The mere mention of makeup whisperer Danessa Myricks' name conjures images of nearly blinding luminous skin, an elaborate runway-ready eye looks, and a gorgeous Instagram feed of Black women. In Myricks
world, creativity is finite—and so is her resume. When she's not turning models' skin into glass with her Illuminating Veil or sharing her expert tips in her masterclass, Myricks can be found behind the camera translating her eye for beauty into editorial photography for her namesake beauty brand. Who better to show Black skin in all its splendor and glory than a Black woman? Morphe took notes and recruited Myricks to be a part of its newest foundation launch.
"What they shared with me is that they really liked my aesthetic. I'm a makeup artist and a photographer as well, so they loved how I capture skin and how women of color appear in my photographs," Myricks explains of the collaboration came to be. Myricks' only job? To bring the Filter Effect's claims to life through the two passions we've come to know her for—makeup and photography.
"I'm obsessed with skin. My signature aesthetic with beauty is letting the naturalness of the model's skin shine through, keeping their natural complexion as true to them as possible, and elevating what's already there. That's what they wanted to see that come through in the beautiful product they created," she added.
Today, January 27, Morphe will debut its 40-shade Filter Effect foundation. Morphe's inaugural foundation launch, Fluidity Full-Coverage Foundation, launched with 60 shades in a soft matte finish. Now, Filter Effect marries makeup and skincare together to hydrate nourish the skin while also giving you the Instagram Paris Filter IRL. Crafted in Italy to deliver the best results, the skincare-infused foundation is packed with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E.
"If I'm going to tell a story about skin, I'm very focused on that idea of inclusivity. As a brand owner, it's always top of mind for me. As a product developer, it's always top of mind for me, and I didn't want to be associated with anyone that doesn't feel the same way I do," Myricks adds. When tasked with creative directing the Morphe Filter Effect campaign—Myricks was the director, photographer, and makeup artist on set—she made sure the deeper tones represented in the shade range were also represented in the campaign imagery.
"I knew that if I was going to be a part of the storytelling of this brand, I wanted to make sure that I can choose really beautiful chocolate models because we need to be seen so that I can tell that story well. Also, the fact that they were working with Black creators was super important to me," Myricks said. In addition to recruiting Myricks on the creative side, Morphe called upon Shayla Mitchell, aka MakeupByShayla, to give input on the new shade range and serve as one of Myrick's models in the campaign. "She was so beautiful to work with and has amazing energy. She set the tone for the day. She's just a wonderful spirit. I mean, she's the whole package."
Beyond Myricks and Shayla's contribution, Morphe assembled a cast of Black creatives to have a hand in the project. When Myricks arrived on set, her soul lit up as she saw a Black hairstylist and fashion stylist who would be assisting her in relaying the message of Morphe's latest "story."
"It's important that we shine the light on Black creatives. I wanted to be a part of that story because that's what is needed to push forward this conversation," she continues. "Any time a creator gets a chance to tell stories in this way, it's a wonderful thing. To be able to do it with a group of other creators who look just like me was like a fantasy, a dream."