Isamaya Ffrench started working as a face and body painter in 2010 after dropping out of Central Saint Martins. Within a few years, she was working on ad campaigns and shoots for YSL, Camper, Chanel, Dazed and i-D.

While she’s often described as a makeup artist, it’s fairer to say that Ffrench is an artist who works with makeup. Her striking and unconventional work has challenged traditional ideas of beauty – and paved the way for a new generation of creatives who are ripping up the beauty rulebook.

But after working for some of the world’s biggest brands and magazines, Ffrench has decided on a change. She is now turning her focus to longer-term projects, such as creating a cosmetics line with Swedish brand Byredo and working on her first film. We talk to Ffrench about her career to date and her plans for the future.