Isamaya Ffrench goes clinical for her new make-up and skincare collection

Whether it’s chrome dick-shaped lipsticks or a rhinestone-studded rodeo collection, Isamaya Ffrench’s make-up drops have getting people talking since she founded her brand, Isamaya Beauty, in 2022. The initial idea was to drop limited-edition collections centred around different concepts and visual aesthetics. But now, the brand is releasing a permanent Core Collection.   

While penises and ponies are missing from this release, the new products are served up on a stainless steel instrument tray. It seems Ffrench has gloved up and gone clinical as she channels a science-backed, skin-first approach into her latest drop. “I wanted the collection to reflect the science-backed approach that I went for to develop products, and I wanted to find a way to make cosmetics look more exciting and timeless at the same time,” Ffrench tells Dazed Beauty. “Chrome tools are what represents this line best to me.”

Laid out like a surgical toolkit, the collection sees the Julia Fox favourite Liplacq return alongside futuristic new releases that wouldn’t look out of place in a high-tech pharmacy. Take Hyaluro Lip and 5 Point Lift, designed to energise lips and skin, which come packaged in sleek, syringe-like tubes. The 10-piece collection is built on a skincare-first philosophy, with Ffrench believing that good skin underpins all good make-up. “The concept for Core is bringing a make-up/skincare hybrid line to the market so that the make-up isn’t just ‘decorative’ but contains active ingredients that actually do something for the skin,” she tells Dazed. 

The Colour Correcting Serum, as close as Ffrench is coming to a foundation at the moment, comes in six shades and is enriched with Rosebay Willowherb extract and Kazanlak Rose to target pigmentation and dullness, while the Face Glaze is packed with brown algae to deliver a modern, glass-like glow. The Microbial Gel is infused with Hymagic 4D Hyaluronic Acid and Biolin-P Prebiotics to protect the skin barrier. Unlike the bold and expressive high-impact make-up Ffrench has become known for throughout her career, these products are designed for a more subtle, even secretive, effect. 

At a time when wellness and skincare are at the forefront of consumer priorities, the Core Collection is tapping into the functional future of make-up. Speaking on this directional choice, Ffrench tells us, “Recent technology has expanded the field in the last couple of years and I’m looking forward to exploring it and integrating that research into new concepts and products because to me, this is where we’re going towards in terms of skin.”