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“Unorthodox, glamorous and camp,” is how Kiersten Harvey describes her approach to make-up. Better known as Skreem, the 24-year-old make-up artist’s work is recognisable for its detailed lip looks and brightly coloured eyeshadows, with lips rendered in animal prints and cheeks adorned in technicolour spikes, chunky charms and faux piercings .

For North West’s Dazed cover , that approach meant thick black eyeliner, grey shadow and lavender blush, black grills and four faux facial piercings framed by the 13-year-old’s Hatsune Miku-inspired blue hair. “Not for shock value, but to amplify something that already belongs to North,” explains Harvey. “She loves piercings and gothic aesthetics; she represents the alternative girls out there.”

Harvey’s own relationship with make-up began on the other side of the chair too. Growing up in Atlanta, she spent four years as a child star in the singing group L.O.U.D, where she became fascinated by the make-up artists getting her ready.

By 14, she was going home and recreating the looks herself. “My mom had to hire someone to take me make-up shopping because I would ruin all of her make-up,” she says.

“I was just that obsessed.”

Now based in LA, that adolescent obsession has grown into a more confident creative practice. The artist largely freestyles her work, pulling instinctively from what someone is wearing, the music playing, conversations in the room and even their aura. Below, we talk to Skreem about that process, working with North West and the beauty products she can’t live without.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?

Skreem: I am an alternative fine artist and make-up artist that specialises in glam. I’ve been a creative for as long as I can remember. Make-up became the way I learned to express that creativity and tell stories through beauty. I’m the CEO and founder of SKREEM Beauty INC, which stands for Skilled Knowledge Reflecting Everyone’s Enhanced Muse.

What’s your earliest beauty-related memory?

Skreem: My earliest beauty-related memory is my first photoshoot. I was 11 years old and my management team brought in a make-up artist and a hairstylist. I had braids at the time, so the hairstylist put my hair in a bun, and I had this super glamorous, cobalt blue, blue glitter smoky eye. It was my first time in full glam. I remember every detail about that day like it was yesterday.

Where do the colours, shapes and textures in your looks come from? What tends to be the starting point?

Skreem: They originate from my feelings, my heart, my brain. I’ve always said I’ve been a very vivid thinker. Sometimes I go off the person’s aura, how someone feels to me, their colour, things that complement their eye colours and skin tone. Textures come from the same thing. I want people to feel from the pictures of my work.

Skreem: My current obsession is junky, chunky charms. Not rhinestones, but charms and smudgy make-up. I love the perfectly imperfectness of smudged lips, eyes and glam.

Skreem: My holy grail product is actually for my base work, and it is the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish pressed powder. I literally have five of all shades. I keep them stocked in my kit.

If you could create a make-up look for anyone, who would it be?

Skreem: I would love to create a look for Balenciaga the brand and Alex Consani.

Is there a technique or material you’re obsessed with experimenting with at the moment?

Skreem: I’m obsessed with the finger painting technique of make-up and I love my super duper thin brushes. I love super thin, super pointy brushes because they get super clean lines in my technique. I call them detail brushes. I’m actually dropping my own line of detail brushes soon, so be on the lookout for that.

Do you have a favourite look you’ve created recently?

Skreem: My favourite look I’ve recently done was actually on one of my models. She has a black cross over her eye and it’s studded with spikes and smoke, with piercings, and she has this nude lip with a lip piercing, just giving like heavy metal.

To me, the cross, of course, is a representation of Christ, but Christ is very strong, it’s very powerful. The look represents the armour of Christ in a way where it’s editorial edgy, wearable and beautiful.

I see it a lot on Pinterest and lots of recreations. I love that.

How did you first start working with North West?

Skreem: I met her before very briefly while working with BKTHERULA a year ago but randomly, I was actually just out having a picnic with someone that I love, literally so random. Someone from Kim’s team reached out to me and asked, could I fly to Paris in the next 24 hours?

And of course, I said yes! Just so happens there was nothing on my schedule for the days they needed me.

I call that divine alignment. It was for Paris Fashion Week, the Vetements SS27 runway show.

I love her so much.

Can you talk us through the make-up look you created for North’s Dazed cover story?

Skreem: We wanted to make a statement while still keeping it simple and recognisable. We did a simple thick wing liner – she loves that – and we kept the eyeshadow very plain because I wanted her lashes to pop.

I love the way she does her lashes. Normally we do one or two faux face piercings, but this time we wanted to make a bolder statement that really spoke to who she is and what she loves.

So we did four faux piercings, dark black liner with grey eyeshadow and lavender blush.

What do you want to see more of in the make-up world?

Skreem: I love the direction the make-up world is going. I want to see more emotion-invoking art pieces in glam and I want to see more brands take part in it, especially for campaigns and covers. More storytelling.

Skreem: Beauty means freedom. Beauty means expression. You can be anyone you want to be, you can express your power through glam without having to say a word. Beauty to me speaks for itself. Beauty is what makes you different. Beauty looks different on everyone. Beauty means freedom. Beauty is LOUD. Beauty SKREEMS. Beauty is SKREEM.

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