If you want to glow en Francais, do as Colette Kanza does. The Vogue Open Casting Class of 2023 winner and curve model, who lives in Paris, has perfected her system for hydrated skin and “classic French girl makeup.” Lucky for us, she s going to share all of her secrets.
But first, she strives to Melt Awf any impurities with Fenty’s jelly cleanser. Drawing out her “me moment,” the Congolese beauty takes some “time to relax” with an Innisfree sheet mask, sipping tea as it sets. “You see me glowing?” she beams as she peels the mask off—but she’s not done yet.
“Generally, I have good skin,” Kanza says with a laugh. “Thank you, Mom.” Still, she ensures dewiness with Fenty’s niacinamide-infused toner and Givenchy’s vitamin-packed serum. Raving about yet another Fenty product—its multitasking, SPF-enhanced Hyda Vizor—she pages the brand’s famous founder. “RiRi, I am right here!” she self-promotes, laughing again. “I’m ready when you are. Text me.”
While she waits for Rihanna’s call, the model gets to work on her “French girl makeup look.” The process begins with Fenty foundation and Too Faced concealer. “I really like this concealer because it’s very covering, if you want to have a full makeup look,” she explains. And today, she does.
The Netherlands native sets her foundation with Laura Mercier’s loose powder, recommending the Medium Deep shade to her fellow “dark-skinned Bettys.” She warms up her look with Fenty’s bronzer in Mocha Mami, while planting some energetic seeds for her next achievement. “I’m manifesting that I will walk in a show within six months,” she says in Dutch.
Upping her radiance won’t hurt her chances, and Kanza next picks up MAC’s highlighting face powder in Gold Deposit. “It has a little bit of glitter, as you can see.” After she’s dusted the powder onto her cheeks, she’s ready to show off what it can do: “Look at this, guys. Do you see it?” she asks, already posing like a pro.
As she applies more of her shimmery MAC product, Kanza breaks down the beauty look she sees all over the Parisian streets. “French girl makeup is really, like, red lipstick,” the beauty-lover explains. “They will put [on] maybe just concealer, and a little bit of blush, mascara, and lipstick. It’s really simple.” Kanza’s take on the style has a little more pizazz, perhaps—after drawing on an inky black cat-eye, she says: “Can we just admire the wing and the highlight?”
For her lip, however, Kanza stays true to French-girl tradition. “I love me a red lipstick,” she admits. “One thing about me: I love red, OK? It’s either nude, or red.” Today, it’s the latter, and her Fenty lip stick of choice packs a vibrant, tomato-hued punch.
After setting her look with Charlotte Tilbury’s spray, Kanza’s work is done. “My look is complete,” she says, indicating her “classic French girl makeup, a la Colette.” And with that, she signs off in a classic French way: with a “bisou.”
Director: Gabrielle Reich
DP: Tim Jarrosson
Editor: Michael Suyeda
Associate Producer: Lea Donenberg
Production Manager: Natasha Soto-Albors
Production Coordinator: Ava Kashar
Head of Programming
Development, Vogue France : Thomas Leroy
Global Talent Casting Director: Ignacio Murillo
Post Production Supervisor: Edward Taylor
Post Production Coordinator: Jovan James
Supervising Editor: Kameron Key
Supervising Editors: Kameron Key, Rob Lombardi
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell
Filmed at: Le Bristol Paris
