The spikes and shapes we vaguely remember from millennium market stalls, and from questionable early days crushes on the likes of fully tattooed Tommy Lees and Dennis Rodmans of the world, these tantalisingly tacky signifiers of an era past were bound to be turned into stunning beauty looks eventually.

Step in the wonderful Jayde Coxon, a London-based makeup artist that draws upon a surreal combination of sharp Beyblade-esque eyeliner looks, gooey slime textures, and neon painted eyeballs that give off an undoubtedly high fashion Halloween vibe. Having worked on the makeup for a Dorian Electra cover for Quazar magazine just before lockdown as well as some even more recent collaborations with various mixed media artists as posted on her Instagram, we caught up with our new favourite makeup queen for a brief chat on her current work and what’s next.

Hey Jayde, how did you get into makeup artistry?

Hey Hatti! It probably all started when I discovered the discount makeup section at a small department store. Divine intervention lol!

How would you personally describe your makeup looks?

Colourful, sharp, and kinda gross sometimes.

When did you start experimenting with graphic tribal eyeliner?

A few years ago. I used to be so bad at linework, so I made a point to get better after being inspired by @anythingforselenaaas. After that I started to develop my own style, it’s been evolving ever since.

Some of your recent looks have also incorporated gel around the eyes. What draws you to these gloopy textures?

It came from a creative block, which led me to put a bunch of gel over some eyeliner. Nowadays I love the high contrast it creates and how it elevates a look even further.

A lot of your looks focus on the eyes. What makes you focus on this area specifically?

Truthfully, I think it’s the easiest and most effective place to photograph. But I do love experimenting with eye colour and tears, it evokes a lot of emotion for the viewer.

Do you think it’s important for people to experiment with their everyday makeup?

Yes! Thinking outside your routine keeps you on your toes and trying new things is a lot of fun. I get bored pretty easily if I get too stuck in a routine.

What are your biggest inspirations behind creating a look?

Constantly trying to one-up myself, making each better than the last. I want each post to have it’s own moment when uploaded. Kind of like a musician dropping singles.

What has been your favourite makeup look you’ve worked on so far?

Probably the green one where I have paint in both eyes, I don’t even know how I pulled that off.

What’s your dream makeup job?

An album cover photoshoot, that’d be really awesome.

Which other artists, whether they be makeup artists or otherwise, inspire your work?

So many! To name a few: Miki Kim, Daniel Sallstrom and Bysanz.

Would you ever make an Instagram filter version of one of your makeup looks?

Yeah definitely! Instagram filters are a whole world I haven’t explored yet.

Where do you see the future of beauty heading?

No idea! Anything could happen. Personally I’m embracing more no makeup days, especially coming out of quarantine. Going back to filters, those are everywhere nowadays. Maybe real life filters will be a thing?

Here’s hoping. Thanks Jayde!