Sweetmutuals: A Perfect Mirror of Current Culture and Immutable Beauty
Makeup Artist Sweetmutuals is an up-and-coming visionary in the beauty world, creating avant-garde fantastical looks on the canvas of her very own face. We find her multimedia art to be enchanting in it's incredible detail and whimsical feel. Sweetmutuals' aim is to celebrate the power and wisdom of black beauty in her artistic palette. We are captivated by the incredible versatility of her face as it transforms into her visions with vivid color, texture, and depth. It is clear to us that Sweetmutuals feeds from the inspirational environment around her to tell a story. Perhaps you will notice her love for a whole spectrum of visuals, spanning from the adoration for an individual cloud or a broad open landscape or even the inescapable branding of large corporations like Nike and Louis Vuitton. Sweetmutuals reflects her surroundings and yet she tells a deeper story with her art of unchanging beauty and immutable self.
Female Hercules: Your work reminds me of a kaleidoscope. How did you discover your passion for makeup?
Sweetmutuals: It all started with my mother. I remember watching my mom putting on lipstick and was mesmerized. One day I asked her to put it on me. From that point on I could not go anywhere without lipstick on. Later in life, I use to watch beauty bloggers on Youtube. I use to watch Alissa Ashley, Jackie Aina, and Nikkie Tutorials do beautiful makeup looks. They made it look so easy that I decided to try it myself. Using my mother’s limited makeup products and brushes, I tried doing traditional makeup. It didn’t out right, no matter how many times I tried. It was like makeup was a foreign subject. So I decided to turn it into something I was familiar with: painting. I haven’t looked back since.
Is there a line between “makeup” and “face painting”?
I don’t believe that there is a difference between makeup and face painting. Either way, you are putting something on your face in order to achieve a certain visual effect. Some people use it to accentuate features and others use it to conceal. It can also be used to transform. Makeup and face painting is the same thing, it just depends on how you use it.
When your fans see your work, they often recognize your craftsmanship. How would you describe your design style, and how did you curate it?
I am an artist. Ever since I could hold a pencil in my hand I was drawing. Around high school, I fell in love with painting. I use the same technic that I use when I’m painting for my makeup looks.
What is your relationship with your face as a canvas? Would you approach art differently on someone else’s visage?
It took me a long time to accept the way I looked. At one point in my life, looking at the mirror was hard for me. So to accept my face and embrace the fact that I am art creates a personal connection within me. I treat everyone’s face as I do my own. I take time and make sure they are comfortable, confident, and happy.
What worldly elements inspire you?
Clouds have a big influence to me. Since a small child, I have been obsessed with them. It has been my dream to both taste and live in a cloud. They are so fun and childlike but, when painting them, you notice how complex they are. They are different sizes, colors, and shading that goes into creating clouds. I love creating them because I can make each cloud unique.
Do you feel more yourself with makeup on? How does makeup make you feel?
One point in my life, I felt like I couldn’t live without makeup. I felt like it was my identity. Now I feel more comfortable bare face. I don’t like having makeup on my face for long periods, I always put my skin first. There is nothing more satisfying than taking off a makeup look and putting a face mask on. All that being said, I feel at my prime when I wear lip gloss- which is all the time.
Do you prefer color or shape exploration when creating a new look?
I notice I use a lot of blue in my pieces. I love the variety of shades within the color itself. Adding more white or black creates a different meaning og the piece.
What’s the importance of the relationship between art and nature in your work?
Art is nature and nature is art. There is beauty all around us in things that we truly take for granted. I like to use flowers, particularly dead ones because I want to show that there is beauty and wisdom in age.
What do you think will be the next unconventional makeup trend?
Using rhinestones to create “everyday looks.” This includes lips, blush, eyebrows, you name it.
What message are you trying to communicate to the world?
The message that I am trying to relate to the world is that black is beautiful. We are limitless. There are power and wisdom in our skin. I want my community to be bold and confident in ourselves. Everyone is trying to be us, let’s be better than them.
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