V chat with Jeffree Star with our claws and credit cards out while we wait for his collab with Morphe brushes launching tomorrow, Feb. 5^th.

As we eagerly await the launch of the Jeffree Star x Morphe Brush Collection, we talked to Jeffree Star about internet culture, the 10^thanniversary of Beauty Killer, Luxury vs. Drugstore beauty products, straight men and Grandma Eileen.

How did you use MySpace in the very beginning of social media?

I mean… even before MySpace there were other websites that kids nowadays have no idea about. I just started to raid profiles with really offensive names. The C word is not acceptable these days. But back then; people had a more sarcastic (sense of) humor. There was a site called face the jury. It was basically a really shallow website where people would upload pictures and people would rate them from 1 to 10 like ugly or hot. And I would troll people and comment c-u-n-t. And it would get a lot of traction. So when MySpace came out, my early name on there was “cunt” and people were like “Omg, this is so crazy.” And then I legally changed my name to Jeffree Star. I was just always internet-savvy and I knew that the internet culture would be massive. I just think I thought way ahead of its time. So every time that there’s a new app or something really popping, I’m always there. I say that I have internet immortality because I just won’t go away.

Which leads us straight into… If social media didn’t exist, what would you be doing?

I would either be a psychologist or mortuary beautician.

I can see it. You were so quick with that answer!

Yeah, I started going to college for that and then the internet happened. And here we are!

When you were starting off your career in the beginning, you had a song out –Beauty Killer. You’re about to reach the tenth anniversary this year.

Yeah, this September which is so wild.

Insane. Plans to celebrate?

I’m hoping to have it out on Vinyl for the very first time for a little homage. And I may or may not be working on some new stuff.

We’ll keep on the lookout.

Yeah, it will all be announced soon. But we are just trying to figure out what makes sense. Like I’m not trying to be a singer again and travel the world, but we would love to give it its own moment again.

I think people would be super excited to see that because your super fans definitely remember your moment as a singer. Your musical career is what helped catapult you, you know?

And you know what’s wild? Like every month I get a check from Warner Bros. because there are new fans and people googling and searching and playing and listening. So people are still buying the music, which is crazy.

Let’s talk about beauty. You can be very critical of other brands. Especially when it comes to brushes, you have a very high standard. So when it came to your collaboration with Morphe, how did that affect your standard of taste?

I’m not sure if you know this, but we were going to collab in 2016 but never did. So I stupidly at the time, gave a sneak peek and video, so to this day I still get the hardcore fans saying “Where are these brushes?” And of course, there are so many new people that don’t know about it. But I wanted to team up with Morphe because I love their quality, I love their price point, and I thought it would be exciting to try something different. I do have my luxury price point so to go and give the customer a different experience I thought was unique and fun. The quality of your brushes is going to change the game, and they are really good. I was not going to accept anything but the best.

It’s funny you’re mentioning luxury products because you’ve done a compare and contrast with luxury and drug-store products where you’ve worn half and half on your face. Do you feel like luxury products are worth the money?

Five years ago I would say 100 percent luxury is always going to be better. But in the last five years, I think with so many influencers and how our culture changed with products, I think the curtain kind of ripped away which is great for the consumer. A lot of times people just buy things, hoping it would work. But now you can actually see me test it out if it’s actually great. And I think a lot of the drug-store brands need testing too. A lot of people have reached out to me asking “If you could try this for me…” or “Give us your feedback” secretly, like a consultant. I think that the drug-store brands are trying a lot harder. Like, Wet N’ Wild right now. Why is it amazing? Because they changed their packaging and got a new CEO and changed their tune. Adapting. So I would say it’s all about trying things out. There are a lot of luxury brands that are overpricing things and they shouldn’t be, you know? Which is shocking. Usually, you would trust the price point. Now, you have to trust the formula. Which I think, is pretty cool. That’s what I’m here for and help people sift through that and watch.

You were just talking about how the beauty industry has changed from the past five years. Where do you think it’s going in the next five years?

Ooo. I’m honestly not sure. I think that it still is so big. But I think that one day we might have a technology revolt with everyone, you know? With people being hacked and face timing with other people, it’s really scary out there. Maybe one day we’ll burn our phones.

Okay, okay.

I don’t want that, but you never know

 

Here at V, we’re starting to experience men with makeup. Chanel recently came out with a men’s makeup, Boy de Chanel. We’re trying to figure out how we could convince our male readers to wear makeup. Let’s take your boyfriend, for example. Does he wear makeup?

Honestly, no.

He doesn’t?

Because here is the thing. You are never going to market makeup to a straight male. They do not care. I’ve been asked by several brands to help articulate the vision. I even thought about doing it. I’ve seen Tom Ford try it and flopped, Chanel makeup flopped. People are not into it. Nate is not going to wake up and throw on concealer and do the whole thing. It’s just not going to happen. Normal dudes do not care. It’s just not in their realm of thinking. If they did not do it their whole life, they are definitely not going to do it at 25 or 30. You see these brands trying. Maybe they’re trying to be edgy. I’m not sure, and they really want it to work. But the Chanel one, I was like… OK. There was no advertising though. Where’s the picture of the guys? It was just flat for me.

When I went to Asia, I saw a billboard advertising for men’s makeup line with different types of men for cc creams and brow pencils. Could it be a cultural difference?

100%.

You are so confident and outgoing, people are drawn to your personality. But on the other side, I wonder if you have any physical insecurities that people can relate to?

Well, I had surgery last week for a problem I have. So that is a main issue I have been dealing with. The things that I didn’t like, for instance, my hair line and my teeth, I went and I fixed it. I got a new hairline and got new teeth. I fully went for it. And I think also with talking about botched surgery or bad tattoos, people need to start educating themselves better instead of just going to the cheapest person or “my friend said it’s great.” You have to be very careful. Even someone like me who is very critical and know what’s up, got botched. I like to share my story and help out.

Whenever we watch Youtube videos of you, we can’t help but notice the grandma tattoo on your neck. What was your relationship like with her and is there a link between your grandmother, beauty and makeup?

She used to be a nightclub singer back in the day. She loved heavy makeup and glam. She played a really big role in my life. When I was growing up, my mom was drunk half the time. Now she’s sober, but she was a very heavy alcoholic. My grandparents raised me in high school, and she always pushed me to believe in myself and always look the way I wanted to look and never really judged me, which was pretty cool. Because I know there are a lot of people whose parents or family don’t accept them for who they are. So you know, to have a single mom and grandparents who embrace my weirdness back then was really special.

What was her name? We have to give her a shout out.

Yes! Eileen.

Thank you so much for taking the time to interview with me. We appreciate it and we are all fans of you at V Magazine. We need to do something soon.

I would love that.