From latex-lined lips to pearl-encrusted lashes, Rebekka Theenaart (AKA @beautybekky) is the Dutch make-up artist making waves with her innovative INSTAGLAM. Whether taking inspiration from a Michelangelo masterpiece or a Playboy Bunny, Theenaart manages to mix the sublime with the ridiculous to create truly unique looks, captivating the attention of her 100K strong following. We caught up with the artist to talk about her work, it’s influences and the importance of maintaining a relevant presence on Instagram…
Your Instagram catalogue encompasses an eclectic range of looks, what three words would you use to best define your style?
I think the best description is extravagant minimalism. Or maybe modern renaissance.
Having been consistently uploading new content for almost three years now, where do you continue to find inspiration for your work?
I find inspiration everywhere. I get inspired by my peers here online a lot, I find inspiration in art, fashion, nature… I grew up by the water, so I love going to the beach for a walk, even in winter. Its where I feel most like myself.
Your bio reads ‘All photos are edited, visible or not’. How much of an important role does photo editing have in your work? Do you try to strike a balance between these two forms of artistry?
I used to edit a lot more, because for the first 1,5 years on Instagram I took all my pictures with an iPhone 5s. The raw photo quality wasn’t great, but I could turn it into something professional looking with the help of FaceTune and Snapseed. Now I just edit basic stuff and I sometimes like to do some digital additions, like flames in a “smoky eye”. I think the balance is there, not over-editing is very important. Skin still has to look like skin.
Editorial eye looks dominate your feed, what is it about this feature in particular that captures and sustains your attention?
I think my eyes attract me because it’s easier to be precise, and my blue eye colour and big brows compliment a lot of my looks. I love lip art too, but my lips have a lot of lines in them and I don’t want to get lip fillers.
You’ve amassed an impressive following of over 100K on Instagram. How significant would you say social media has been in allowing you to establish a platform for yourself and gain recognition for your work?
Social media has played a huge part in me finding out who I am and what I want to do in life. It’s a creative outlet I really needed when I started. I wasn’t doing well in art school because I couldn’t find my voice. Makeup helped me do that and now I’m going to graduate with my Instagram as my art project. Recognition wise I’ve been really lucky, I had the honour of winning an award, being nominated for another one and taking several trips to places I never thought I would visit anytime soon. I still don’t understand why I get to do all of this but I’m grateful for every minute.
With an ever-growing community of innovative beauty accounts on Instagram, how do you ensure that your ‘INSTAGLAM stands out from the crowd?
I think I have an eye for aesthetic, I know what works and what doesn’t, and I am able to pinpoint what a photo or image needs to take it to the next level. It’s something I’ve had all my life and I trust that instinct to guide me in always putting out content that is true to my style.
What’s next for you?
Some exciting stuff – I’m launching something very cool at the end of this month, we’ve been working on it for a really long time and I am so excited to finally announce it to my audience. Social media wise I am looking to expand to other platforms like YouTube and maybe TikTok!
Click through the gallery below to take a look at some of our favourite looks by @beautybekky and follow her on Instagram here.
