Furry car dice, Juicy tracksuits, patterned mustard-coloured sofas from the 1970s – there’s something very satisfying about a fuzzy velour texture that makes you just want to touch (and stroke) it. It’s not often that we get to experience this sensation in beauty, however, although make-up ASMR is a thriving corner of the internet. But now make-up artist Andrew Gallimore has teamed up with photographer Arved to bring us a beauty story to scratch that itch. 

“We’re used to seeing this matte make-up, powders and dusty finishes, but we rarely see something literally so velvety,” says Gallimore, who has collaborated with pretty much everyone in the industry from Versace to Dior to Rankin, David Bailey, and Dazed. “I love the nuances of the pile, where the fibres change direction in accordance to the contours of the face. I also really love where and how it’s adhered to hairs and made them feather-like.” 

To create these velvety looks, Gallimore used a technique called flocking, where short fibres are applied to an adhesive-coated surface and then negatively charged using an electric field so they stick up vertically. The result is a velour-like finish that is widely used decoratively and practically. “Rally cars flock their dashboards to reduce sun reflection!” Gallimore tells us.    

See the shoot in the gallery above and if you are inspired to do something yourself, tread carefully. “Although perfectly safe when done properly onto skin, it’s a technical process, which has to be done safely and properly,” says Gallimore, “so I would have to say, don’t try this at home kids!”

Photography Arved Colvin-Smith, make-up Andrew Gallimore, assistant Rocio Cuenca, models Akuac and Fallon, producer Angeliki Sofronas, retouching Suzanne Tak