“Backstage, makeup artists are always like, ‘Oh my god, we love your foundation stuff,’” Duxbury says. “But I think people want to see something new. They still appreciate the foundation technique and all of that, but I think we’re all ready for his new era.”
Below, Duxbury sheds some light on what her next chapter has in store—including her new approach to makeup, go-to products, and favorite ways to unwind.
Glamour: Let’s start with the divisive makeup tutorials that helped you take off on social media. What inspired your unconventional foundation method?
Meredith Duxbury: The foundation technique really stemmed from me not liking my freckles. In this industry, we scrutinize ourselves so much, but I’ve kind of learned to love my freckles and think of them as something that makes me different. Now, with castings and walking runways, people look for unique features that you don’t see that often. And so with this new makeup style I’m doing, I’m letting my freckles show through, but I’m still able to do the fun looks with color and bold liners, but with a little bit of a fresher base, which I think people are appreciating because they’re able to see my skin now.
Tell me more about your ‘new’ makeup style. How has your experience the in fashion world influenced your approach?
I actually don’t even use foundation anymore. I will add it here and there, depending on which type of look I’m doing, but my day-to-day is just the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter and a concealer. All my products are pretty different from what I used to use. I don’t really use a lot of powder products, mostly cream now. I can get stuck in the routine of using the same products over and over, but there are times where I’ll go into my beauty closet and be like, Okay, you’re going to pick something new and try it out. And I always love doing that because it inspires me to create a look that I haven’t done
What feels different as you’re transitioning from beauty influencer spaces into the world of high fashion?
I feel like it’s been really fun to kind of combine the two worlds together. Obviously the type of beauty I was doing is very, very different from the beauty that goes on in the fashion industry. It’s more editorial makeup, backstage makeup, but it’s been really fun to learn new makeup styles and work with amazing people, like Pat McGrath, and so many amazing makeup artists backstage.
It’s been fun to find my sense of style makeup-wise new kind of era of mine, because I was doing the foundation technique for so many years, and I think people are always growing and changing and evolving. I’ve just been growing into myself and bringing techniques from the past into this future me.
What’s on your fashion industry vision board?
I would love to walk Versace one day. I have so many dream shows, but it’s all a work in progress and I feel like I have learned to not chase after these things and put this pressure on myself because. In the beginning I was doing that and it’s such a process, and it takes years and years of putting the work in. I kind of just let it come to me and just appreciate the process of it.
