“I’ve always loved music. My dad is a musician—John Taylor, he was in Duran Duran—so we had a whole set up in our house. I was in a band starting at 13 and it broke my dad's heart when I didn’t want to be in it anymore—but it was 7th grade! I was too into boys. [Laughs] After high school, I started to learn how to DJ. My dad was super into the idea, so we set up all of this DJ equipment in my tiny apartment—it took up half the room. I wanted to do it properly, though. I took turntable lessons but also taught myself a lot. I moved to New York a year ago, and I love it. I knew I had to get out of LA and learn to support myself. Now, I DJ and model, too.
My mom [Amanda de Cadenet] is so incredibly helpful with work stuff, boy stuff, whatever. The way we think about beauty is really similar. She’s not a makeup or hair person, and she's really into all-natural products. The only thing she ever wears is mascara. It’s funny because I say ‘mascara’ like her, with a British accent. It was the only thing she talked about using when I was a kid. [Laughs] I don’t even know how to use a curling iron—I just didn’t grow up like that.
I still feel really weird about getting my makeup done for events, because I’m not used to wearing makeup- makeup. But you have to do it a lot differently when people are taking flash photos. I used to wear only Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in Radiance as an illuminator, because I like dewy skin. But then I would look so oily in photos. It was bad. So, powder is a new addition to my makeup bag. I put Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Setting Translucent Powderon my T-zone and then keep it in my bag at events. I got this Chanel Vitalumière Aqua foundation in a gift bag once, and I like it because it’s super light and has sunscreen in it. If it’s just a regular day, I like to mix the foundation with the Laura Mercier illuminator because it’s dewy and easy.
When a makeup artist teaches me to do anything, I get very excited. The best thing I’ve learned to use so far is Tom Ford's Shade and Illuminate Palette. All you have to do is take the blender and dab it on your cheeks and it just brings out your cheekbones. I also just learned how to do my own eyeliner. I rely on drugstore brown eyeliners for the insides of my eyes. Right now it’s Maybelline Define-A-Line in Chestnut Brown. If I wear black liner, I like Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Liner—it lasts so much longer than my old Eyeko liner. And I’m really into a reddish-brown color on my eyelids. I always joke that if you look like you’re dying, then I’m into it. [Laughs] I just like that kind of grungy eye. I put Nars Multiple in Malibu on them, too, or Tom Ford Pink Haze Cream Colour for Eyes—it doesn’t move. I just started to use Nars Blush in Seduction on my lids and I think it makes my eyes look lighter brown. Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegranate Punk is just a darker version of the Nars stick. That doesn’t move, either. My specifications for shadow are that I need to be able to apply it with my fingers, mess it up, and have it last all night. If I want a greasy eye, sometimes I’ll use Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, but it falls off, so I can’t wear it to a fancy event. My favorite mascara is Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes in Black Satin. It’s really good, and it’s so thick you don’t even need an eyelash curler. But if I’m doing a smoky eye with proper eyeliner, I’ll wear YSL Mascara Effet Faux Cils in High Density Black.
I don’t really do anything with my eyebrows. Maybe I’ll use eyebrow gel. But I don’t like when they look too clean. I had them waxed once when I was 15 and had a full meltdown. I said, ‘Never again.’ I can’t.
If I’m going to do a lip, I’m obviously using Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square. It stays on so well and I can choose how intense I want it to be by layering it. RMS Lip Shine in Sacred is also really pretty, and that line is all organic.
The more makeup I’ve used, and the more I travel, the more I need an intense face cleanser. I grew up with all-natural products, but my skin hasn’t been able to handle them recently. I’ve been using Murad Time Release Acne Cleanser for six months. My sister, Zoe [Nash Taylor] is a huge makeup and skincare person, so she introduced me to it. She also gave me this Boscia Super Cool De-Puffing Eye Balm that really works. When my skin is super dry, I moisturize with Live Live Bee Yummy Skin Food. And when I travel, I put that on three times a day—once in the morning, once when I get on the plane, and once when I get off the plane. I swear by it. It’s weird, because I just found it at an all-natural beauty store on my block, but my mom knew about separately. I also really like their Bee Yummy Honey Mask for the winter. I've tried Caudalie Beauty Elixir, and it's fine, but I have to say, I always travel with Heritage Store Rosewater & Glycerine. It's my favorite spray. Plane skincare is real. [Laughs]
As little as I know about makeup, I feel like I know even less about hair. I don’t do anything to mine if I don’t have to. Bumble and bumble Surf Spray is practically the only hair product I know how to use. Even if I get my hair done, I need to fuck it up a little bit after and Surf Spray makes it less ‘clean.’ I chopped all of my hair off six months ago, and it started doing this awful Stepford Wife thing, which drove me crazy at first. But I’ve finally figured out I can just put in Oribe Rough Luxury Soft Molding Paste to make it a little dirtier, and straighten the ends with a flat iron if I have to. I also add weight in my hair with Hamadi Shea Leave In Moisturizing Styling Cream, while my hair’s still wet. I don’t know exactly what it does, but I just like it. And then I keep it all going with Klorane Dry Shampoo.
Otherwise, I wash with Dr. Bronners Soap, usually in Lavender, and I use Tom’s deodorant, but it doesn’t really work. None of my deodorants work, to be honest. I just don’t stink. [Laughs] I would rather have a little moisture going on than smell like a baby’s butt. One thing I do like is SweetSpot Gentle Wash and On-The-Go Wipettes in Geranium Lavender. It’s weird, I know. It’s an all-natural vag cleaner! [Laughs] But it’s the best thing in the world, and especially good when you’re out on the town and...things get a little crazy. All I need is a nice SweetSpot towelette.
Summer in New York is when I really vibe with my closet. New York was not ready for my summer dress game. I got that shit. [Laughs] I have some awesome vintage summer dresses from my mom. She has an amazing vintage collection. Oh my god, so good. Every time I go home, I steal her stuff. Style-wise, in my heart, I’m still very LA. When it starts to get cold here, I don’t know what to do with myself, because I can’t wear what I love. I get in this funk of just jeans, t-shirt, sweaters, and whatever. And then I go home and have my full closet, and it’s like my soul gets revived.”
—as told to ITG
Atlanta de Cadenet Taylor photographed by Emily Weiss in New York on November 20, 2013.