Model Herieth Paul Is Practicing Her Makeup Skills While Social Distancing

Dianna Mazzone
·3 min read

For our June/July issue’s Where the Heart Is portfolio, celebrities and beauty pros share portraits and thoughts while staying at home during the pandemic. Herieth Paul (above) is with her boyfriend, model Monywiir Deng Dharjang, in New York City.

As told to Dianna Mazzone.

I was in Tanzania with my family after Paris Fashion Week, and then I decided to come back [to New York City], where I’m quarantining. I've been starting every day with a little workout, maybe stretching — just something small to get my body moving. And then, during the day, I either put on music and dance, or do a different hairstyle. I've been doing lots of different styles these past few weeks.

I'm just starting to play with a lot of makeup. I'm doing looks from YouTube makeup artists that I've never had time or the guts to try. Now I'm doing the craziest looks on myself — lots of glitter. After this pandemic is over and there are events again, I’m definitely going to be bolder with my looks. I'm going to really take my time in the back of the Uber and put on that lipstick!

I miss being on set; [taking this photo] was something fun to do. I never [thought] I could do my own makeup for an event, or my own hair for anything. [For this photo shoot] I braided my hair, and then did just a little lip gloss. I’m currently quarantined with my boyfriend. He’s also a model — he was like a real photographer [for this shoot] and told me to do this or that, or look here. But I had to make sure the light was good, and that the camera battery was charged. Just small things that I would never think about. I definitely have a different appreciation for every single person on set [after this], because it does take a whole village to get just one image together.

[For this photo] I wore a dress I had made for me in Africa. We have this tradition where you have a tailor make clothes for you that you keep for a special occasion. I miss home so much, so I wanted to wear a little piece of it just to remind me that it’s all going to be okay, and I will get to be back there someday soon.

A version of this story originally appeared in the June/July 2020 print issue of Allure. Learn how to subscribe here.

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Originally Appeared on Allure