In Her Prime: Isamaya Ffrench Wants You to Wear Less Foundation
March 19 | 6 minute read
Words by Madeleine Boles de Boer
According to pro makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench, the problem may not be in the products, but in how much you’re applying, and how you prep – or prime – pre-application.
Think of priming like your breakfast (stay with me). It’s often called the most important meal, setting you up for focus, energy and performance, ready to take on whatever the morning (and beyond) has in store. A good priming routine does the same for your makeup, helping it last longer, look fresher and sit better on the skin throughout your day.
For British makeup artist and founder Isamaya Ffrench, it’s the most important step of her routine – particularly for her skin-first approach. “I love skin, and I believe it should never be hidden… I love to keep things feeling natural, so I don’t like to use makeup to completely cover my entire skin.”
As a trusted artist for countless famous faces – we’re talking everyone from Charli XCX to Cher – her routine has been refined to a less-is-more science. Priming is non-negotiable, as is using high-quality, skincare-infused formulas. It’s a philosophy she’s so passionate about that she founded her eponymous line, ISAMAYA, on it.
Correct Before You Cover
While many people think of ‘prep’ as a 16-step skincare routine, for Isamaya, it’s much simpler than that. “A good cleanse, moisturiser and barrier or primer is the best. Don’t overdo it,” she explains.
Once the skin is prepped, she skips most people’s natural first step of foundation and concealer and begins somewhere far less predictable: green (or purple, or olive).
Coming in six shades from lilac to pistachio, the ISAMAYA Colour Correcting Serum is the artist’s secret to a poreless glow that looks like the Zoom soft focus filter, IRL. If you’re thinking a green base product sounds less wearable and more Wicked, I hear you. But it’s an innovative product rooted in centuries-old science: colour theory.
“Colour correctors sort a lot of issues, but they haven’t been around for long enough to be in everyone’s hands,” she explains. “Think of a colour wheel and what colours are opposing each other. A green makeup product sounds scary, but it makes sense to counter redness.”
The feather-light serum targets whatever concerns you have, depending on the shade you choose: purple for brightening sallowness, caramel for dimension in dark tones, rust for evenness and brightening in medium tones and moka for depth and richness.
But before you go slathering your face in a rainbow of colour correction, it’s important to bear in mind Isamaya’s minimalist approach. The most common colour correcting mistake? Applying too much product. “Correcting isn’t covering, it’s neutralising. You need a light hand and to build layers up as needed,” she says. In other words, no need to turn yourself into Elphaba if you only have redness on your chin. The serums also have a light pearlescence in the formula, working double time to amp up the glow while improving the appearance of pigmentation.
Making Light Work of Makeup
Once colour has been strategically placed, everything else becomes lighter work. For Isamaya, makeup is – as always – an exercise in restraint. According to her, “most people don’t actually need a heavy foundation. It’s great for red carpet pictures and editorials because it shoots well, but when you start using heavier foundation, there’s a lot more that’s needed to bring some reality back into the face.”
And if your skin tone is already balanced (thanks to the heavy lifting of considered colour correction), you may not need foundation at all.
Instead, Isamaya reaches for her innovative 5 Point Lift illuminating pen, correcting skin concerns sans a thick base. “Unlike concealer, it operates as a light reflector to counter darkness, so it doesn’t erase any dimension in your face.”
It’s a holistic, skin-first approach to doing your makeup that Isamaya believes anyone can aspire to. “There shouldn’t be unrealistic expectations when it comes to makeup, our skin is a breathing organ. Better to be real, no?”
