Anna Rudzit / @sugaronyoursouls Takes Preconceptions of Beauty Into Her Own Hands

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

The work of Moscow’s makeup aficionado Anna Rudzit – better known as @sugaronyoursouls – is not for the faint of heart. While most makeup artists concern themselves with the perfect wing or smoothest blend, Rudzit exists in a world of her own. Held together by macaroni noodles, clementine peels and clouds of pigmented goop; the term “experimental” serves her craft a limited justice.

When I first came across Rudzit’s creations, I was not sure whether to feel startled or exhilarated. I consider myself to be a devoted follower of the makeup industry, one that is – unfortunately – rather occupied with chasing perfection. Since confronting Rudzit’s work, something has awoken. Her marks of expression are a gift to this industry, a sign to shake up notions of “creativity” and embrace the uncomfortable as a portal to something beautiful. 

I had the pleasure of chatting with Rudzit about her creative philosophies and her variety of influences, among other subjects. Read away!

Rebecca L. Judd for Also Cool: Hi there Anna! Thank you for taking the time to speak with Also Cool – I am a recent fan, but your looks have already taken over my 'Saved' tab on Instagram. For those unfamiliar with your work, can you explain what it is you do?

Anna Rudzit: Hey Also Cool Mag! Thank you for this opportunity, I appreciate it. I am [an artist] doing experimental and avant-garde makeup. It's something between makeup and art. If we [were to] dig deeper, [this comes] from our ancestors, who decorated themselves with various objects and painted on their faces to show their place in their society. In my opinion, the closest thing to avant-garde makeup today is high fashion. Experimental makeup gives great opportunities for creativity, and there are practically no boundaries. At the same time, you can create in the moment and allow yourself to make mistakes.

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

Also Cool: Your work fascinates me because it validates that any form of facial experimentation is capable of being recognized as 'art'. Your work strays away from the polish or precision that we assume of makeup artists – you have proven that random tools like Post-its, balloons and scotch tape can also create a unique and intriguing makeup look. How did you decide to move in this direction with your art as a makeup artist? 

Anna: [Ever] since childhood I was interested in makeup, and I also had access to my mother's cosmetics and the absence of prohibitions in creativity from my parents. In adulthood, I [gained] skills in photography, retouching, and I [completed] makeup artistry courses. In the end, I united all this and decided that I didn't want to create something simple and understandable. I was interested in experiments – images on the verge of beautiful and ugly. I wanted to share my own perception of beauty, [and] to tell a story. I like to create images on my face and photograph them as if it were a one-man theater.

AC: Together with Russian artist Anna Meder, you co-founded Messymakeupcommunity, an artistic community dedicated to "unusual and experimental makeup". Tell me more about this project, and what you hope to achieve with it!

A: [Mine and Anna’s] creative paths began almost at the same time, that's how we got to know each other. At the beginning of [our] journey, we faced the fact that it is very difficult to get [exposure through] the magazines and the communities so that people can see your work. Most often, popular [outlets] choose a picture without noticing [the] real person behind it. Just a beautiful image and that's it. Our approach is completely different – we show artists who want to be seen. It doesn't matter what [kind of style of] photo was taken and how high quality it is. It's important to catch on to the idea.Our community exists as a platform to support all artists – famous and beginners – who are interested in this kind of creativity. We believe that creativity makes our world a better place.

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

AC: Who is it that influences your artistic approach? Do your influences include fellow makeup artists, or people outside of makeup altogether?

A: I am not inspired by [anyone] in particular. On the contrary, I try to turn off what I [have seen] in order to focus on my experience. I've always been passionate about psychology, surrealism and David Lynch. This is what has always interested me. When I started my blog, a kind of alma mater [for developing my makeup] was #uglymakeuprevolution. 

I am often asked about inspiration, but I think we are inspired by the same things. Nature, people, art, architecture, cinema, fashion, personal experiences and so on. The main trick is how you put it through your mind and imagination. 

AC: What has been the biggest challenge for you as a makeup artist, and how have you overcome it?

A: The biggest challenge [has been] non-constructive criticism. I understand perfectly well that the world will never be neutral, and social networks are a toxic place. But sometimes it still affects me. In such cases, I try to focus on love and support.

One of the very first and [most] difficult, from an ethical point of view, was the work [I did] based on the Xavier Dolan film "Matthias and Maxim". The main character (Dolan) had a birthmark all over his cheek. I was deeply impressed by the director's reception. It was powerful. And I did not hesitate to draw exactly the same on my cheek and took a photo. 

I was not going to publish the photo, [as] I did it for myself in a creative burst. Later, I told my friend about this and showed the photo. She persuaded me to publish it for her sake, arguing that she has a large birthmark and she was embarrassed all her life, and my work [gave] her confidence that it is unique and beautiful. As a result, I conducted a mini research [sample] among my friends and came to the conclusion that there can be no definite answer, but my friend's words influenced me and I made up my mind. This idea was soon stolen from me without any twinges of conscience. Since then, I have tried not to touch on [controversial] topics, because I don't want to offend anyone.

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

AC: Although the variety of your looks is captivating, I imagine that some of them must be hard to wear... What is your go-to look in the day-to-day? Do you ever leave the house wearing your unconventional looks, or are those reserved for Instagram?

A: In everyday life, I don't wear bright or extravagant makeup, but once I painted my face at an online party. And my model [has previously] spent the whole day with chains glued to her eyes. She was excited, because she didn't think that it would be comfortable and beautiful at the same time.

AC: Thank you for your time, Anna. We here at Also Cool can't wait to see what you do next! As a parting question, do you have any next steps to share with us? What do you hope to achieve in the rest of 2021?

A: I plan to [collaborate] with several brands, I think it will be interesting. I have an idea to make some material objects, not just photos with makeup. Of course, I will continue to experiment in the field of beauty. I also dream of participating in an exhibition with my works.

Makeup, photography and retouching by Anna Rudzit

Anna Rudzit

Instagram | Messy Makeup Community

Rebecca L. Judd (she/they) is the features editor of Also Cool Mag. She writes and creates out of a studio apartment in Ottawa, kept company by vivid dreams and a cuddly grey kitty named Dora.

This interview was conducted over email, and has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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I’m For No One’s Consumption But My Own: Meet NYC Treasure Kitty

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Kitty, edited by peachy_kai

In our era of “the everyday celebrity,” where creators’ means of gaining a reputation and fanbases are (sometimes) dictated by social media savviness and a viral appeal, one roadblock remains: authenticity. Across all forms of creative expression, the timeless questions of “Why do artists do what they do?” and by extension “Who are they, really?” are always on the table, especially now that creators willingly let us peer into their everyday lives online. A few odd years ago seeing artists “just being themselves” could majorly stain their image. Now, the advent of “get ready with me” and “day in the life” style social media segments humanize, and even glamourize, the day-in and day-out of lived experiences. In other words, the exposé has retired and vulnerability has been readily embraced. Relatability is in, and can even be your ticket to widely received recognition via innovative corners of the Internet. At the same time, the idea of online availability trickling down into how success is born and raised also threatens how people are treated by their audiences.

With little barriers between creators and consumers, the pressing question becomes “How do creatives preserve and care for their sense of self when so much of it has to be on display in order to stand out?” This theme was at the core of my conversation with Kitty, a multidisciplinary visual and makeup artist, fashion designer and model, who uses social media to showcase their creative portfolio and network within the fashion industry and beauty community. 

On the surface, Kitty and I actually have a lot in common. We’re both 23 years old, earth signs, and are living with our parents after graduating post-secondary during the pandemic. Though we share a “just figuring it out” mentality, there is, of course, one key difference between us: their 35.9K following on Instagram. Through chatting with Kitty, I learned that the upkeep of their artistic passions, in tandem with their social media presence, is made entirely possible by staying true to their biggest source of inspiration, themselves. 

“When it comes to my creativity, a lot of people ask, and are surprised, when I say that I’m mainly my own source of inspiration,” they say with a small smirk across their face. “I’m like, what do you mean who inspires me? Why does it have to be somebody else? To me, being a real artist and a real creative doesn’t mean you can’t find inspiration in others, but basing my drive off someone other than myself is something I’ve never experienced or felt,” they add. 

For Kitty, self-reliance is a must and comes naturally when conceptualizing new projects. From a young age, they’ve always been encouraged to pursue creative freedom, and continue to reject being boxed-in when it comes to self-expression. Their looks combine ethereal whimsy with the underground edge of their hometown of NYC, adorning them with a presence that exudes originality. Much of their determination is evidenced by the origin of their name and artistic outlook. 

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Self-portrait conceptualized, created, styled, shot and edited by the artist

“I’ve been in love with cats since I was a little kid. I remember I used to go to art school and they would get so upset with me because all I wanted to do was draw cats,” they laugh. “My instructors couldn’t understand why, but cats always represented much more to me than just my favourite animal,” they explain. “I’ve done a lot of research on their symbolism, and cats represent the concept of one’s inner-child and a sense of playfulness, and how to embrace that. My connection to cats brought my work to life… [It’s] just very magical, and also very safe. I feel like that’s my energy, and how I want people to feel when they see my work.” 

This story was made a little sweeter by the fact that they had a kitschy kitten poster behind them during our Zoom call. 

Kitty also expressed that their relationship with their inner, imaginative world has only come to life in a tangible way after learning to cultivate their distinctive sense of style.

“Since I graduated high school I’ve gone through so much shit. Back then, I didn’t really know who I was. Though I still added my own personal touch when it came to how I expressed myself, I still felt like I had to be a ‘certain type of girl.’ Back then, I didn’t even know I was non-binary, and I wasn’t surrounded with the right people who allowed me to feel more fluid in myself,” they articulate. “In terms of my evolution, I’ve really learned to free myself from norms that were pushed onto me, and there’s no going back.” 

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Self-portrait conceptualized, created, styled, shot and edited by the artist

Though much of Kitty’s growth was made possible by nurturing self-acceptance, sharing it with the world via social media unexpectedly lead to online admiration; much to their surprise considering their humble intentions. 

“As I always like to say, I don’t think people realized that I started from my fucking basement,” they giggle. “I didn’t have a tripod and I didn’t have a ring light. I just had some backdrops, and you know, I would do a fun makeup look here and there. That’s when people started reaching out to me, and I realized diving into the industries I was interested in was possible.” 

Kitty tells me that while the start of their online buzz brought professional opportunities in the world of beauty and fashion, the downside of broadcasting their personal brand on a public platform has made for a lot of challenges. Like a lot of online creators, Kitty struggles with maintaining boundaries and managing their followers’ expectations. 

“Personally, it feels like I’m never enough for some people, you know?” they begin. “I’m very grateful for all the love and support I get, but at the same time, I get overwhelmed because people feel very entitled to my time and personal life.”  

Just as they were about to make another point, Kitty noticed an Instagram DM notification pop up on their phone, and read it out-loud to me. 

“Hi, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you pay your bills when you were just starting to model, what were you doing?” 

They roll their eyes, sigh and smile. The timing is a little much for both of us. 

“Yeah, like you see?!” they exclaim. “I can only give you so much of me and my experience. I do joke a lot, saying that I’m not real… But, I am a real person. I have feelings and things I need to process… I don’t always want to be perceived. At the end of the day, I’m for no one’s consumption but my own.” 

Laughing off this note of frustration, Kitty and I got on the subject of how they’re learning to self-advocate on social media, and how much of it draws from protecting their art, as so much of it comes from a sentimental and intimate place. 

“People are so used to me being sweet and nice, but one thing I refuse to be silent about lately is the makeup community not understanding the difference between recreation and inspiration. Another part of people wanting too much from me is when they say they’re ‘inspired’ by me and use that as justification to recreate my look without properly crediting me, especially with my rhinestone looks,” they share. “People might label me as being a bully or being mean, but I’m tired of being accused of gatekeeping when I’m defending something that fully represents me.” 

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Self-portrait conceptualized, created, styled, shot and edited by the artist

I then asked Kitty how they keep up their momentum and stay grounded within these circumstances, realizing how exhausting they must be. 

“I feel like everything really comes full circle. Everything I have has really just started from myself, and I can’t lose sight of that because I want others to get there. For example, I’ve been working my way into the modelling industry since I was 19, and it’s very toxic. I realize now, after walking fashion week at 5’5, that I can break the mold and inspire people who have features like mine; models who are short and have weird noses, or like a nose bump… any kind of nose, and any body type. Even though I still deal with people who try to manipulate and undermine me, and who expect me to work for free… I want to always give back to others because I feel like when you give back, the universe will return it to you eventually, you know?” My friends remind me that not everyone is going to want to come with me on my journey, but that leaves room for new people and new energy.” 

In closing our conversation, Kitty tells me what they’re looking forward to in 2021 after undergoing so much self-discovery in the past year. 

“I feel like what I was missing before was the self-love that I started finding in 2020. I think a lot of that translates into my work now, and I hope people recognize that I am much happier. I’ve got some exciting collabs coming up in the future and my website is growing. Even though things are uncertain in the world right now, one thing I learned in the past year was to do all the things [I was] afraid to do. I want to carry that energy forward and continue to evolve.” 

Kitty shot by estherfromnewyork for uzumakigallery

Kitty (They/Them)

Website | Instagram | TikTok | Youtube

Zoë Argiropulos-Hunter (She/Her) is the Co-Founder and Editor of Also Cool Mag. Aside from the mag, she is a music promoter & booker, radio host & DJ, and a musician.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

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