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At just 17 years old, actor Storm Reid talks about beauty in a way someone a decade older dreams of. First and foremost, she celebrates makeup as a form of self-expression — something I, personally, wasn't able to do until I was about 26. Not only being a part of the Euphoria universe guided her toward the confident and creative sides of beauty, but also growing up watching beauty tutorials on YouTube as soon as she got home from school, motivated her. Reid pored over videos of people creating special effects makeup, smoky eyes, and glowy skin in wonder. Oh yeah, and she's the newest face of Maybelline New York.
"I've always had the relationship with makeup that it could be fun and experimental," Reid tells Allure. "As I got older and become a young woman, [I realized] makeup can be misconstrued. It can be seen as something that covers up a flaw. For me, it could be covering a blemish, but you're amplifying your beauty."
Spending a lot of time around makeup artists on the set of TV shows, movies, and photo shoots has fueled Reid's respect for beauty. Reid even thoroughly praises their artistry, often saying, makeup, hair, and nails are "a talent." Although she has drawers full of makeup at home, Reid loves to leave her signature cat-eyes — and many colorful variations — to the professionals. (Her own winged-liner technique has yet to be perfected, she says.) However, when she feels like playing around with makeup herself, Reid has been exploring the wonders of soap brows and adding shimmery shadow to the inner corners of her eyes.
Being in the cast of Euphoria among characters with imaginative makeup while having a more low-key, teen look, Reid admits she was a little jealous. Luckily, her character, Gia, is poised to have her own vibe in seasons to come. While watching season one, you might not have noticed that Gia's nails were her special way of exploring beauty and self-expression. "We made sure she changed her nail looks. I had like nails like this," Reid says before holding up her hands to the camera on Zoom, showing off long, sparkly acrylics decorated with smiley faces, clouds, and flowers. "It's just those small, minute details that make your character who they are." Reid hints that's only the start of what Euphoria's team has planned for the future of Gia.
Gia's love of nail art plays off of Reid's own interest in it. She's constantly looking for new inspiration on her Instagram Explore page and TikTok to bring to her nail artist. (She even saw Maybelline New York's Sky High Mascara all over the latter and went to buy it at CVS that night, only to find it sold out.) When she was younger, Reid reveals she not-so-patiently counted down the days until she could finally get acrylics. "I used to beg my mom for them, and she'd be like, 'No, you're too little,'" Reid recalls. "For my 13th birthday, I was able to get short, tiny acrylics. Then, they've evolved into ideas like [the nail art I have now], but I would never dare to go longer than this because I just don't think I'd be able to operate." Her tips are a good inch long right now, so I completely understand that decision.
Also at 17, Reid has learned to not be defeated by her skin every time it breaks out, especially since she has temperamental, sensitive skin. "Breakouts can be hard because nobody wants a breakout. But I have learned to embrace it and deal with it," she says. "I know, as a teenager, we break out, and there's nothing we can really do about it. So I'm learning to love my breakouts."
Typically, when a pimple pops up, Reid sticks on an acne sticker or dabs a prescription topical on it. She also tries to not overcomplicate her skin-care routine, sticking to the basics. "Moisturizers make me excited, like an avocado or oxygen one," she says. "They're just an extra boost of something that would make my skin nice, glowy, and supple."
Reid has also come to terms with her gorgeous curly hair, which she mentions is unmanageable at times. Growing up, she wished she had long, straight, more tamable hair like her classmates. "I'd go to school, and everybody would have hairstyles that really didn't stand out as much, but they were deemed as simple and neater," Reid says.
Thankfully, her mom was on her side and fostered her positive relationship with her hair. She started putting Reid's hair in protective styles, like Bantu knots and braids. "She was like, this is your hair. This is what God gave you. You have to learn to embrace it," Reid says.
These days, Reid is surrounded by incredible hairstylists, such as Shawnna Courtney and Kim Kimle, who also introduce her to fun styles for natural hair. "To be able to have that versatility with my own hair and have products that suit me is really important," she adds. "I love my braids, but if my hair was out and curly, I'd love it, too."
With all of this in mind, I ask Reid if she were to switch places with her makeup artist, hairstylist, or nail artist for the day, who would she choose? For the first time during the whole interview, she hesitates and takes a second to consider the question. "Oh, man, there are 24 hours in a day. Can I switch between the three of them?" she asks.
Then, she changes her mind and picks the role of makeup artist. "Even though that I'm not that great at doing makeup myself, I feel like I'd be better on other people," she explains. "Doing hair and especially nails, that's meticulous. People are really particular about how they want their hair and nails. I think I'll have a little bit more leeway with my clients if I were a makeup artist. I'd tell my clients, 'Hey, I'm not the greatest, so I'll give you a great base. I'll put a highlighter on ya; I'll do some good mascara, and you're going to have to call somebody for the rest.'" Okay, at least she's honest.
Maybelline New York Lash Sensational Sky High Mascara
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