The golden years of Leco van Zadelhoff as the preeminent makeup artist in the Netherlands are now behind him. He finds himself constantly overshadowed by a new wave of beauty influencers, and this irks him deeply.
© William Rutten
There was a time when Leco was the sole authority in the realm of beauty and styling. The unveiling of a new hairstyle for celebrities like Caroline Tensen was treated with the same fervor as an Apple product launch, complete with press conferences and elaborate explanations of color theories and techniques.
The Leco Look
Beauty-loving Dutch citizens were mesmerized, but those glorious years are now behind him. “Those times will not return,” he lamented in an interview. It was during his Beau Monde era that Leco reached peak popularity, enjoying circulation numbers that modern magazines can only dream of. Every major makeup brand wanted to advertise alongside him, and he had the privilege to transform celebrities into global icons. This was when the famed “Leco Look” emerged.
The Changing Landscape of Beauty
Leco acknowledges that the beauty market has changed dramatically. “Now you have to deal with beauty influencers,” he remarks. Unlike these influencers, Leco doesn’t see himself as part of that crowd. “I am a professional with years of experience and a wealth of knowledge,” he adds. The rise of beauty influencers, however, often annoys him. “It frustrates me to see people who can simply draw on a red lip acting like they can dictate trends. Go make up your neighbor, why don’t you?” he comments with disdain.
A Shift Towards Expertise
It’s clear that Leco feels a mix of irritation and nostalgia over his lost status as a solo ruler of the beauty domain. “Beauty influencers are now an integral part of the beauty world, but I’m glad that the landscape is slowly shifting back towards valuing expertise among consumers,” he states optimistically.
He concludes by emphasizing the importance of foundational principles in makeup artistry and color theory. “If you understand this profession, you can transform anyone, no matter their starting point. You need to know the hacks for concealing, enhancing, or softening features. Unfortunately, this theory is often lacking in some influencers,” he asserts firmly.
