It seemed summer would last forever but suddenly fall is here; and all the moody, mystical and darker sides to beauty have come along with it. It seems to us like it is the perfect time to reflect on all the women that came before us, since the beginning of time, and expressed themselves through beauty.
In the spirit of talking about women that have expressed themselves through makeup, we're very excited to introduce you to this month's creator Sophia Pavlos. We got to chat with Sophia (@sosodoesmakeup) about where her inspiration comes from, how she has developed her staple makeup style, and some of her favorite beauty trends in history. We hope you enjoy getting to know Sophia as much as we loved working with her!
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KS: Hi Sophia please tell us about yourself:
Sophia: I’m actually a philosophy professor who teaches in Philadelphia! I sort of fell into the beauty world while I was writing my dissertation, and started posting makeup photos on Instagram as a kind of mental health project. Four years later, I now work with a lot of different makeup brands, both mainstream and indie, and have just recently started my own photography studio.
Sophia wearing Santorini and the Tulum Créme Crayon.
KS: You leave such a personal staple on your content, is it something you have developed or have you always known what kind of makeup looks you wanted to try out?
Sophia: I think my style has definitely been honed over time, and continues to develop as I experiment more and learn new skills and techniques. Recently, I have been particularly interested in making artistic makeup more accessible and wearable. Fine art and especially painting has always been a huge source of inspiration to me, and I like to think I manifest those practices in my photos and videos.
Sophia wearing Maui.
KS: What’s your favorite part about being a beauty creator?
Sophia: I really love the community. There are so many amazing and talented artists that I now consider friends, who I would never have had the opportunity to engage with otherwise. Being surrounded by creatives is such a positive experience, and a constant source of inspiration.
KS: Are there any makeup trends, past and present, that inspire your work?
Sophia: I love a bold eyebrow - I think it adds so much structure and elegance to the face, and really frames facial features.
Sophia wearing The Everything in Tulum and the Créme Crayon in Tulum
KS: Do you think makeup artistry is something that can be passed down through generations? Did you get your love for makeup from someone you know/knew or someone you admire?
Sophia: I think aesthetic orientation is definitely something we can inherit. While no one in my family was quite as big a fan of makeup as I am, many of my family members valued fashion and design, which I think easily translates to beauty. My great aunt Anne-Marie, who was a fashion designer in Paris for decades, has always been particularly influential to me. I learned a lot from her about style, color, texture and just the attitude that one needs to be fashionable.
KS: Which legendary makeup trends should have a comeback and why?
Sophia: I’m a big fan of the ‘mouche’ — the painted on beauty spots made famous by Marie Antoinette and the French aristocracy. There was a whole symbology attached to the placement of the marks on the face, which I think is just so fun. I especially like using Milk Makeup heart stamps on the top of my cheekbone to finish a look.
See you next time,
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We hoped you enjoyed getting to know a bit more about this month's creator!
We loved working with Sophia and seeing her use our products has been an honor. Don't forget to follow @sosodoesmakeup and @kissandsmink for more amazing content.
See you next time,
Team KS