*~Sephora Watercolors~*

[Julessss14]

Working day-in and day-out on the Sephora site and apps, I am often seeking additional ways to be creative, and have fun, with beauty products. 

I’ve started a series that I dub *~Sephora Watercolors~*, mixing pencil, watercolors, a variety of shiny gelly roll pens and deco markers, and, of course, a healthy assortment of Sephora-sourced lip glosses, sparkly nail polishes, glittery face pigments, and more.

In terms of inspo? It’s a mix of the charming illustrations of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and the (precious) watercolors of my grandmother, an artist in her own time, known for her Asian-inspired and tropical tableaus, mixing watercolor with fine pen marks. She also designed and merch’ed up the windows for the historic West Coast department store I. Magnin & Company in Los Angeles, which I think is pretty cool. 

So, without further delay, here is the series. I will post whenever I have a chance, hopefully bi-weekly. I’ll note out the date of creation, link to the products and list out the materials used in the work. 

Can’t wait to hear what you think! 🙂 ❤️💄

Note: Worked with product management @ / contracted for Sephora previously.

***

Left: 

• Sephora product: CHANEL Chance Eau Tendre Eau de Parfum 
• Date of creation: 4/19/23
• Materials: Watercolors, pencil, pink gelly roll pen, gems, rapid tone repair dark spot corrector, Sephora Collection eyeliner, Dior lip gloss, Sephora Collection nail polish

Right: 

• Sephora product: JVN Complete Nourishing Hair Oil Shine Drops 1.7 oz/ 50 mL 
• Date of creation: 4/20/23
• Materials: Watercolors, silver deco marker, gems, gelly roll pen

[Titian06]

Hi, Anchovy!  @Julessss14 - You should draw a little paw print in the corner since the focal point was created by Anchovy. 🤣

[Julessss14]

@Titian06 yes!

❤️

Slightly updated version here. In addition to two cat paw prints, added a few leopard spots for extra good measure. Since who doesn't need a purple #Urban Decay Moondust Liquid Glitter Eyeliner Studio leopard spot? And also added a little Trixie Cosmetics purple moment. 

[Titian06]

I love it, @Julessss14 ! 😘  ...and purple leopard spots! 💜💜💜

[CynthieLu]

@Julessss14 @Titian06 the paw print is so fitting 😻✨

[Julessss14]

@Titian06 @CynthieLu team work makes the dream work ✨💜

[Julessss14]

collage chic ❤️

• Sephora product: MILK MAKEUP Cooling Water Jelly Tint Lip + Cheek Blush Stain Burst 
• Date of creation: 2/5/24
• Materials: 
  • Pencil 
  • Watercolors
  • Urban Decay Moondust Liquid Glitter Eyeliner Grind 
  • HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA Hy-Power Eye, Cheek & Lip Pigment Paint Blush Matte 
  • Lemonhead L.A. Spacepaste in Mulholland
  • Lemonhead L.A. Spacepaste in Adult Film
  • Lemonhead L.A. Spacepaste in Violet Hour

Continuing with the Linda-Fargo-inspired found object motif, my friend Ichigo gave me some very adorable cinnamoroll bedazzled hair clips from her recent trip to Tokyo. Of course, I love everything from the Sanrio Universe. The clips came with the following light blue faintly-rococo packaging so I thought it might be fun for a bit of a mixed-media-meets-mosaic-inspired background with a light triangle pattern. 💙

[Titian06]

Very pretty, @Julessss14 !  I love how you added the packaging pieces without detracting from the Milk Makeup watercolor. 😍

[Julessss14]

@Titian06 💜💖🔷💖💜

[Julessss14]

dior backstage vibe

More requests for BTS shots so here we go! It's giving backstage/behind the camera. My two friends run the fashion design company Andrew James and last year they gave me a set of gold Sailor Moon inspired pink brushes. One is featured here with some purple glitter. Honestly kind of the perfect gift? 💜

[Julessss14]

❤️

• Sephora product: PAT McGRATH LABS Luxe Eyeshadow Palette: Bronze Borealis Lunar New Year Edition 
• Date of creation: 2/4/24
• Materials: 
  • Pencil 
  • Watercolors
  • Dior Rouge 999 Nail Polish 
  • Sanford Gold Coat Bold Tip Gold Metallic Marker
  • Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez Soft Pinch Liquid Blush Happy 
  • SEPHORA COLLECTION Long Lasting Eyeliner High Precision Brush 01 Black 
  • Urban Decay Moondust Liquid Glitter Eyeliner Grind 
  • Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil for Moisturizing Sheer Coverage Pink Cloud 
  • Kaja Jelly Charm Glazed Lip Stain & Blush With Keychain 02 Squeeze Guava 
  • Lemonhead L.A. Spacepaste in Roosevelt
  • Lemonhead L.A. Spacepaste in Sunset Strip
  • Lemonhead L.A. Spacepaste in Mulholland (emptied this one 😞 honestly love this color and name it's giving iconic LA geography!)
  • Kimchi Chic Golden Gal (this one barely had any product in it - I don't think I will buy this one again...)
  • r.e.m. beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in Lab Coat (personal fave)

Happy (almost) Lunar New Year! Having lived in China at many times in my life, it is always a fun activity for me to participate as a guest in a culture that is not native to my background. Thankful for all my Chinese friends especially who have invited me into their homes or offices to celebrate the occasion. This year I am heading to my UX designer friend's house in Irvine CA for 火锅。Planning to gift here this Pat McGrath moment - hoping she loves it!

Artistically speaking, this one got a little chunkier than expected but I was trying to experiment with a balance of delicate linework and more bold, impasto-esque and heavily textured elements. Obviii had to go with a red-white-gold color story (with pops of pink)....

[Titian06]

@Julessss14 - Absolutely gorgeous! 🥰  Thanks for another BTS pic too. 💖💖💖

[Julessss14]

@Titian06 yaszszszsz!!!

[SportyGirly125]

@Julessss14 @So gorgeous 😍

[Julessss14]

@SportyGirly125 gratzi! 😍❤️🍎❤️😍

[Julessss14]

BTS/it's giving dior backstage

Highly requested BTS moment. In the corner you can peek the very cute Sephora laptop case I got from Sephoria. Honestly it was a really fun event looking back... Sometimes the best thing to do is escape to New York???

[Julessss14]

Close-up

layerz on layerz

I think I may have been inspired by seeing, on Instagram, Gwyneth Paltrow go to the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris and there was a picture of her looking at some Rothkos that stuck in my mind. Maybe trying to add some depth with that painterly quality here in terms of brushwork and blends?

[Julessss14]

cool colors - green, blue, purple theme

• Sephora product: LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask Intense Hydration with Vitamin C Cotton Candy 
• Date of creation: 2/2/24
• Materials: 
  • Pencil 
  • Watercolors
  • Lemonhead L.A. Spacepaste in Phantom
  • Essie Nail Polish in Willow in Blanc
  • Urban Decay Moondust Liquid Glitter Eyeliner Grind 
  • Essie Nail Polish in Willow in the Wind
  • Essie Nail Polish in (Un)Guilty Pleasures
  • Kimchi Chic Standing Ovation
  • SEPHORA COLLECTION Intense Felt-Tip Liquid Waterproof Eyeliner 05 - Satin Cobalt Blue 
  • r.e.m. beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in Milky Way
  • r.e.m. beauty Liquid Eyeshadow in Science Fair
  • Urban Decay Moondust Liquid Glitter Eyeliner Studio 
  • Glossier Lidstar Long-Wearing Shimmer Cream Eyeshadow Lily 
  • Trixie Cosmetics Stay the Night Shimmer Topper in Love Potion
  • SEPHORA COLLECTION Sephora Colorful® Waterproof Eyeshadow & Eyeliner Multi-Stick 12 Periwinkle Matte 
  • Lemonhead L.A. Spacepaste in Violet Hour
  • Tombow ABT Water-Based Marker 673 in Light Purple
  • Gelly Roll Pens in Green, Blue, Purple (many)
  • Le Pen in Black

[Titian06]

@Julessss14 - This product in this particular flavor was meant for you to "watercolorize"! 💚💙💜

[Julessss14]

@Titian06 absolutely! Love a candy moment~~~ *inserts cotton candy emoji here* ✨

[Julessss14]

While chatting one day with my friend Lauren (who works in marketing), she let me know that dae founder Amber Fillerup Clark was painting with watercolors. Of course, I had to take a peek and it further cemented my adoration for the brand. Being a big fan of everything desert and palm springs and hair care (it's not easy for guys in their 30s with the looming receding hairline), I was very taken with the brand and the strong editorial POV. Personally, I really like the hibiscus spray since it smells amaymay. 

Looking on Instagram stories (maybe my favorite news source after page six), I saw this morning the new fairy duster set that is coming out soon. Since I am also a big fan of everything fairy magic (I went to a wedding in oregon in the middle of a forest last year that was very faery magic realness with strung lights illuminating a dark forest), I really was drawn to the concept. So here's a little sketch/creation from an Instagram story I peeked this morning. 

Since the linework is so delicate, I opted for a very light touch in terms of color and pigment, just adding a bit and leaving some beauty of negative space, sometimes called Ma in asian cultures.

❤️

• Sephora product: dae PR
• Date of creation: 2/1/24
• Materials: 
  • Pencil
  • Watercolors 
  • Kimchi Chic Strike a Pose 
  • Summer Fridays Dream Lip Oil for Moisturizing Sheer Coverage Pink Cloud 
  • Glossier Lidstar Long-Wearing Shimmer Cream Eyeshadow Lily 
  • Urban Decay Moondust Liquid Glitter Eyeliner Grind 

[missaa8]

@Julessss14, the tiny embellishments remind me of Lisa Frank...so cool!