MODELS TO KNOW: IMANI SHANTÉ
IMANI SHANTÉ
Originally from South Florida and currently based in NYC, Imani Shanté is an independent model, writer, and beauty expert known for her fiery auburn hair and magnetic glow. Imani encourages us to take risks with our beauty routines and be fiercely confident about every detail that makes us who we are.
SHEER: Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you're from/based.
Imani Shanté: I was born and raised in sunny south Florida, and my family is from Spanish Town, Jamaica. I moved to New York with my mother the summer of 2017 on a whim and I think I can speak for the both of us when I say it’s one of, if not the best decision I’ve ever made. New York is magical. I’m a Broward County baby for life, though.
SHEER: Your hair color is so beautiful. How did you decide on the color and how do you maintain its radiance?
IS: Thank you! My hair was blonde a few months prior to me dyeing it red for the first time and my decision on the color was partly me wanting to try something bold and me being tired of seeing dark roots from my new growth. I wanted something that was true to my essence, and memorable to others. Now it’s become my signature. To maintain the vibrancy of the auburn, I deep condition my hair every 1-2 weeks and rinse with cold water after a good wash. Being that my hair is so thick and grows so fast, deep conditioning is essential to my haircare routine. It keeps my hair soft to the touch and gives it a healthy luster.
SHEER: How did your interest in makeup develop and where do you mainly draw inspiration from for your looks?
IS: My interest in makeup came from watching my mom get ready in the mornings before taking me to school. I was always in awe of her and how she used products and secretly envied her large eyelid space. When I’m in need of inspiration, I look to beauty ads from the 60’s and 70’s, music videos, runway archives, and showgirls. The vintage beauty ads that showed women having vibrant colors on their eyelids and lips only included women of fairer complexions. The makeup inspiration from one of my recent photoshoots, ‘Azure’ shot by Braylen Dion, came from an ad I saw for cream eyeshadow that was a beautiful sky blue. I looked at the products I had and worked my magic with the 30 minutes I had and came up with my own rendition of that.
SHEER: What are 5 beauty brands/products you swear by?
IS: Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation, Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer, L.A. Girl Cosmetics HD Pro Concealer, Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Highlight + Balm, and Glossier Play Niteshine Highlighter Concentrate. If I had to use nothing but these products as the base for my makeup for the rest of my life, I’d be just fine. And dewy!
SHEER: Do you have a recent beauty look you were most excited about and how did you achieve this look?
IS: I recently did a look involving smoked out eyeliner and a soft cut crease. I usually use jewel tones on my eyes, so going with neutral colors was different for me. I was so happy to get the liner sharp, exaggerated, and smokey! It felt amazing to try something and be satisfied with the results. I followed the advice of my good friend and professional makeup artist Anthony Walker and followed the outer corner of my eye for the wing, and went with a very thin line on the inner corner for that feline look/effect. I completed the entire look with my favorite curly wig and I felt every element come together.
SHEER: What are some of your top skincare essentials? For winter months vs. summer months?
IS: I have combination skin so finding products that control oil while catering to the sensitivity of my skin is a must. I really love CeraVe’s Hydrating Facial Cleanser all year round, especially in winter. I also love Milk Makeup’s Vegan Milk Moisturizer, and Pai’s Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil. Pai’s face oil is a little pricey, but I also love Palmer’s Skin Therapy Face OIl. For summer, or when I’m taking a trip back home, I can’t go without Paula’s Choice C15 Booster, Paula’s Choice Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum, and Milk Makeup’s Cooling Water — if you want to really help de-puff your undereyes, keep the Cooling Water stick in the fridge or freezer and just glide it under your eyes after applying your serums. It feels divine. My objective when buying skincare products is finding what will make my skin look hydrated, plump, and radiant. Breakouts are a natural reoccurrence, but doing all I can to keep my skin protected and healthy is very important.
SHEER: How do you believe mainstream beauty culture can improve in being more inclusive and diverse?
IS: Mainstream beauty culture can improve in being more inclusive and diverse by not treating inclusion as a trend. Another way is to go beyond the bare minimum when it comes to casting and the celebration of richer, deeper complexions. A lot of brands perform their inclusivity by boasting their one token model with a deep complexion in a sea of fair-skinned models and it’s extremely lazy and disrespectful. Every young child deserves to see someone who looks like them represented well in the media. Period.
SHEER: What are some stereotypes and myths you've challenged when it comes to makeup on darker skin? How do you respond to people and companies who believe that they can profit off of the features and objectification of women of color?
IS: Some stereotypes I’ve heard over the years and challenged myself have been that darker complexions “can’t” wear blush, black eyeliner and neutral tone eyeshadow are the “only” colors that will show on deep skin, and brown skin girls “shouldn’t” wear red lipstick. All lies. All debunked. In the midst of companies with ill intentions and misguided judgement, we should hold them accountable for objectifying women of color but not forget to big up the brands who are doing it right and have never thought of inclusion as an afterthought. Make Up For Ever, MAC, Bobbi Brown, NYX, Pat McGrath and of course, Fenty Beauty have always championed diversity and it shows. The difference between the brands I’ve listed and their competitors is that their diversity is organic and not contrived.
SHEER: What words of advice do you have from your own beauty journey for women who are looking to experiment with their hair and makeup?
IS: When experimenting with hair and makeup, don’t take things too seriously. Obviously, being mindful of using harsh products or techniques is a given when it comes to beauty and haircare, but having fun should be too. If you’re used to neutral eyeshadow, try a soft pink or muted purple on the eyes. If you’ve always used highlighters with golden notes, try a pearlescent one to give a new radiance to your face. Use your liquid lipstick as eyeliner. Buy a wig if you want color but don’t want to risk dyeing your hair. Also, don’t get sucked into outdated beauty standards and new age trends. You don’t have to contour your beautiful nose, baking your face with setting powder isn’t that necessary, and you don’t need 25mm lashes to be glamorous. Find what works for you, and be the finest thing walking.