1. What’s the story behind your makeup and image consultancy, 27A?
I started as a freelance makeup artist after quitting my nursing career back in 2012. I set up 27A a few years later to help facilitate my growing clientele. I handpicked my team and groomed them to be able to provide both quality service and makeup/hair services.
2. When did your passion for makeup start?
My passion started when I first tried on makeup at my secondary school prom night back in ’06! I was blown away how a little bit of makeup could help turn a geeky unpopular girl to be totally someone new and unrecognizable at prom! I was sold since and learnt as much as I could from YouTube tutorials online.
3. What is your beauty philosophy?
Less is more, enhance not change. Good skin is the first step to amazing makeup!
4. You’ve recently launched a range of lipsticks, INGA. Tell us more about INGA.
INGA by 27A is my first baby! INGA is a female Finnish name that means beautiful, all 10 colours are female names that mean beautiful in 10 different languages! I’ve always wanted to create something of quality for my models and clients to wear in humid weather! I picked these 10 colours as I felt they flatter Asian skin tones and its easier for my clients to pick colours that they like and would suit their skin tone. Also, I wanted a range of lipsticks that was long lasting, non-drying and comfortable. I tested the lipstick formulation vigorously by eating oily food and wearing them out for long hours in the day.
5. We love how you used models of different ethnicities to showcase the lipstick range. Why is representation important to you?
I feel that in the beauty community, there’s a lack of representation, here in South East Asia especially, we’re constantly bombarded with western, Korean or even Japanese standards of beauty. However, we are not like them, we’re different and unique. We’re a multi-racial community as colourful as the rainbow, I strongly believe everyone should be catered to.
In the beauty community, there’s a lack of representation… we’re constantly bombarded with Western, Korean or even Japanese standards of beauty.Marie
6. Other than lipstick, what other makeup products can we look forward to from INGA?
For now it will be just lipsticks! I hope to expand the range in the future, but I’ll be focusing on being a mom in the near future first!
7. Before heading out, do you do your makeup or choose your outfit first?
I usually pick my outfit first, depending on the weather and also what I’m going out for!
