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Tasha Reiko Brown is a Who What Wear editor in residence, Los Angeles –based makeup artist and male groomer, and global ambassador for Chanel Beauty.
The "things I find incredibly chic" trend is all over social media right now, and I get it. The trend is a great way to express a unique POV when it comes to elevated experiences and objects. As a longtime artist, I'm an expert when it comes to visuals and what creating beautiful moments for yourself can feel like. In fact, how I create is extremely dependent on how I see the world. The shape of a client's face, the aesthetics of how a red carpet event and dress will work together to create a moment… It goes beyond just hair and makeup for me.
In my eyes, objects, visuals, and moments that transcend superficial beauty are what truly epitomize the word "chic." They're hallmarks of a well-curated life and an intentional style of living. Some of these chic things might be unintentional, and some may represent a loud, intentional diversion from the status quo. Either way, curating a life of incredibly chic things is a stunning way to personalize and romanticize every aspect of your life. Below, I'm sharing the things I find incredibly chic as a jet-setting celebrity makeup artist. Keep reading!
Neighborhood Bars
There's something so chic about having a go-to bar. You know the staff, and it's just a comfortable, homelike environment where you can hang with your friends. It's a place where everyone is a regular, you find yourself chatting with strangers, and the friendly staff even know your order. Think Cheers circa the early '80s. My personal neighborhood bar is Damn, I Miss Paris in Los Angeles. The space was artfully designed by stylist Jason Bolden and interior designer Adair Curtis of JSN Studio. It’s fantastically beautiful and reminds me of evenings spent dodging the rain in the jazz bars of Paris. It's so elevated and intimate that my friends and I will casually drop in several times a week just to catch up.
A Signature Lip Color Housed in an Object of Desire
Lip trends come and go, which is why I find a signature lip color so incredibly chic. It says your taste goes beyond trends and also represents confidence in an ever-changing beauty landscape. My own signature lip color is, and always will be, a blue-based red. A signature lip color is chic on its own, but if it's housed in an object of desire, like this mirrored Chanel 31 Le Rouge lip case… Now that's absolute aura when you pull it out of your bag. Designed to mirror the steps of Coco Chanel's atelier, this beautiful case is refillable, so it can be used as a one-time splurge for the budget-conscious. Beautiful objects like this really romanticize and elevate a small moment like reapplying your lipstick. You'll feel like you're starring in your own feature film.
Bracelet Stacks
This looks and feels like a wearable heirloom. I love a good bracelet stack, especially one with history that feature well-curated and collected pieces. They tell such a beautiful story and reflect so much individualism. Some of my favorite bracelets are below.
Having a Signature Brand
There is something lovely about finding a brand that you feel matches your overall aesthetic. It's fun to follow the runway shows and browse through the latest collections to collect the special pieces that really speak to you. For me, that brand is Chanel. It started with a small, well-placed bottle of perfume on my mother's dresser, and now, I have mountains of bags and plenty of Coco Crush pieces and other fun jewelry that I've purchased throughout my travels The House of Chanel feels classic yet very modern and of-the-moment to me. My Max Mara coats give me aura, and I'll lightly dabble and play with brands like Bottega Veneta and Celine, but I always find myself back in a pair of jeans, a button-down, and a Classic Flap Bag with Coco Crush jewelry. It's my go-to uniform look.
Micro-Thin Eyeliner Wings
Winged eyeliner, in general, is such a beautiful French beauty classic. The new trend of micro-thin winged eyeliner is just so chic to me because it's elongating the eye in an unobvious way. Executing a well-placed wing can be tricky, but micro-thin winged liner really simplifies the process, in that the line is whisper-thin and is literally just a small flick on the outside of your lash line. (It typically doesn't run across the eyelid and entirety of the lash line.) If you're still having problems with making your wings look even, I suggest working from the outside in. Place a small dot on the edges of both eyes where you would like your eyeliner to end, checking in the mirror for evenness. Then take your liner and connect the dot down to the end of your lash line. It's a simple, quick way to get winged eyeliner in a hurry with zero frustration or mess-ups.
No-Makeup Makeup
A clean face is so chic and just exudes confidence. My favorite no-makeup makeup look features elevated skin, a slight flush on the lips and cheeks, and a double layer of mascara. I opt for glowy, sheer textures of foundation lightly set with powder to ensure longevity and a fresh, even complexion. For the flush, I love a cream texture on cheeks and lips in a coordinated shade. A multiuse product is amazing here.
Black Turtlenecks
Being a busy makeup artist and sometimes going to up to three jobs a day really makes it hard to dress for one environment. I also have to work very fast, and my clothes always end up covered in some form of makeup while I'm moving from one place to another. This high-work environment makes it hard to wear my treasured pieces every day, so I opt for a uniform. In the summer, it's a simple Hanes T-shirt with jeans. For cooler temperatures, my chic go-to is a black turtleneck. I buy them by the dozen—thick and thin, baggy and formfitting. They can easily transition from day to night and hide a multitude of makeup-spillage sins.
Fine-Line Tattoos
Fine-line tattoos just look so elegant. Until recently, I was unaware of how thin the lines could actually be. For years, because I work with my hands, the tattoo rule was always "anything but your hands." Imagine the freedom in realizing rules are self-imposed. I finally decided to get small ones on my left hand, and I love them. I got a cross for my boy Alex Cross and "Ishii" for my mother, and I plan to add meaningful additions as the years go on.
My favorite artist who does amazing fine-line work is Christian Delacruz and the über-chic Haley at Immersive Tattoo in Los Angeles. The space itself is a creative work of art based on TeamLab in Tokyo.
Monogrammed Essentials
I love to monogram and personalize important pieces. It says that this object is mine and just for me. Choosing the monogram is always such a special experience, from font to layout to color choice. It's a great way to elevate everyday items. This French lip balm is the chicest.
Watercolor Makeup
I love makeup on the face that's done in soft swipes like a watercolor painting—no hard lines or edges. I think it's so chic to have an après-ski flush over the cheeks and nose and a single swipe of shadow over the eyes. Paired with a blurred, stained lip, it's so sophisticated! The chicness comes from the laissez-faire application, and cream formulas are amazing to achieve that soft, blurred burst of color. Ink stains work best on lips to get lots of lived-in color that's not too "done."
