How Ambika Mod’s Makeup Artist Created Her Thorn-Inspired Lashes for the 2024 Met Gala

Last night was Ambika Mod’s first-ever Met Gala, which she attended as a guest of Loewe creative director Jonathan Anderson. Naturally the A day The star wore a custom Loewe dress that gave a nod to the “Le Jardin du Temps” dress code. So it’s no wonder that Mod’s beauty look, done by makeup artist Vincent Oquendo, followed suit.

Vincent Oquendo

Oquendo shared his inspiration board a week ago, which Mod was interested in. “She’s very collaborative,” he says. “I’ve always had a strong artistic influence in my work, so while working on the theme, I imagined what the thorns would look like. In the short story “The Garden of Time”, thorns grew instead of flowers. So we created lashes inspired by thorns, infusing every detail with a touch of mystique and allure.

To create the effect on Mod’s eyes and lashes, Oquendo “adorned” the eyes with Elf Metallic Liquid Eyeshadow in Moon and Perfect Shade Eyeshadow Palette in Nude Mood. The makeup artist ended up applying six coats, waiting for each coat to dry before patting on the next, until she reached “a peak in the middle of the eye.” Layering Elf’s Lash Xtndr mascara to create the base, Oquendo then used black feathers that flickered in the light to cut several “spiky ‘V’ shapes” and applied them to the underside of the outer corner of the ‘eye. “This meant that from every angle, every glance was dramatic – the cast shadow made them appear untouched and destroyed,” he explained.

Vincent Oquendo

Vincent Oquendo

A delicate and time-consuming look to create? “Well, we had two hours for glamour,” Oquendo laughs. “The first hour was spent chatting and catching up and she also had her hair cut into a bob, so when it came to applying the feathers it only took about ten minutes. “

Mod’s skin remained natural and fresh. “I wanted it to be simple and ambitious – which is very British,” the makeup artist continues. “There is ease and freshness.” And once the glamor was over, Anderson walked into the suite to see Mod’s final look. “I love makeup,” Oquendo remembers saying. The highest praise of beauty, indeed.