The Trendsetters: The creatives behind the buzziest consumer trends
Donni Davy
Co-founder and creative director, Half Magic Beauty
Winning an Emmy, completing set work on a feature film, launching a beauty brand and having a baby would each be big accomplishments on their own in one year, but makeup artist Donni Davy managed to do all of this and more in 2022. One of makeup’s biggest trendsetters through her work as the head makeup artist for HBO’s “Euphoria,” Davy’s looks have fueled crazes for everything from face gems to glitter eyeshadow. Thanks to the launch of her makeup brand Half Magic in May, her fans can now go straight to the source to stock up on these products, as well as Davy’s newly invented, beginner-friendly tools for tricky looks like winged eyeliner.
What have Half Magic’s best sellers been so far?
“Our best sellers are shimmer Chomaddiction [eye paint and liner] in ASMR, which went out of stock and then just came back in, our Magic Flick eyeliner pen — we just launched that, and it’s in the lead, at the moment — Wing Magician, which is our diamond-shaped eyeliner tool helper, our Mouth Cloud [lip cream] in the shade Magic Brownie and matte Chromaddiction in the shade Sky Juice.”
With parties back in full force, do you feel 2022 was the year of the makeup comeback?
“No, I think it’s just the beginning; it’s going to make a much stronger comeback. We’re in a moment of transition with makeup trends. There’s two really different schools of thought: the minimalist approach and the maximalist approach. And mainstream is coming around to dabble in the more maximalist, expressive approach.”
How has the brand been encouraging this?
“What I want to communicate with the brand and what I try to do is just demolish any of those antiquated rules and guidelines for makeup, like ‘day look’ versus ‘night look,’ or ‘work-appropriate.’ I like to question [those rules] in a gentle, kind of encouraging way and showcase what a bolder look can be. A bold makeup look doesn’t have to be something that’s visible from across the room. It can just be a skinny blue line on the corner of your eye.
Bridging that gap between fantasy and real life is what I’m interested in doing. I’m really into the mental health side of makeup and using makeup to discover and display different versions of yourself.”
After launching exclusively DTC, do you have any retail partners on the horizon?
“We do have retailers on the horizon. We’re just DTC right now and definitely cultivating some strong relationships with retailers. That would happen mid next year.”
What does your product launch pipeline look like for 2023?
“We have four or five new launches planned, and that includes new products and new shades, as well. We’re definitely diving full in and doing everything; we have the next couple years planned out. For me, it’s all about finding things that are actually innovative and that I can’t live without.”
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Click here to see all 2022 Glossy 50 honorees.
