CREATIVE LASH ART
2023 WINNERS
Here's our 2023 Creative Lash Art category winners for the BORN THIS WAY theme. Each entrant was tasked with creating a set that represented their own interpretation of the theme and what it meant to them. ​
WINNER - CREATIVE LASH ART 2023
PAIGE TRAVIS
BLENDE BEAUTY BEAUTIQUE
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DUALITY
(noun, dualism) the quality or condition of being dual;
an instance of opposition or contrast between two concepts or two aspects of something.
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When looking into the theme, 'Born This Way', I really wanted to create something that I could pour my heart and passion into. Something that I really resonated with. I don't have a strong connection with my personal heritage or culture and I am not a part of the LGBTQ community. But what I do personally resonate with, is mental health. Not only the struggles of self worth and my self reflection to society but the everyday struggles of just getting through. This is a subject that I believe that almost every female in Aotearoa has struggled with at one point of their life.
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My concept has derived from what we show the world, versus what we are really feeling on the inside. I believe that we all have a persona of what we want to show the world, or what we believe we should be. Everyday, we put out to the world that we are happy, we are positive, we are confident, we are strong, we are secure, but often, we are feeling the opposite internally. We feel scared, anxious, self conscious, negative and we really question ourselves.
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With my creative lash set, I have created a fun, bright and colourful set from the viewer's point of view. Front on, this it a beautiful, bright and fun lash set. This is to represent the version of ourselves that we show the world. But, when you look from above or from behind the lashes, the top layer is completely black. This is to represent our internal selves and what we chose to keep hidden from everyone. We have this perception that we chose show the world, but it's only when we delve deeper and look from a different perspective, that we can see what is really underlying. I chose for my model to look bright and whimsical, and to wear white, to represent all of the superficial things that we portray to the world. They're all things that we can easily alter to show the world that we are happy, successful, or wealthy. They're common aspects of which we are influenced to determine our social standing. I also wanted to photograph my model at sunset and at the beach, as this is the time and place where I often go to reflect and to ground myself.
This theme has really challenged and pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and to reflect on not only myself but other women in society. I believe that we can all resonate with this and I'm so pleased that I have been able to come up with a concept to reflect the creative idea that is 'Born This Way' in a fun but profound way.
2ND PLACE
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JESSICA HALL
MONARC BEAUTY STUDIO
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THE FIRE WITHIN
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A Goddess, that stood with her head held high, with beauty and grace, with pride, with honour. With scars from battle, with bruises from hurt, with tears from loss, and behind all that was a flame that never went out. A heart that had faith. A mother. A Queen. A Warrior. She had a fire within. She was born this way.
3RD PLACE
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NIINA PAPUNI
NATURAL BEAUTY LASHES AND BEYOND
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CULTURAL IDENTITY
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In my vision for Born this way I tried to create a look that embraced both sides of my models culture. She is half Tongan and half Mãori.
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The dominant colour is red reflecting both her nationalities. The Tongan flag (red and white), and her Mãori heritage on her fathers side is Te Arawa which is also red. The star placed on her lash represents Matariki, the Mãori new year.
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She wears a traditional moko and maori necklace to pull forward her Mãori side and a Tongan mat is draped around her representing her Tongan side.
