, and we wanted to give you a look just as hot. A flawless canvas thanks to Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Full Coverage Foundation is the base for hombre skin, smoked out eyes, carbon lips and graphics brought to you by SFX Face and Body Paint. Its highly pigmented color, with paint-like application that stays put is a Halloween dream. Get ready for a devilish good time!
Dragon Baddie
Slay dragons and your costume this year as a mythical monster. Shade the contours of your face with gem tones and blend, pair with dramatic green eyes, courtesy of Ultimate Shadow Palette in Brights and add detailed scaling with Jumbo Pencils and Epic Wear Liner Sticks. Stencil or free-hand boldly if you dare, then add a deep purple lip and bring on that fierce dragon spirit!
Pretty Pony
3D effects are where it’s at with this wearable unicorn, inspired by the acrobatics and pretty pony pole performers of Cirque du Soleil. Create this showstopper with pink, pink, pink from Ultimate Shadow Palette in Festival, Jumbo Pencils and Epic Wear Liner Sticks. Add a cotton candy lip shade with Lip Lingerie XXL Matte Liquid Lipstick and accent with large rhinestones or glitter on the highest points of your face for carousel realism and an extra pop of glam.
PRODUCTS USED
Ultimate Shadow Palette
Pro-Level Eyeshadow Palette
LIP LINGERIE XXL MATTE LIQUID LIPSTICK
16H Full-Bodied Matte Liquid Lipstick
EPIC WEAR LINER STICKS
High Impact, Waterproof Pencil
