A curse befell Jacob Elordi when he was a child. It happened in the aisle of a Blockbuster Video. The culprit for the incantation was the image of the now emblematic Pale Man from “Pan’s Labyrinth,” flaunting eyes on his palms on the back cover of the DVD.
“My mother remembers this,” an energetic Elordi tells me in a Hollywood conference room. “I came running through the corridor and I was like, ‘I need this DVD.’ And she was like, ‘That’s so much blood and gore. You can’t watch it.’”
“She told you, ‘I’ll get it if you promise never to work with that director,’” Guillermo del Toro, the filmmaker behind the Oscar-winning dark fantasy, chimes in, sitting next to Elordi.
His wish granted, Elordi watched “Pan’s Labyrinth” at a young age. The fable set against the Spanish Civil War forever changed him. “From that moment, because of the way that Guillermo wills magic into the world and into his life, I feel like there was some kind of curse set upon me,” the actor says. “I do genuinely believe that, as out there as it sounds.”
Now, Elordi, 28, has become one of the Mexican director’s monsters in his long-gestating adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” (in theaters Friday, then on Netflix Nov. 7). Under intricate prosthetics and makeup, Elordi plays the Creature that arrogant scientist Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) breathes life into — an assemblage of dead limbs and organs imbued with a new consciousness.
Elordi with writer-director Guillermo del Toro on the set of “Frankenstein.”
(Ken Woroner / Netflix)
Receptive to tenderness but prone to violence, the nameless Creature now has, in Elordi, a performer suited for all its unruly emotions. “It was the innocence in Jacob’s portrayal that kept getting me,” says makeup artist and prosthetics designer Mike Hill. “The Creature could snap on a dime like an animal.”
Capable of complex thought, Del Toro’s version of the monster ponders the punishment of existence and the cruelty of its maker. “They’re almost like John Milton questions to the creator,” the director says of the Creature’s dialogue. “You have to give it a physicality that is heartbreakingly uncanny but also hypnotically human.”
The imposingly lanky, gracefully handsome Elordi, born in Australia, has risen in profile over the last few years, thanks to roles in the hit series “Euphoria” and the psychosexual class-climbing thriller “Saltburn.”
“It came from some other place,” Elordi says about the pull to the role of the Creature. “It felt like a growth, like a cancer in my stomach that told me that I had to play this thing.”
(Bexx Francois / For The Times)
“Frankenstein,” however, seems to have been calling his name for a long time.
“Early in my career, I had been reading what folks on the internet would say about me and someone had written after my first film, ‘The only thing this plank of wood could play is Frankenstein’s Creature. Get him off my screen!’” Elordi recalls. “I went, ‘That’s an absolutely fantastic idea.’”
The thought reentered Elordi’s mind while making Sofia Coppola’s 2023 “Priscilla,” in which he played a moody, internal Elvis Presley to Cailee Spaeny’s title character. Long before he was offered the part, the hair and makeup team on “Priscilla” shared with him their next job was, in fact, Del Toro’s “Frankenstein.”
“I looked at [hair designer] Cliona [Furey] and I said, ‘I’m supposed to be in that movie.’ And she said, ‘Did you audition?’ And I was like, ‘No, but I’m meant to be in that movie.’”
“It came from some other place,” Elordi further explains. “It felt like a growth, like a cancer in my stomach that told me that I had to play this thing. I’ve heard stories about this from actors, and when you hear them, you kind of go, ‘Sure, you were meant to play this thing.’ But I really feel like I was.”
Due to scheduling conflicts, Andrew Garfield, originally cast as the Creature, dropped out in late 2023. With production set to start in early 2024, Del Toro had limited time to find a new actor. When Elordi finally heard he was being considered, he had to read the screenplay within hours of receiving it, and be willing to dive into the darkness.
“I had a few weeks to prepare, but I was lucky to have also had my whole life — and I mean that sincerely,” he says, a grin crossing his face. “Playing this was an exploration into a cave of the self, into every experience with my father, with my mother, my experience with cinema, my scraped knees when I was 7.”
Del Toro says he knew Elordi would make the perfect Creature from speaking with him over Zoom. He remembers immediately messaging Isaac, his Victor, convinced that Elordi could play both “Adam and Jesus,” which are the two facets that the creature represents for the director.
Jacob Elordi as the Creature in the movie “Frankenstein.”
(Ken Woroner / Netflix)
“I don’t think I’ve experienced miracles many times in my life,” Del Toro says. “And when somebody comes to your life in any capacity that transforms it, that happened here. This man is a miracle for this film.”
As he typically does for all the actors in his films, Del Toro sent Elordi several books ahead of working together. Elordi’s deep-dive reading list included the bedrock Taoist guide “Tao Te Ching,” Stephen Mitchell’s well-regarded translation of the Book of Job and a text on the developmental stages of a baby.
The most complex element of the performance, Del Toro believes, is playing “nothing,” meaning the blank, pure state of mind of a living being in infancy. “A baby is everything at once,” Elordi says. “It’s deep pain, deep joy, curiosity. And you don’t have chambers for your thoughts yet.”
Right before “Frankenstein,” Elordi had been shooting Prime’s World War II miniseries “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” in Australia, an experience he describes as “grueling,” one that involved losing substantial weight. He repurposed his body’s subsequent fragility as a dramatic tool.
“My brain was kind of all over the place,” he remembers. “I had these moments of great anguish at around 3 a.m. in the morning. I’d wake and my body was in such pain. And I just realized that it was a blessing with ‘Frankenstein’ coming up, because I could articulate these feelings, this suffering.”
Aside from being an outlet for his exhaustion, the transformation also helped Elordi to recalibrate. “Frankenstein” arrived at a time where he found himself wrestling with a crisis of purpose.
“At that time in my life I really wanted to hide,” Elordi says. “I really wanted to go away for a while. I was desperate to find some kind of normalcy and rebuild the way that I acted and how I approached making movies,” Elordi says. “And when the film came along, I remember being like, ‘Ugh, I really wanted to go away right now.’ And I realized immediately the Creature was where I was supposed to go away to. I was supposed to go into that mask of freedom.”
Was he trying to escape the pressures of dawning fame? Elordi says it was much more philosophical than that.
“Who do I think I am? Who do I present myself as? What do I like? What don’t I like? Do I love? Can I love? What is love? Every single thing of being alive,” he says with a radiant smile. “The unbearable weight of being.”
“At that time in my life I really wanted to hide,” Elordi says of the moment just before taking on Del Toro’s version of the classic. “I really wanted to go away for a while. I was desperate to find some kind of normalcy and rebuild the way that I acted and how I approached making movies.”
(Bexx Francois / For The Times)
The part entailed physically burying himself in another body. It allowed Elordi to renounce any hang-ups, surrendering to a fugue state of mind. Every moment felt like a discovery.
“I was liberated in this makeup,” he adds. “I didn’t have to be this version of myself anymore. In those six months, I completely rebuilt myself. And I came out of this film with a whole new skin.”
Elordi sat for 10 hours in the makeup chair on days that required full body makeup — only four if they were only shooting the Creature’s face. “Jacob wanted to wear the makeup and he knew it would be grueling,” Hill says.
“It was nothing short of a religious experience,” Elordi says. “The excitement I had even just getting my body cast — I was buzzing.”
Hill believes that the decision to make the Creature bald for the scenes where he is a “baby” is what makes Del Toro’s take unique within the “Frankenstein” mythos.
“Instead of what happens in cloning where a baby grows, Victor literally did make a baby, just a big one,” says Hill. “The Creature learns quickly because its brain and its bodies have already lived once. God knows what this Creature knew before he forgot and needed to be reminded.”
As for the skin, Del Toro envisioned a marble-statue look that he had been pursuing in earlier movies like “Cronos,” “Blade II” and “The Devil’s Backbone.”
“Mike took it and made it incredibly subtle: flesh with the violets and the purples and the pearlescence,” Del Toro says. “He bested every concept I’ve ever imagined by making it look like parts of exsanguine bodies. That was so brilliant.”
“It was the innocence in Jacob’s portrayal that kept getting me,” says makeup artist and creature designer Mike Hill, here seen working on a model for “Frankenstein.”
(John P. Johnson / Netflix)
A Frankenstein’s monster with rainbow-colored flesh, Hill says, could only exist in the context of a Del Toro picture.
“He had to look beautiful, like a phrenology head or an anatomical manual,” Del Toro adds. “We agreed — no scars. No sutures. No vulgarity.”
Del Toro’s casting of Elordi was fully validated when the actor walked on set for the first time in full makeup. “The whole process was anticipation,” Elordi says. “And then I opened my eyes and he was looking back at me, and it was exactly what I thought it would be when I first read the screenplay.”
For Hill, it was watching Elordi doing an interview, where his limbs seemed loose and relaxed, that convinced him he was the right actor to sculpt the Creature on. “I was like, ‘Look at those wrists.’ And then he turns, and he has these lashes,” Hill says. “Big eyes are beautiful for makeup. And structurally, Jacob has an unassuming nose, so you can build on that.”
“And he has a big chin,” Hill continues amid Del Toro’s boisterous laughter. “I was like, ‘I’m not going to glue one on.’”
Amused at his anatomy being dissected in front of him, Elordi claps back, mock-defensively: “He was grotesque to look at, but he was somewhat gifted. A deformed skinny freak.”
By the time Elordi got out of the makeup chair, he says, the electricity in his body had shifted. He stepped on set physically depleted but in the ideal headspace to embody the creature as it navigates an inhospitable reality.
“He’ll forever be fused into my chemistry,” Elordi says. “He was always there and now I have a little place for him. But I can’t rationalize him.”
Whether by curse or by miracle, Elordi’s Creature lives. And the actor feels reborn.
MAKE-UP lovers have spotted Home Bargains is selling a fancy brand that usually costs £33 for just £6.
The budget retailer has slashed the price of some make-up must-haves from the cult favourite BareMinerals.
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Home Bargains has slashed the prices of some BareMinerals must havesCredit: Home Bargains
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Items have been reduced by a whopping £78 in their online storeCredit: Home Bargains
Bargain hunters can make savings of up to 78% in an online only deal that includes a range of moisturisers, lip gloss, and more.
Beauty fans can snap up the popular Bareminerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturiser for just £6.99 down from £33 in a variety of shades.
Other goodies include a Mineralist Lip Gloss-Balm for a steal at £4.99 down from £23 and the Barepro Pressed Powder Foundation for £6.99.
Premium make-up
The premium make-up brand’s tinted moisturiser provides a great option if you’re looking for natural, breathable coverage that looks after your skin with its added SPF 30 protection.
It’s described as an “oil free, mineral-based moisturiser offering sheer-to-light coverage, broad spectrum SPF 30, and a clean matte finish.”
You can take your pick too with a range of moisturisers to choose from depending on skin tone that will also help improve skin texture.
The pressed powder foundation “instantly blurs the appearance of pores, fine lines, and imperfections”.
It’s infused with Shea Butter, Cacao Butter and Vitamin E that will help protect and improve your skin.
What’s better is that it comes with a convenient puff applicator which makes it perfect for use on the go.
While the lip-gloss balm will “deeply hydrate and smooth lips, instantly and over time” while adding a glossy shine.
Walkers axes fan-favourite crisps & unveils bold new flavours
The product is great for both everyday wear and statement lips and claims to make them up to 50% smoother.
BareMinerals was launched in 1995 and touts itself as the “original clean beauty brand.”
The brand was founded by Leslie Blodgett who said she wanted to start a makeup line that helped you achieve beauty that was more than skin deep.
“I always felt that beauty was something you felt, and it came with confidence, and it came with feeling good physically and emotionally,” she says.
More Beauty Bargains
There’s plenty more beauty products to be had for great prices at retailers too.
ATikTokuser revealed the store is stocking a huge haul of high-end makeup andhaircare– including the cult classicCharlotte Tilbury Magic Cream for nearly half the price.
Earlier this month Gaga was forced to cancel a show and issue an emotional apology to gutted fans.
Barely an hour before she was due on stage in Miami, she shared a message on her Instagram Stories saying that she had no choice but to cancel the concert.
Gaga wrote: “Hi everyone, I am really so, so sorry but I need to postpone tonight’s show in Miami.
“During rehearsal last night and my vocal warmup tonight, my voice was extremely strained and both my doctor and vocal coach have advised me not to go on because of the risk it poses.
“I want to be hardcore and just push through this for you but I don’t want to risk long-term or permanent damage to my vocal cords.”
She continued: “There is a significant risk based on all our combined experience with a show like ours and as you know I sing live every night.
“And even though this was a hard and agonizing decision I would be more afraid of the long term implications on my voice.”
She then begged her fans to understand the position she was in, writing: “I hope you can forgive me and accept my sincerest apologies for any disappointment, let down, inconvenience.
Lady Gaga breaks down in tears as she shares rare emotional tribute on electric first night of sold-out LA concerts
“I am so, so sorry, I tried so hard to avoid this, I take serious care of myself to be able to put on this highly demanding show.”
Gaga concluded: “I love my fans so much, respect you and hope you can accept my sincere, regretful apology.”
The announcement was made at 8pm ET, 45 minutes before she is usually on stage.
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Gaga is currently on her epic Mayhem Ball tourCredit: Haus Labs
When a door slammed shut in the childhood home of Andry Hernández Romero, he wasn’t just startled. He winced, recoiling from the noise.
Nearly a month had passed since Hernández Romero, a 32-year-old makeup artist, and 251 other Venezuelans were released from a notorious Salvadoran mega-prison.
In a Zoom interview in August from Venezuela, Hernández Romero listed the ways in which the trauma of the ordeal still manifests itself.
“When doors are slammed — did you notice [my reaction] when the door made noise just now?” he said. “I can’t stand keys. Being touched when I’m asleep. If I see an officer with cuffs in their hand, I get scared and nervous.”
Trump administration officials accused the Venezuelan men of being members of the transnational gang Tren de Aragua and a national security threat, though many, including Hernández Romero, had no criminal histories in the U.S. or Venezuela.
While he was confined, with no access to his attorneys or the news, Hernández Romero had no idea he had become a poster child for the movement to free the prisoners.
“Before I was Andry the makeup artist, Andry the stylist, Andry the designer,” he said. “I was somewhat recognized, but not as directly. Right now, if you type my name into Google, TikTok, YouTube — any platform — my entire life shows up.”
Days after he was sent to El Salvador on March 15, CBS News published a leaked deportation manifest with his name on it. His lawyer Lindsay Toczylowski, who co-founded the Los Angeles-based Immigrant Defenders Law Center, denounced his removal on “The Rachel Maddow Show” and a “60 Minutes” expose.
In the “60 Minutes” episode, Time photojournalist Philip Holsinger recounted hearing a man at the prison cry for his mother, saying, “I’m not a gang member. I’m gay. I’m a stylist,” while prison guards slapped him and shaved his head.
Outrage grew. On social media, users declared him disappeared, asking, “Is Andry Hernández Romero alive?”
Congressional Democrats traveled to El Salvador to push for information about the detainees and came back empty-handed.
“Let’s get real for a moment,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) said in an April 9 video on X. The video cut to a glamour shot of Hernández Romero peering from behind three smoldering makeup brushes.
“When was the last time you saw a gay makeup artist in a transnational gang?” Torres said.
Hernández Romero walks through a market in his hometown of Capacho Nuevo.
Hernández Romero shows the crown tattoos that U.S. authorities claimed linked him to the Tren de Aragua gang.
Hernández Romero fled Venezuela after facing persecution for his sexuality and political views, according to his lawyers.
He entered the U.S. legally at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Aug. 29, 2024, after obtaining an appointment through CBP One, the asylum application process used in the Biden administration. The elation of getting through lasted just a few minutes, he said.
Hernández Romero spent six months at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. He had passed a “credible fear” interview — the first step in the asylum process — but immigration officials had lasered in on two of his nine tattoos: a crown on each wrist with “Mom” and “Dad” in English.
Immigrant detainees are given blue, orange or red uniforms, depending on their classification level. A guard once explained that detainees wearing orange, like him, could be criminals. Hernández Romero said he replied, “Is being a gay a crime? Or is doing makeup a crime?”
When his deportation flight landed in El Salvador, he saw tanks and officials dressed in all black, carrying big guns.
A Salvadoran man got off first — Kilmar Abrego García, whose case became a focus of controversy after federal officials acknowledged he had been wrongly deported.
Eight Venezuelan women got off next, but Salvadoran officials rejected them and they were led back onto the plane. Hernández Romero said the remaining Venezuelans felt relieved, thinking they too would be rejected.
Instead, they ended up in prison.
Hernández Romero does the makeup for Gabriela Mora, the fiancee of his fellow prisoner Carlos Uzcátegui, hours before their civil wedding in the town of Lobatera.
“I saw myself hit, I saw myself carried by two officials with my head toward the ground, receiving blows and kicks,” Hernández Romero said. “After that reality kind of strikes me: I was in a cell in El Salvador, in a maximum-security prison with nine other people and asking myself, ‘What am I doing here?’”
As a stylist, he said, having his hair shaved off was particularly devastating. Even worse were the accompanying blows and homophobic insults.
He remembers the photographer snapping shots of him and feeling the sting of his privacy being violated. Now, he understands their significance: “It’s thanks to those photos that we are now back in our homes.”
At the prison, guards taunted them, Hernández Romero said, telling them, “You all are going to die here.”
Hernández Romero befriended Carlos Uzcátegui, 32, who was held in the cell across the hall. Prisoners weren’t allowed to talk with people outside their cells, but the pair quietly got to know each other whenever the guards were distracted.
Uzcátegui said he was also detained for having a crown tattoo and for another depicting three stars, one for each of his younger sisters.
A prisoner is moved by a guard at the Terrorist Confinement Center, a high-security prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador, on March 26. (Alex Brandon, Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
As prisoners looks on, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem speaks during a tour of the Terrorist Confinement Center on March 26. (Alex Brandon, Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
Hernández Romero said he noticed that some of the guards would stare at him when he showered. He told reporters that guards took him to a small, windowless room known as “La Isla,” or “The Island,” after noticing him bathing with a bucket outside of designated hours. There, he said, he was beaten by three guards wearing masks and forced to perform oral sex on one of them, according to NPR and other outlets.
Hernández Romero no longer wishes to talk about the details of the alleged abuse. His lawyers are looking into available legal options.
“Perhaps those people will escape earthly justice, the justice of man, but when it comes to the justice of our Father God, no one escapes,” he said. “Life is a restaurant — no one leaves without paying.”
Uzcátegui said guards once pulled out his toenails and denied him medication despite a high fever. He had already showered, but as his fever worsened he took a second shower, which wasn’t allowed.
He said guards pushed him down, kicked him repeatedly in the stomach, then left him in “La Isla” for three days.
In July, rumors began circulating in the prison that the Venezuelans might be released, but the detainees didn’t believe the talk until the pastor who gave their daily sermon appeared uncharacteristically emotional. He told them: “The miracle is done. Tomorrow is a new day for you all.”
Uzcátegui remained unconvinced. That night, he couldn’t sleep because of the noise of people moving around the prison. He said usually that meant that guards would enter their cell block early in the morning to beat them.
Hernández Romero noticed his friend was restless. “We’re leaving today,” he said.
“I don’t believe it,” Uzcátegui replied. “It’s always the same.”
Hernández Romero knew they had spent 125 days imprisoned because when any detainee went for a medical consult, they would unobtrusively note the calendar in the room and report back to the group. The detainees would then mark the day on their metal bed frames using soap.
On July 18, buses arrived at the prison at 3 a.m. to take the Venezuelans to the airport. Officials called out Hernández Romero and Arturo Suárez-Trejo, a singer whose case had also drawn public attention, for individual photos. Hernández Romero said they were puzzled but obliged.
Migrants deported by the United States to El Salvador under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown arrive at Simon Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, on July 18.
(Ariana Cubillos / Associated Press)
When their flight touched down, an official told them: “Welcome to Venezuela.” Walking down the plane steps, Hernández Romero felt the Caribbean breeze on his face and thanked God.
A few days later, he was back in his hometown, Capacho Nuevo, hugging his parents and brother in the center of a swarm of journalists and supporters chanting his name.
“I left home with a suitcase full of dreams, with dreams of helping my people, of helping my family, but unfortunately, that suitcase of dreams turned into a suitcase of nightmares,” he told reporters there.
Hernández Romero said he wants to see his name cleared. For him, justice would mean “that the people who kidnapped us and unfairly blamed us should pay.”
President Trump had invoked an 18th century wartime law to quickly remove many of the Venezuelans to El Salvador in March. In a 2-1 decision on Sept. 2, a panel of judges from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals found that the administration acted unlawfully, saying there has been “no invasion or predatory incursion.”
Trump administration officials have told a federal judge that they would facilitate the return of Venezuelans to the U.S. if they wish to continue the asylum proceedings that were dismissed after they were sent to El Salvador. If there’s another chance to fulfill his dreams, Hernández Romero said he’s “not closed off to anything.”
Uzcátegui sees it differently. After everything he went through, he said, he probably would not go back.
Now he suffers from nightmares that it’s happening again. “Despite everything, you end up feeling like it’s not true that we’re out of there,” he said. “You wake up thinking you’re still there.”
Carlos Uzcátegui exchanges vows with Gabriela Mora during their wedding in August as Hernández Romero, right, in cap, looks on.
As he restarts his career, Hernández Romero is redeveloping a client list as a makeup artist. Last month, he worked a particularly special wedding: Uzcátegui’s. He did makeup for his friend’s bride, Gabriela Mora.
“He lived the same things I did in there,” Uzcátegui said. “It was like knowing that we are finally free — that despite all the things we talked about that we never thought would happen, that friendship remains. We’re like family.”
Faye shared the exact products she uses on Instagram
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Faye Winter shared the beauty products she uses in an Instagram post(Image: PA)
Love Island star Faye Winter has taken to Instagram to share some of her favourite beauty products, including a Charlotte Tilbury concealer that shoppers love. Faye shared the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer that you can buy from Cult Beauty for £28.
The concealer currently has over 200 reviews on the beauty site, with an average star rating of 4.5 out of a possible five stars. One shopper who loved the concealer said: “Amazing brightening concealer, tried in a flagship store to do a wear test and using in conjunction with the corrector has really brightened up my eye area.
“It’s very hydrating. The shade match is perfect.” Faye also shared some of the other beauty products she uses, which include the Trinny London Trinity Multitasker for blush that costs £36.
The product is a handy stick that can be used for lips, cheeks, and eyes. For her foundation, Faye used the Huda Beauty Easy Blur, which is currently on offer at Beauty Bay for £26 down from £32, and her bronzer is the £30 Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’R Instant Warmth Bronzer, which you can also shop at LOOK FANTASTIC.
Faye also used the Soft Pinch Luminous Powder Blush by Selena Gomez’s brand Rare Beauty, currently £18 down from £26 at Rare Beauty, and e.l.f’s £10 Power Grip Primer that can be bought from Boots. As well as the Charlotte Tilbury concealer, Faye used the brand’s popular Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder which is also shoppable at Cult Beauty for £39.
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Other products used in Faye’s post which was titled ‘GRWM using cruelty free brands’ include the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer which is £19 at LOOK FANTASTIC. This is said to give a hydrating high shine finish.
If you’re in the market for a new concealer and fancy some more options, then you can also shop the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer from LOOK FANTASTIC for £27 that gives a creamy medium to full coverage or the Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer available at Cult Beauty for £29.
Get the look
You can shop the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer at Cult Beauty
Despite plenty of shoppers loving the Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Radiant Concealer, one didn’t get on with the formula saying: “Tried to love this… found it drying and wasn’t great at covering dark circles. It gives a fair amount of coverage if you don’t have major eye bags or discolouration etc.”
Other shoppers were pleased with their purchase, however, with another writing: “Lovely and lightweight under the eyes . Definitely makes me look less tired.” Another dubbed the concealer their ‘favourite’, commenting “I have tried hundreds of concealers over the years and this is by far my favourite.
“Medium coverage, which is good for natural every day and also buildable for more full coverage.” A third who titled their review ‘fab’ wrote “Love this concealer – easy to apply and lovely consistency.”
Amy Loring, a makeup artist and influencer, says a lack of “clear” labelling on products can have “severe” consequences
Makeup and skincare ingredients should be listed in English and not Latin to protect people with allergies, campaigners say.
Cosmetic companies display ingredients in Latin, or using scientific names. But MP Becky Gittins, who has a severe nut allergy, said this was a problem as “less than 5% of our young people are educated in Latin”.
One mum, whose daughter had an allergic reaction to body wash, said cosmetics should be labelled in the same way as food.
Makeup influencer Amy Loring said the labelling system was “frustrating” but for some could be “life threatening”.
For example, sweet almond oil is Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis, peanut oil is Arachis Hypogaea, and wheat germ extract is Triticum Vulgare.
Some cosmetic brands also list their ingredients in English, but this is not a requirement.
Cosmetic companies list their ingredients using Latin-based names
Eve Huang’s daughter Elysia, 9, is allergic to cow’s milk, coconut, eggs, asparagus, mustard and tree nuts.
Elysia’s allergies are triggered not just by food but by airborne particles and skin contact.
“The Latin puts allergy sufferers at risk and it is so frustrating,” said Ms Huang, from Hornchurch in Essex.
“Why are allergens not listed in bold? Why are there no warning signs?”
Ms Huang said she recently bought Elysia a new skin-sensitive body wash. Within seconds of getting into the bath, Elysia became red and developed a hives rash all over her body.
At first, they did not realise the cause was the body wash.
Elysia did not develop anaphylaxis – a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction – but she did need to be treated.
‘Google the Latin names’
“A child should not have to take medicine simply for having a bath. A process of getting oneself clean should not make them seriously ill,” said Ms Huang.
She said birthday parties could also be “a nightmare”.
“At one party, Elysia was gifted a facial mask in the party bag and I’ve had to explain she can’t use it until I’ve ‘Googled’ the Latin names and checked whether it’s safe.”
She added: “Some brands now include English translations, which is useful. But I would like to see similar, if not the same standards, as food packaging.”
Becky Gittins, the Clwyd East MP who is behind the campaign for change, has a severe nut allergy
Gittins, the Labour MP for Clwyd East who is behind the campaign for change, has a severe nut allergy. If she were to use products containing nuts it could trigger anaphylaxis.
Gittins said at a recent trip to a spa, she had to frantically “Google” Latin terms to check for allergens.
“Even on a day that’s supposed to be relaxing, I was still mitigating risk. It is incredibly difficult,” she said.
“Less than 5% of our young people are educated in Latin at any level. Even fewer would recognise these terms when checking the back of a packet to see if they can use certain toiletries or ointments – that then becomes a big problem.”
Gittins said her allergy meant she lived with “a base level of anxiety”.
She added: “Do I live a very restricted life, or do I go out and do the things that are more risky?
“That is what we need to minimise – we need to make sure we have a much more allergy-friendly world so we can mitigate that risk.”
Amy, who has hypersensitive skin, says she thinks the current labelling system is “frustrating”
Amy Loring, a makeup artist from Cardiff who uses her Instagram page to provide skincare and cosmetics advice to thousands, said the labelling system needed to be “very clear”.
“I have hypersensitive skin and it’s very uncomfortable when you’re breaking out and have eczema over your face. There are some days I can’t put anything on my skin because it is reacting so bad,” said the 31-year-old.
“It is frustrating as a consumer when you get reactions like rosacea, redness, breakouts, and that’s just mild allergies – it can be quite severe and life-threatening.”
The Latin names of cosmetic ingredients
Almond (bitter): Prunus amygdalus amar
Avocado: Persea gratissima
Apricot: Prunus armeniaca
Banana: Musa sapientum
Brazil nut: Bertholletia excelsa
Cashew: Anacardium occidentale
Chestnut: Castanea sativa/sylva or castanea crenata
Kiwi fruit: Actinidia chinensis or actinidia deliciosa
Oat: Avena sativa or Avena strigosa
Peach: Prunus persica
Peanut oil: Arachis Hypogaea
Sesame: Sesamum indicum
Sweet almond oil: Prunus amygdalus dulcis
Walnut: Juglans regia orjuglans nigra
Wheat germ extract: Triticum vulgare
Regulations state that cosmetic ingredients must be listed clearly. If there is no outer packaging, the labelling will be on the container. If the product is very small, the ingredients may be listed on a leaflet.
While the INCI system ensures consistency across the globe, critics say it leaves many consumers in the dark.
Rachel Williams
Rachel Williams says she only learned about the Latin names in cosmetics because of social media
Rachel Williams’ son, Jacob, is allergic to peanuts, hazelnuts and almonds.
“It is difficult enough to navigate life with allergies without adding the learning of Latin on top of everything else,” said Rachel, from Swansea.
“I can’t always remember the name of certain nuts in Latin, or I doubt myself when I’m checking products. This means I have to search online every time I use a product. I would have a lot more confidence in the products if they stated all of the top 14 allergens in English.”
The CTPA has defended the use of INCI ingredient names.
Caroline Rainsford, the director of science at the CTPA, said the system provided a universal language across the globe.
“For botanical or natural extracts, we refer to the Linnaean system, which is the international system for scientifically naming plants and animals, and lots of those names will be Latin-based,” she said.
“The reason we refer to that system is to have global harmonisation.
“I can see that perhaps people would think it may be easier to have the English name but if you are on holiday and you are looking at the ingredients list, you would need to know the name of the plant in whichever country you’re in.
“Whereas if we use the INCI system, you then just need to remember that one INCI name.
“The more consistency and harmonisation we have with the ingredient list is not only great for us when we’re buying a product, it also makes life easier for companies.”
The industry has developed tools to help consumers navigate the terminology.
One such tool is the COSMILE app, which allows users to search ingredient names by scanning the label.
The app aims to offer reliable and scientifically supported information on thousands of ingredients used in cosmetic products.
A UK government spokesperson said: “Our regulations require all cosmetics to include a full list of ingredients that is clearly marked on the product label or packaging using generally accepted names.”
A gay makeup artist and content creator has shut down right-wing trolls using his photos to promote right-wing talking points.
Over the last few years, social media has seen an increase in far-right accounts spewing hateful rhetoric towards the LGBTQIA+ community, people of colour and generally anything that represents diversity or community.
While some are front-facing with their bigotry, sharing videos and creating awful podcasts, many opt to hide behind anonymous profiles filled with inflammatory statements and cringeworthy memes.
However, one thing that has become evident with extremely conservative social media users is their less-than-stellar history of researching and vetting their sources properly.
This was certainly the case for an account on TikTok, which unknowingly used a photo of openly gay makeup artist Anthony Gordon as its rugged right-wing mascot.
“Remember boys, they keep calling us ‘far-right’ when in reality we have been ‘right-so-far,’ the meme says alongside a photo of Gordon pensively staring off camera in a flannel shirt and cowboy hat.
Fortunately, it didn’t take long for the LA-based content creator to discover that his image was being used for right-wing purposes.
Taking to his Threads account, Gordon slammed the account that uploaded the meme, writing: “New here. Some of you will remember the idiotic far right stole an image of me to make a meme for them… What they don’t know is I’m far left gay liberal man lol. Bozos! Follow me, please.”
Since sharing his post, Gordon has received heaps of support from his followers.
“I lolled when I first saw this because I knew,” one person wrote.
Another Threads user commented: “They did the same thing to Kristofer Weston, the gay leatherman from @wattsthesafeword. Everytime they find an image of what they think they represent, it’s another gay progressive hot daddy. It’s starting to feel a little Freudian in here.”
As previously mentioned, social media has become a volatile place for LGBTQIA+ users due to the rise of far-right accounts and a lack of inclusive protections.
According to GLAAD’s 2025 Social Media Safety Index, platforms are largely “failing to mitigate harmful anti-LGBTQ hate and disinformation that violates their own policies.”
Another key finding from the report revealed that LGBTQ content is disproportionately suppressed on platforms “via removal, demonetization, and forms of shadowbanning.” At the same time, those same companies are withholding “meaningful transparency about content moderation algorithms, data protection and data privacy practices.”
In a statement, GLAAD President and CEO, Sarah Kate Ellis said: “Recent years undeniably illustrate how online hate speech and misinformation negatively influence public opinion, legislation, and the real-world safety and health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people.
“The landscape of social media platform accountability work has shifted dramatically since GLAAD’s first SMSI report in 2021, with new and dangerous challenges in 2025.”
To read GLAAD’s complete 2025 Social Media Safety Index, click here.
I’ve used this makeup artist-approved brush cleaner for years now, and it’s the only one I’ll trust to clean my makeup tools – it works instantly and smells like summer holidays
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The Isoclean makeup brush cleaner is the quickest and easiest way to get brushes clean(Image: Faith Richardson)
As any beauty lover knows, the right tools can make a huge difference to your makeup, which is why keeping them in good condition is essential. As well as helping your brushes to perform better, cleaning them is also key to keeping them hygienic and safe to use – a dirty brush can be a breeding ground for bacteria, cause breakouts and leave your skin looking oily or patchy. Not to mention layers of different foundations, blushers and bronzers can affect the colour of your products when you apply them.
Although I generally find cleaning my makeup brushes to be an arduous task that I can almost never be bothered to do, discovering Isoclean’s Paradise Scented Make Up Brush Cleanerhas absolutely changed the game for me. It’s easy to use, takes barely any time at all, and smells amazing, and – dare I say it – I’ve actually started to enjoy cleaning them?
Unlike other cleaners which require copious bowls of water, cloths, and leaving them to drip dry for hours, the Isoclean spray top means I need nothing except the bottle and some paper towels. You can currently pick up a large 275ml bottlefor £19.50, or a full size bottle and 275ml refillworth £35 for £31.15. In my experience the 275ml bottle lasts around four months with a weekly clean, although that obviously depends on how frequently you clean your brushes and how many brushes you clean.
To use it, you just need to spray the brushes with the cleaner, then rub them into some paper towels or tissues and the makeup comes straight off. Some more stubborn products (like full coverage foundation) might need a couple of goes, but generally I can have a brush fully cleaned in around 30 seconds.
It took me less than five minutes to clean all my brushes(Image: Faith Richardson)
If you do prefer a more traditional solid soap style cleaner, Zoeva (who makes some of my favourite makeup brushes of all time, FYI) has the Brush Shampoo Barfor £12, which deep cleans and nourishes the bristles, helping prolong their life span. You could also try the CLOMANA BEAUTY Chocolate Orange Brush & Sponge Cleanser, which is currently on sale down from £16 to £10.40 at Sephora, and smells like chocolate orange.
However personally I love the spray formula that Isoclean has. It means they dry almost instantly, so you can clean as you go or give them a quick clean before swapping between two different coloured products without muddying the shades. The Isoclean Paradise Scented Make Up Brush Cleaneralso kills off all bacteria, keeping them safe to use.
The only real downside to the Isoclean Paradise Scented Make Up Brush Cleaneris that it can be tricky to make sure the bristles at the middle of your brush are fully saturated, especially on denser brushes like foundation ones. However a few repeat goes makes sure you get everything out and clean.
I’ve also found in the past that most brush cleaners tend to have quite a strong, harsh alcohol smell which can be off putting. However the Paradise Scented version of Isoclean’s cleaner quite honestly smells like a summer holiday. It has notes of salted caramel, vanilla, almond and pistachio, and the scent lingers on your brushes so you can still smell it next time you use them. Anything that makes me keep my makeup brushes clean with minimal effort is a winner in my book!
