Photographed by Natalie Brandt

TROY BARSA

ILLUSTRATION DESIGN STUDENT, FREELANCE MAKEUP ARTIST, AND ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ + COMMUNITY.

Within the month of PRIDE, Troy was chosen as the cover mogul for our back to back Makeup Your Pride cover story. Not only is Troy an incredible designer, but his talents in illustration lie far beyond that of a typical canvas. Troy found a passion for makeup early on, as a queer boy in San Diego, CA. Started off by simply playing with his mom’s beauty products at home. It wasn’t until high school where Troy felt comfortable enough to wear his face creations to school. Even rocking a full glam look at his senior prom. He says he feels really himself in makeup, but its also his way of being somebody completely new, and that’s what’s exciting. He has since began some cosplay and drag after moving to NYC for school.

We had a lot of fun working with Troy on this cover story. We got to play with some fun makeup looks, lay in the grass and chat about their active role in the LGBTQ+ community.

Throughout the making of this story, we uncovered what expression truly means to them. We were able to enter a space where Troy’s ability to take his knowledge from pen on paper to liner on the face was uplifting and freeing. This shoot allowed for full self expression in more ways than one. We had such a blast working with Troy and are very excited to share the full coverage of the story in our first issue.

What is the goal for your business/brand? Where could you see it being in 5 years from now?

“I’d really love to be a part of a collective, and curate and put on weekly/monthly shows incorporating fine arts, fashion, music, and more. Creating spaces is something I’m really interested in, and to me it’s more than a space, but an environment. I want to enliven all senses and create new experiences. I’d like to be a part of a collaborative group who works for each other.”