June 21st 2023.
As I sit across from Gwen Stefani in a London hotel suite, I'm taken aback by her signature look - her iconic blonde ponytail with not even a single strand out of place. Her electric blue winged eyeliner frames her deep brown eyes, with a pinky-nude lip gloss completing her look. We're here today to discuss her new makeup line, GXVE, sold exclusively at Sephora, and of course, that includes a red lipstick, a colour she's well known for.
Gwen tells me about her love for makeup, saying that it all started when she was a young girl. "My best friend's mom hosted these makeup parties and so we'd go home after school and I'd want to use the makeup, and I was always putting it on my friends. It's my passion forever," she says with a smile.
When asked about any cultural references or influences in her new line, Gwen replies with a firm 'No'. She explains why, saying that it's purely based on what she likes. "There was a big 'What could it be?', and it took me two days and I realised 'It's just me, it's everything I've already done, so how do I make it feel like the newest version of me?'"
Gwen has been experimenting with makeup since she was a teen. She says that her love of all things vintage aesthetic comes from her mum, who grew up in the 60s. "In No Doubt, we were really into Madness and The Specials, all that ska music. Trying to get that 80s makeup look was what I did back then," she explains.
Gwen is known for doing her own stage makeup, which she tells me is part of her ritual. "I'll listen to a prayer thing and do my makeup before going on stage every single time. It's part of my meditation in getting ready." She adds that when she does something like a TV interview, she'll go for a makeup artist, as they do it better. This has opened her up to different styles, something she's really enjoying.
The brand's name comes from Gwen's own signature of 'GX', something she's been doing since primary school. She believes that putting on makeup is something done for both yourself and for the person you're meeting, making it the perfect name for a makeup line.
Gwen has learned a lot since launching GXVE, with her best backstage lesson being to wear primer. She never thought it could achieve much, but now it's key to making her products last.
So there you have it - Gwen Stefani's love for makeup runs deep and her brand GXVE is full of nods to her No Doubt era of aesthetic. With these products, you can get the Gwen Stefani look in just five minutes.
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