How Jenneke Croubels turns make-up into art

An artist with an organic and graceful style

“Scorpio, ambivert, Belgian in Paris, butterfly as spirit animal, alchemist, sensitive yet strong” says make-up artist Jenneke Croubels when being asked how she would describe herself.

Growing up in a small town in Belgium, where she spent most of her time drawing and painting, it was only much later that the young woman realised her desire to become a make-up artist.

With numerous editorials for the biggest fashion magazines and collaborations with the most famous brands such as Chanel, Hermès, Lancôme or Mugler, Jenneke Croubels, who has now a dazzling career, appears as an artist with unshakeable ambition, having always made it a point of honor to stay away from trends and to follow her own creativity…

Interview with make-up artist Jenneke Croubels

Numéro : How did your passion for make-up come about?

Art and beauty have always played a major role in my life but my vocation came rather late as I wasn’t raised in an artistic environment. Even though I was a creative child, my family pushed me to study linguistics and get a no risk corporate job. It wasn’t until I took some evening class in styling and make-up and after discovering Lisa Eldridge’s YouTube tutorials that my curiosity to explore this world further was ignited. 

And when did you decide to do it as a job?

After listening to the whispers and quitting my office job in 2016 I went to London for an advanced make-up course and started there assisting at London Fashion Week, where I realised I had a true talent and I could make it into a career. So I started out at M.A.C. and Bobbi Brown before going 100% freelance, first in Belgium and then in Paris where I was getting more and more requests and where I decided to move to after Covid. I was there spotted by my agency (Callisté) and that is when my journey took a decisive turn.

How would you describe your style?

Bold in the details, graphical, organic yet sensual and delicate. I am drawn to depth and dimension, that I like to express with a unique mix of colour combinations, textures and/or collage elements, always keeping a sense of balance in mind and I tend to cross the bridge between make-up art and visual art, often experimenting with new techniques and unexpected materials prepared in my atelier such as art prosthetics, custom lashes, face embroidery… I also like to explore not only the face but the whole body as a canvas and I strive to evoke in my creative work a sense of wonder, inspiration… some emotion.

The encounter that has had the greatest impact on you since you started?

I’ve had such great experiences already so it’s hard to choose one but, I think that what had the strongest impact on my career so far are my collaborations with talented designers such as Walter Van Beirendonck, Haider Ackermann, Marine Serre or Olivier Theyskens, who are truly remarkable artists who continue to have the fire in the belly in spite of many years working in this industry.

What would be your dream job?

For sure a print beauty story for Beauty Papers or System Beauty and in the future an exhibition and an art book. The road is long and there’s still a lot to be done!!

Are you inspired by any other artists?

My inspiration rather come from my deep love of nature, travel and visual art, than directly from specific artists. Discovering new cultures and new artistic movements inspires me also a lot.

Jenneke Croubels’ beauty routine

At night, I use an oil to foam and an exfoliating cleanser (only 4 times a week) while in the morning I only cleanse my face with micellar water and apply a deep hydrating mist, followed by a vitamin C or hyaluronic acid serum and by an occlusive gel cream. I’d finish my morning routine with a rich eye balm and a lip mask. Oh, yes! And I also apply light SPF whatever the time of year.

For my make-up base, I like to create my own blends and a brightening concealer around my eyes and nostrils. I’m quite pale so I’ll warm up my skin with a bronzer blusher and sometimes a little extra flush. I fill in my brows with an ash brown pencil that I also use on my outer lash line, together with my Japanese dark taupe eye liner. Then I curl my lashes, add waterproof mascara and use a light contour powder for subtle eye shading. On my lips I’d put a tinted plumping balm with a blur lip liner.

Her 3 favorite products

Even if it’s very difficult to choose only three, I’d say the Bisou Blush in Louise from Violette, a stick in beige with a touch of pink, the Chanel Baume Essentiel in Transparent or Sculpting, always in my kit, it adds an instant touch of subtle glow or shine and finally the Seamless Skin Enhancing Tint from Lisa Eldridge, an excellent foundation-corrector shade to neutralize redness.