Back in February, YouTuber and sweetness icon Manny MUA visited the Dazed offices while in London for VidCon. We hugged (how novel!), gossiped about one of the best gay clubs, and I (terribly) applied make-up on Instagram Live while asking Manny questions sourced from our followers. 

Fast forward to now and the world is in a really different place. The past few months of the pandemic has seen the world ground to a halt. Quarantining at home, we’ve felt equal parts anxious and daring, but additionally creative and inspired. For Manny, this is available in the shape of Lunar Beauty’s latest launch, the Moon Prism Blush palette and gloss collection. “I’m so excited to dive right into a recent category for Lunar,” Manny says. “I do my perfect to give you original concepts, packaging, and designs because I need my customer to know I put as much work into the art because the formula.”

Comprising six shades, suitable for all skin tones, the palette is accompanied by a spread of glosses – all of that are tested by the YouTuber himself, “I’m so involved, I create the concept, develop the product, and test it continually. All finished products are approved by me!” 

Like everyone, Manny is waiting for a life after COVID-19, more specifically, “Going to the gym and happening dates,” he jokes. While beauty may not be the highest of everyone’s agenda, for a lot of it’s the escape they need and he recognises that. “I do think beauty is very important, but I believe it’s more necessary to be certain that you’re blissful, secure, and capable of get the stuff you truly need,” he muses. “Make-up will at all times be there, so care for yourself first, and when you’ve got some extra coin to splurge on yourself, get some make-up!”  

Here, we speak with the YouTuber about beauty drama, representation within the industry, and the way he’d prefer to see it change for the higher. 

Do you wear make-up day by day? 

Manny MUA: I don’t, I only wear make-up for work. It’s really my MUA presence, I do things once I’m Manny MUA and I must be there for an event, but when not, then I’m not glam – similar to RuPaul.  

Do you see it as work?

Manny MUA: I do, that is my full-time job and it’s a full-time profession – it’s what I do for a living. As I’ve gotten older and I’ve been doing it for thus long, I’ve been capable of separate my work life from real life. I want to treat it as such because I wouldn’t have the opportunity to have a traditional life otherwise and I’d just be ‘on’ in any respect times. I was once like that prior to now, but as I’ve gotten older, I don’t wish to deal with it that much because I’ll miss out on real life experiences. 

I read that you simply first got into wearing make-up by watching your mother apply it, how does it feel to have something so personal develop into your profession?  

Manny MUA: It’s really crazy, because I began doing make-up as just an inventive outlet for myself. It wasn’t like me attempting to appear like a girl, I never will because I even have facial hair – I’m not trying to do this. I used to be attempting to do it because I believed it was such a fun art form and I enjoyed the glam, the transformation. Attending to take something you were inspired by and loved after which to have the opportunity to show it right into a profession is everyone’s dream. 

What were a few of the difficulties you faced while you knew beauty was the profession you desired to pursue? 

Manny MUA: It was hard for my family to just accept that this was what I desired to do. I used to be going to highschool full-time and desired to be a plastic surgeon, I used to be on a special path completely, and my parents were pleased with that. It was such a 180, they were like, ‘what the fuck, you’re going to destroy your whole life!’ It took them some time to know that this was my passion and them recognising that was the toughest part.

I knew I could reach it because I do know what I’m obsessed with, but even six years ago in beauty, it was loads harder to get opportunities from brands for men. There have been only a few us. It’s significantly better now there are such a lot of boys in beauty.

How does it feel to be an inspiration to boys and male-presenting people on the market? 

Manny MUA: It’s insane to me! I’m just doing it because I find it irresistible and since I’m being my most authentic self. I’m helping others live their most authentic lives. It took me so long to wrap my head across the incontrovertible fact that me just being me helped other people being them. 

“It’s significantly better now there are such a lot of boys in beauty and I’m helping others live their most authentic lives. It took me so long to wrap my head across the incontrovertible fact that me just being me helped other people being them” – Manny MUA 

Your brand Lunar Beauty launched just over two years ago, what made you need to start it?  

Manny MUA: My baby, my child! It began with my first palette ‘Life’s A Drag’ – my make-up journey began with drag, so I remember pondering that if I ever got here out with a brand, I’d create a product that may pay homage to my drag roots. But additionally, sometimes life is a drag! I even have my parents work on the brand full-time as well, and it’s so fun to have them involved in Lunar Beauty. 

I’m wondering what you think that of celebrities, YouTubers, and influencers moving into beauty, since it looks like a straightforward sell, but then the standard just isn’t there. 

Manny MUA: The massive difference for me is that I created my brand because I desired to make products that I believed can be amazing and worked. It’s about creating products which are finely packaged, aren’t too expensive, and are fairly priced. I’m not going to charge you $80 for a palette, Lunar Beauty is cheaper since it’s made within the US and I’m doing my best to make products which are cost-efficient. I at all times check it out on myself, so I’m using products I really like and that way I do know folks that follow me and trust me will find it irresistible too. 

Speaking of your fan base, what are your interactions with them like? Are they at all times crazy?

Manny MUA: Oh my God, it’s so fun. I really like being in an enormous crowd of followers which are cheering me on. It’s such a novel and bizarre experience to be in a crowd of people who find themselves screaming your name and are excited to fulfill you. It’s like, why are you excited to fulfill me? I’m only a chill ass dude who’s on YouTube and I don’t think I’ll ever understand it properly, but they feel like they’ve a private reference to me, just as much as I do with them. It’s so different when it’s an individual watching you, they know a lot about your life and I’ll never know as much about theirs as they do mine, but they feel like we’re friends and I need them to feel like we’re connected. I wouldn’t have the opportunity to have the life that I even have without these people. 

How have you ever seen the wonder industry change throughout the years? 

Manny MUA: There’s loads more acceptance of men and ladies, especially women of color. The trans community is being represented more, which is great, but it surely obviously comes with some backlash here and there. Nowadays, there’s loads more negativity online. 10 years ago, the presence online was different and folks didn’t know what was appropriate, but now that they do, it’s gotten loads more aggressive. I understand people believing in a view, but being so hateful and a keyboard warrior isn’t the way in which. People don’t wish to take heed to anyone else’s opinion, they simply wish to shove their very own opinion down everyone’s throats. 

Do you discover it difficult navigating that?

Manny MUA: I do. You almost wish to say loads, but you furthermore may don’t wish to say anything at the identical time since you don’t wish to offend anybody, hurt their feelings, or have them hate you in your opinion. Sometimes it seems like I would as well not say anything in any respect in case it isn’t well received. Everyone has their opinions, but that doesn’t mean you have got to share them on a regular basis.  

The wonder industry definitely seems like drama has develop into the foremost focus moderately than creativity, would you agree?  

Manny MUA: Absolutely! It seems like that’s what it’s like for many communities, drama runs every thing. That’s what makes people seen, in the event that they’re involved in a drama, it’s where all of the outlets go. They don’t go for positivity or good stories, they’re going for drama. Creators are at all times going to create what their followers want, so if their followers want drama, the creators will probably be more dramatic. I wish it was more about growth, positivity, learning, understanding, and fewer in regards to the negativity on social media. It’s the wonder world, but it surely tends to be an unsightly place sometimes. 

“I wish beauty was more about growth, positivity, learning, understanding, and fewer in regards to the negativity on social media. It’s the wonder world, but it surely tends to be an unsightly place sometimes” – Manny MUA 

What do you need to see more of in the wonder industry?

Manny MUA: I need to see more acceptance. Being a boy in beauty has gotten so significantly better, but it surely’s still a journey. Even walking down the road, people stare at me and I get weird looks, I’d love for that to go away. I’d also love recognition for people in other communities, I’d love for African-American boys to get the identical recognition that a white boy would get. It’s really hard and it’s not fair for each community. I need it to be very equal for everybody of all genders and races. 

What are you looking forward to in the longer term? 

Manny MUA: I’m excited to proceed to grow my brand. I proceed to work on Lunar Beauty each day, it’s my passion, and it’s something I really like a lot and I need to proceed to grow, create recent different products that individuals will prefer to see from me.  

For me, I need to grow as a creator – I need to take some acting classes, I need to do things that scare me a bit of bit greater than being complacent, because I feel like, when you’re not growing, you’re dying in a way. When you’re not moving, you’re falling back, and I need to proceed to maneuver forward, learn and grow, and check out things that I wouldn’t have tried before. Experiences are the way you grow.