In this new series, I interview one of my internet mutuals about their makeup, fashion, or whatever cool, creative thing it is that they do. While some of them may consider themselves to be "influencers," many of them are everyday people who happen to have a skill and a hobby with a platform. However they self-identify, let's dig a little deeper into their creativity and style in "Mutually Creative."
The ultimate follower of fruit, the connoisseur of crimson, the obsessor of the orb with a passion for the produce: Madame @watermelonflesh herself.
We first "met" through a makeup Discord server about 4 years ago, close to when I had just gotten into makeup as a hobby. She was one of the people who inspired me to create the @glowymino account in the first place at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; just like @tastefulcringe, she's one of the few makeup people I also follow on my personal Instagram. She's seen me through my makeup growing pains, developing my Instagram/blog, and even multiple boyfriends. At the beginning of my account, we actually did a watermelon-themed makeup collab together. While people often describe makeup as a creative medium, her makeup looks are LITERALLY art. She legit draws/paints on her face using makeup, and she can get inspired by pretty much anything and everything and turn it into a museum-worthy masterpiece on her eyeballs. Her cut creases are impeccable; the precise liner work in her graphic looks could make a grown man weep. She also doesn't limit herself to just her eyes, often extending her canvas across her forehead, nose, cheeks, and lips. Via Discord DMs, I asked about her artistic journey, painting your flesh (AKA doing creative, unconventional makeup), and the climate of the beauty community across international social media platforms.
GLOWYMINO: Where did the username "watermelonflesh" come from?
WATERMELONFLESH: "Watermelon Flesh" reflects my obsession with watermelons: my preoccupation with using my flesh as a canvas for makeup, and watermelon flesh is just one of my favorite things to eat, especially on a hot summer's day! Throughout the years, I've done some literal "watermelon flesh" looks to really drive this home.
Making art on a face is significantly more challenging compared to on a flat surface, however, and it's only in the last year or two that I've finally felt that my makeup skills have caught up to my art skills and have allowed me to realize some of my more complex visions. Even then, the artistic quality of my looks tends to be limited by my middling creativity.
"I definitely like to take a more artistic approach to makeup ... more along the lines of painting than regular makeup application."
I'll do a simple sketch of a face, then draw on top to check the composition. This would just serve as a rough draft, and things may change in my final look; I might realize a certain placement doesnât work on a 3D surface or realize that I don't have the skills to pull something off, for instance. I've also doodled a bunch of makeup ideas in the past (see my Instagram story highlights), but I've only ever turned two of them into reality. I plan to do a few more of them in the future, though!
My own interests often play into it as well. For example, I've done many looks inspired by food items, artwork, video games, etc. Sometimes inspiration can be extremely random (holds up spork) -- I've even done a look inspired by the World Expo 2025 mascot because it looks like a funny cursed cryptid.
GM: How do people IRL react to your unconventional looks? WF: Most people don't react; during the pandemic, I even went out with one colorful graphic eye and one bare eye, and nobody so much as batted an eye. If they do, they usually have something kind to say! My face is generic and forgettable, but because of my makeup, I've started to make a stronger impression on people in places I frequent, which is nice. Children often stare, which my mom finds hilarious, and I joke that of course they would -- it's probably their first time seeing xian nv xia fan, or an immortal being descending to the mortal plane. The only negative reaction in public I remember was at a dentist appointment. The dentist was taken aback at first when she saw my makeup and questioned how I dealt with people's reactions, but quickly warmed up to it and told her assistant: "Don't be alarmed; it's art!" I'm really glad that the majority of people are respectful of how other people outwardly express themselves, even if it may not be their own cup of tea. If we are to serve life sentences in flesh prisons, at least let us paint the walls, right? "If we are to serve life sentences in flesh prisons, at least let us paint the walls, right?"
GM: When did you start posting on Instagram? How has the platform's landscape changed since you began?
WF: I think I had Instagram before 2018 but rarely posted, if ever, but started posting in 2018 and eventually moved to posting looks regularly. However, I didn't actually have much of a following until toward the end of 2021. Even now, there's not a ton of people who see my looks, but I'm very grateful for this little community of people who actually like my makeup. Within this time, I've found Instagram to be fickle -- it went from being photo-focused to pushing Reels and only giving them the spotlight, yet now Reels are out, and static images are in again, apparently. The chronological feed was taken from us, and now it's back as a hidden tab. Hashtags were all the rage, but now they don't work anymore, and it's all about topics and SEO keywords. It's a struggle to get people to even see my posts by traversing the obstacle course Instagram has created, and I swear it delights in seeing its users suffer, but even so, people trickle in little by little to see my looks, and for that, I am proud. :') "It's a struggle to get people to even see my posts by traversing the obstacle course Instagram has created, and I swear it delights in seeing its users suffer, but even so, people trickle in little by little to see my looks, and for that, I am proud. :')"
Another interesting difference I've noticed between the two platforms is the hashtags -- Instagram's seem to be more organic, with some people even starting their own hashtags for collaborative events, while Xiaohongshu curates its hashtags and will send users recommendations for which ones they should use.
GM: What advice would you give to people wanting to do unconventional, avant-garde, creative, etc. type of makeup? WF: Follow lots of people who do cool things with makeup and get inspired, but don't copy! I personally hardly ever recreate looks, which initially was due to my own inferiority complex fearing I could never measure up to the original, but now I've come to enjoy doing my own thing and letting my ideas take the reins. Another tip would be doodling/sketching out makeup ideas when inspiration strikes, even if they don't end up getting used; it's still good practice for generating makeup concepts. "Watermelon or otherwise, we're all made of the same flesh -- and we'll paint the hell out of it!"
GM: Anything else you'd like to say?
WF: Going through these questions made me want to express my appreciation for the way makeup can transcend nations and cultures. It's really quite cool that people from all over the world can come together to appreciate different styles of makeup and exchange their knowledge, skills, and product recommendations! There's something so delightfully human about it. It reminds me that watermelon or otherwise, we're all made of the same flesh -- and we'll paint the hell out of it! Follow @watermelonflesh on Instagram (including her nail polish account @watermelonfinger), and while you're at it, follow me (@glowymino), too!
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about @glowyminoI have dry skin and very dry and textured lips. I also have a medium-light skintone (somewhere in the realm of NC25-30) with strong warm yellow/olive undertones. I have a tendency to prefer a glowy, lightweight base and color cosmetics in shades of a warm undertone. Read more about me in the about page! Archives
May 2024
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