Beauty

Andreja Pejic talks Mean Girls, Virginia Woolf and makeup mishaps

Transgender model Andreja Pejic has landed a starring role in Make Up For Ever's latest campaign.

by : Victoria DiPlacido- Aug 28th, 2015

transgender-model-andreja-pejic-lands-make-up-for-ever-campaign

First of all, congrats! How did you react when you heard the news that you landed a contract with Make Up For Ever?

When I found out that I was going to be landing a cosmetics contract with MAKE UP FOR EVER I almost died of excitement! I think I cried a little too, to be honest. Last year was not a very easy year for me as I experienced a lot of rejection, so to come out on top like this and work with such a cool brand feels amazing.

What were your first experiences with makeup?

I felt a close link to makeup from a young age, as I would watch my mom get ready each day by putting on makeup. As I got older the connection I felt towards makeup only got stronger as I experimented with androgyny. During my experience with androgyny I used a lot of light foundation and dark-heavy eyeliner, I guess you could call it my emo phase! It helped me express myself and made me feel prettier on the outside. I would say makeup made my life a little easier when everything else was very confusing and complicated.

How has your beauty look evolved over the years? Any memorable beauty mishaps looking back?

Well I grew up in Australia where everyone is super obsessed with tanning, and everyone knows that cheap orange bronzer look! So after my emo phase I hopped on the tanning bandwagon. It took time for me to learn how to properly apply foundation properly, determine what shades actually match my skin tone and teach myself how to use the brushes, etc. I have come to learn that makeup is a journey and these days my journey has brought me to like a very natural, subtle look.

What does being bold mean to you?

Being bold is about having the courage to overcome certain socially imposed fears that we all have in order to just express more of your true self.

When do you feel most confident, most yourself?

I feel the most confident when I’m living life by my own rules. I feel that today more than ever. We all sort of hold back and worry about what other people may think about us or concern ourselves with fitting certain molds or standards. I believe true confidence allows us to break the rules and break through the boundaries that society has established. Makeup goes a long way in helping us gain the strength to walk into a room and feel like we can accomplish anything. No matter what profession you are in, having the confidence to command a room is never a bad thing!

Who or what inspires you? Is there a song or book that uplifts and motivates you?

On a personal level my mother is my biggest inspiration. She raised two kids through two wars [in Bosnia-Herzegovina], and I live for her. A movie that uplifts me would be Mean Girls, and a work that uplifts me would be Virginia Woolf’s “A Room Of One’s Own.” These both make me feel that it’s a beautiful thing to be a woman.