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Duran Jay is a UK-based makeup artist who’s also an avid bug enthusiast. Put them together and you’ve got yourself a unique combination that is sure to draw an eye.
“I’ve had an interest in bugs for many years, but only somewhat recently grown to appreciate the true diversity they represent,” said Duran. “I think we’re conditioned from an early age to be afraid of insects or see them as pests, but there is beauty right beneath our feet if we only take a moment to look for it.”
She continued: “With my makeup, I try to showcase some of the most beautiful species like butterflies or jewel beetles, but also give a little appreciation to those that aren’t as pretty and typically evoke a bad response, like ants or silverfish. I’ve always enjoyed being creative with my personal style and Entomakeup really just started as a bit of fun and a bit of a challenge for myself during the boredom of lockdown. I never imagined that anybody would take any interest in it or that it’d have the incredible response it’s had so far!”
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The talented artist also elaborated on the process of how she goes about doing each makeup design: “Luckily for me, there are millions of insects out there, which means I’m never short of inspiration! I have a list on my phone that I add to whenever I see pictures online, or whenever my friends and followers send me new species they think look interesting.”
“From there I try to pick up on the key colours and textures that I think could translate to makeup, and I visualise an image in my head. Some are quicker to materialise than others—a couple of my looks have taken a matter of minutes to complete and the longest one has taken about 1.5 hours, from looking at a picture to posting the finished look.”
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Like any form of art, this one comes with its own challenges, as Duran explains:
“I only buy cruelty-free brands and work on a tight budget, so I’m pretty limited on my materials and typically only use a handful of products for all of my looks. I’m imaginative, but I’m not a professional makeup artist by any stretch of the imagination, so it can be quite challenging to make the ideas in my mind come to life.”
“It’s also a little daunting sometimes to post on a platform that is dominated by technically skilled and trained [makeup artists] (especially given the subject matter of my posts!). When the page started gaining a bit more traction, I expected to have to deal with hate about my lack of technical skill or about how ‘gross’ insects are, but people have generally been really positive and really supportive. It’s been a truly wonderful experience and I feel really lucky.”
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Now that Duran’s done upwards of 70 unique designs, we’ve asked her about any favorites in the bunch. She had this to say:
“For me, I think my favourites are the tarantula looks, as they’re the ones that tend to get the biggest response. I get a lot of people reaching out to tell me they didn’t realise spiders could be so pretty and that I’ve helped them start to move past their fear, which is really what the page is all about!”
“I also have a huge soft spot for moths, and my look based on the beautiful pink and yellow roseate emperor is something I’d happily wear on a day-to-day basis. The ones that push me to try colour combinations I wouldn’t usually go for (like orange and purple, or pink and green) are really fun too.”
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