via @lochiestonehouse
Lochie Stonehouse is the Director of Artistry for Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, Giorgio Armani Beauty, and Lancôme Beauty (quite the title, right?), but if you’ve spent time on Instagram, chances are you’ve inadvertently stumbled upon his account or one of the 100s of influencers inspired by him, for makeup looks that you won’t see in the department store. He went viral about half a year ago for the glittery YSL logo beauty look he did on his face, spawning an abundance of interpretations by makeup enthusiasts on social media. He’s beat the faces of some big names, including Troye Sivan, Billie Eilish and Grimes, most recently going on tour with Brooke Candy on whom he did some pretty incredible work. From bold full-body makeup to a flawless wet look, Lochie is truly a chameleon. With an impressive portfolio under his belt, Lochie isn’t afraid to let the eyeliner pencil stray outside the lines. We had the chance to ask him some questions about his work, being a MUA in the age of Instagram, and about touring with Brooke Candy.
How did you get your start in the beauty industry?
I enrolled in an 8-week course at a makeup school. After graduating I began working for a department store, covering counter shifts in the cosmetic department as a part-time floater. After a few months, I started working full-time job with a cosmetics brand, working across different counters for 5 or so years. Since then, my past 4 years have been spent working in education/head office based roles for beauty companies. Phew!
You’ve done some pretty incredible makeup looks on your clients and also on yourself – do you prefer to be your own canvas or to work on other people and which is more difficult?
Thank you! I like to put makeup on other people. Sometimes I just get this feeling that I want to do my own face. I like to sit down on the floor in front of my full-length mirror and go slow. I open the window and burn incense and kind of dissociate. It’s nice to not feel rushed, and it reminds me of the importance of enjoying the process as much as the outcome.
Do you ever struggle with reconciling your personal aesthetic with that of the client?
My personal preference is just as much refined beauty as it is avant-garde, although I can see why people might think otherwise. I try to encourage an open-minded dialogue. The most beautiful makeup always comes from a collaboration of ideas.
New Zealand is such a stunning country. Do you get inspiration for your work from it?
I agree. New Zealand is wild! We live on these mountainous islands that are surrounded by beaches and covered in forest. Most of my earliest memories are of swimming in the ocean, playing down at the river, camping with family and kicking dust with childhood friends. I’m inspired by my country, but for whatever reason it doesn’t often manifest itself into my makeup.
Who would be your dream client?
Yvie Oddly!
What was going on tour with Brooke Candy like?
Having one of your idols believing in you is something that I can’t put into words. She pushed my creative boundaries during every single day of the tour, which in hindsight is something I really needed at the time. Brooke wanted to perform at underground punk venues, so each night we did beauty side of stage in these tiny greenrooms. They were dark, graffitied and smelt real nice. I would be doing this elaborate font detailing and glitter work, with hundreds of fans almost breaking the doors down for her to come out. It was really cool.
At a time when Instagram and Youtube are full of beauty gurus, influencers and wannabe makeup artists, how do you make yourself stand out? Will having a big platform be an essential part of the industry down the line?
I think there’s a lot of pressure on young creatives right now to feel like they need a platform in order to stand out. If you want to stand out, sprinkle spice on it. Everyone has a little of their own spice. People develop lasting connections with people that are authentic and have something to say. I’m not an expert though!
What was it like seeing so many people on social media putting their own twist on your YSL logo look?
Being a digital MUA is really trending, so with that, it feels like not everyone is driven for the right reasons. It was cool to see the YSL logo looks being uploaded, because it felt like a short break away from paint-by-number cut creases. These artists had been inspired by something more challenging, and took the time out of their day (hours for some) to sit down and create their own versions with the products they had available. I appreciate the work, time, creativity and effort. I felt really proud!