HELLO, IT’S ME: Elettra Lastra.
LOCATION: Milan.
WHAT’S ABOUT: My 10 Beauty Must Have.
YOUTUBE
During middle school, I discovered the world of Youtube and makeup always attracted me. As a child, I loved to draw, every year for Christmas I asked for a box of colored crayons, so the discovery that I could use colors on my face was crazy for me [laughs]. In middle school, I discovered the world of Youtube: Clio, all the American Youtubers, and I thought, “Wow, I can do this too!”. My parents have always been supportive and encouraged me to do it, even though I was very young: I started buying the first things from Essence, the ones at 2/3 euros, and I did the first videos. Perhaps I started even before I learned how to wear makeup, I tried everything, and I never stopped.
INSPIRATION
The first inspiration for me was Clio. She is the one who, in Italy, has opened the world of beauty to all of us, then I like Estée Lalonde: I love her also from the “beauty point of view,” she is so natural, I don’t like the perfect Instagram style. For the fashion inspiration, I like Xenia Adonts and Aimee Song: they are genuine, and they are the ones who are changing the world of fashion, which has always been seen as perfect when, in real life, it’s not like that.
…I discovered the world of Youtube: Clio, all the American Youtubers, and I thought, “Wow, I can do this too!”.
CHANGE / INCLUSION
I think everyone should do what he/she wants, but I would like to see more true skin, to see a little more truth. A product doesn’t work just to get an “Instagram look,” it can work very well especially for a natural make-up; the more natural it is, the better, because it means that it blends with your skin. I would like to see more products like the ones from Glossier, which aims to enhance, rather than hide, everyone’s features.
I like natural eyebrows, for example: at the beginning, I received a lot of criticism on my bushy eyebrows, I had them since I was a child, but I liked them that way. Then Cara Delevingne came, and everyone liked big eyebrows [laughs]. I also like color in makeup: for example, a fuchsia eye with natural skin is so beautiful.
TRAVEL AND MAKE-UP
When you go to a different place, you always feel inspired in some way. When I was in Iceland, for example, I wanted to stop wearing makeup and become an Amazon [laughs]. Instead, when I was in New York, I always wanted to use colors. When I go to Paris, I immediately become a Parisian [laugh], even though London is the city of my heart. Japan is the journey of my dreams, but also South Africa; I love animals, so I’d like to go on a safari.
“I think everyone should do what he/she wants, but I would like to see more true skin, to see a little more truth.”
THE GLAM SQUAD
– Lumière Essentielle by Darphin
– Skin Food by Weleda
– Matita Occhi Coffee by MAC Cosmetics
– Mascara Paradise by L’Oréal
– Mystic Ruby Liquid Lipstick by Cliomakeup Shop
FACE
I always use a Darphin cleanser, the Essentielle, which is rich in essential oils, it’s a product I have been using for over a year, and I already have a brand new one waiting for me. It’s very delicate and it has an amazing smell, it’s a soothing product that contains essential oils, you can feel the difference using it.
I use Weleda’s Skin Food as a treatment for the dry skin areas or over make-up for glow, but I use it rarely all over my face because it has a texture that’s too rich. I also like Biotherm products, especially in the summer, because they are light and fresh.
Perseverance is essential; if you do a super complex routine once a week it’s useless, rather it’s better to use a few products but regularly.
For the face I use a Skin Tint, a pigmented cream that gives a veil of color and a touch of light, it’s very moisturizing and natural, I apply it with my hands, and it’s perfect for every day. I use it only to cover what I want because I don’t use foundation every day, and this product gives a glow to the face.
This blush is a product that I recently discovered: the H&M line has always inspired me also because it has beautiful packaging. I found this blush, Rosie Brown, a natural color that looks great on my complexion. A veil of it is enough. For me, blush is an essential product and I have always loved blushes: they give a touch of life to the face.
“Perseverance is essential; if you do a super complex routine once a week it’s useless, rather it’s better to use a few products but regularly.”
EYES
I discovered my eye pencil when I went to Mac Cosmetics to do my makeup, I worked with them, and it was a dream: it’s a very simple brown pencil, the shade is Coffee, and since the day I have tried it I never stopped using it, I use it every day. I draw an unrefined line, then I smudge it with a brush to give that extra touch of definition, and it also gives a natural effect, it lasts all day.
Mascara, it’s my super must have, and one of my absolute favorites is Paradise by L’Oréal: it makes my eyelashes thick and long, I love it, all L’Oréal mascaras are great.
LIPS
I love lip products. In particular, I’m loving the Pop Splash gloss by Clinique. When there was a boom of matte products I was unsure, I have always been more of a creamy lipstick girl, so when the glosses came back I was so happy: thank you Fenty Beauty [laughs]. I like this gloss because it has no taste, no smell and it’s light and very bright the perfect gloss, and it’s moisturizing as well!
The perfect nude lipstick for me is Mac Velvet Teddy, a matte nude on which I usually apply the gloss, the everyday nude.
Then, I fell in love with all Clio’s products: this is the Mystic Ruby liquid lipstick, a very special red, the quality of her products is really good.
Then Nuxe‘s “miracle lip balm” is a must for me.
PERFUME
I am not a lover of perfumes but I like this one from Atelier Cologne, Clementine: because it’s fresh and it doesn’t have an alcoholic “taste.”
BEAUTY
The important thing is to feel beautiful as you are. Then there will always be beauty standards but, when you feel beautiful, you also communicate it to others. The fact that you are confident and happy about yourself is perceived by others, and it becomes a kind of beauty. Therefore, you show all your positivity and beauty is a charismatic image that inspires.
BOOK ON THE NIGHT TABLE
“The Chronicles of Narnia,” I’m a huge fan of Harry Potter, at embarrassing levels [laughs] and I always had to read Narnia because it never attracted me before, but now I’ve decided to read it.
FAVORITE BOOKS
“La camera azzurra” by Georges Simenon, a very light sort of noir that really left me shocked, it’s really beautiful. I read everything, but I don’t like the horror genre because I’m squeamish. I really like delicate novels with a touch of magic or realistic ones with a dreamy atmosphere. Lately, I am also passionate about thrillers, I’m reading Sherlock Holmes, and I’m liking it a lot.
“…You show all your positivity and beauty is a charismatic image that inspires.”
YOUR RÊVE
To write a book: sooner or later I’ll do it, for sure. As far as collaborations with brands, I really like Nars and it was really amazing to collaborate with Darphin Paris.
INSIDE THE BAG
My cellphone, a lip balm, hand cream, and a lipstick.
EPIC FAIL BEAUTY
False eyelashes: when I was younger there was this fancy makeup with false eyelashes, and I already had long eyelashes, but I also put on these falsies and sometimes I didn’t cut them. In the end, I couldn’t even close the eyes because of how much they weighed [laughs].
BEAUTY LOOK CINEMA / TV SERIES
I’m a lover of “Friends,” even though the looks of the first seasons are just so ’90s [laughs].
Follow Elettra Lastra.
Photos by Johnny Carrano.