The make-up and SFX artist shares her inspirations and explains why finger prostheses are the future
The Dazed Beauty Community is our ever-expanding encyclopedia of creatives and emerging talent from across the world who are redefining the way we think about beauty. From supermodels to digital artists to make-up prodigies transforming themselves in their bedrooms, these are the beauty influencers of tomorrow who embody everything Dazed Beauty is about. Discover them here.
At one point in your life, haven’t you imagined what you’d look like with sharpened vampire fangs? Or, in fact, just with anything other than your regular pearly white gnashers?
You needn’t look further than make-up and SFX artist and grills designer Lisa Michalik, whose creations will turn your teeth into glow in the dark tribal tattoos, ornate marble molars, or sparkling Vivienne Westwood orbs.
For the Lille-born, Paris-based artist, pushing the boundaries of creativity has been something she has strived to do since she was a child. “I have always loved to create and I would scribble everywhere when I was younger,” she tells us. “My parents always pushed me to do what I wanted to and I thank them for that.”
After pursuing a career in make-up, Michalik was drawn to the world of SFX make-up, which in turn led her to designing grills. Since then, she’s created make-up looks, prosthetics, and transformed teeth for the likes of Novembre, Lanvin, Vogue Portugal, and Dazed Korea.
However, she’s not satisfied just yet, intent on continuing to push her craft and produce new and exciting looks. “I try to create again and again,” she explains. “We tend to say that everything has already been done, but if we mix knowledge, we can still create and materialise our desires.”
Here, we speak to Michalik about her love of Buffy, her favourite grills, and why she would love to have blue skin and orange eyes.
What is it you do and how did you get into it?
Lisa Michalik: I always knew I wanted to do something manual and artistic, so when I discovered that being a make-up artist was a job, that was the trigger. Later, I was intrigued by dental prosthesis as it echoed the process of special effects.
Who or what inspires you?
Lisa Michalik: I’m very inspired by cinema, literature, manga, music, series from my childhood, Greek mythology, history – I feed off everything.
Can you talk us through some of your favourite beauty looks and how you created them?
Lisa Michalik: My favorite look is the one I made for the cover of Dazed Korea. I loved working on the ear prosthesis.
I also loved creating these marble grills. It took a long time to find a process to materialise everything, but now I can work all kinds of material on the teeth, so I’m looking forward to experimenting again.
I also loved doing the vampire foreheads, just because I'm a fan of the Buffy series and I've always dreamed of being part of the make-up team.
What’s been your career highlight so far and what do you hope to accomplish ultimately?
Lisa Michalik: I had the highlight of my career last month, it was intense and I mixed make-up, bodypainting, special effects, but it won’t be released until later this month… I’m not sure what I want to accomplish, but as long as I’m creating, that’s all that matters.
What are you working on at the moment?
Lisa Michalik: I'm working on new grills and prostheses. After ears and foreheads, it's the fingers' turn next.
What does beauty mean to you?
Lisa Michalik: The recent global events have taught us to move beyond the classical media and to go beyond ourselves to express our immeasurable creativity. Today we no longer have any limits, beauty can be virtual, ugly, speckled, connected, sublime, or even controversial. We can all create beauty, we just have to know how to observe it and realise it.
Describe your beauty aesthetic in three words.
Lisa Michalik: Balanced, curious, technical.
How do you assert your identity and experiences through your beauty?
Lisa Michalik: I assert myself thanks to clear-cut artistic decisions. I don't do things by halves, I need to go all the way.
Which fictional character do you most relate to and why?
Lisa Michalik: I don't really identify with a particular character, but I really like tortured female characters who are able to sacrifice themselves for those they love such as Antigone or Eponine.
When do you feel most beautiful?
Lisa Michalik: I feel beautiful with my red lipstick
You’re the editor of a time-travelling beauty journal 100 years from now, what beauty trends are you reporting on?
Lisa Michalik: That the era of beauty is strangely similar to the Egyptian era. Women and men wear make-up, men are even more powdery than women. No more codes, just the sublimation of their faces.
If you had to choose one surgical enhancement, what would it be and why?
Lisa Michalik: My eyelids are damaged by eczema so I would like to restore their elasticity.
It is the sixth day and you are creating humans. They can look however you want them to. What do they look like and why?
Lisa Michalik: I think we are beautiful the way we are, but I think I would create more skin and eye colours because I’d like to have blue skin and orange eyes.
Would you rather live forever as an old person or live your life in reverse?
Lisa Michalik: I would rather live in reverse, because once you are old you remind yourself that you have been young and you would stay forever nostalgic. By reversing it, the best is yet to come.
What is the future of beauty?
Lisa Michalik: The future of beauty will always be about pushing the limits. Mixing traditions and new technology, but always sublimating. Beauty will always remain subjective.