‘Riverdale’ Star Camila Mendes Reveals Hair, Skin, and Makeup Routines — Interview

The pandemic, and the lack of social outings it’s caused, has Mendes itching to try more new things with makeup, though. “There are not many occasions to [experiment with makeup] these days, but I’ll find any excuse,” she jokes, aware of the stark contrast between her and Veronica, who never strays from petite black eyeliner. Lately, she’s been looking to makeup tutorials by professional artists for inspiration. “One [makeup artist] did this really fun mixture of different pink gel eyeliner pencils where she applied a cat-eye on top and the bottom, then smudged them together — that’s something I’ve tried to do with different colors, recently with purple hues, and it’s really nice.” 

Colorful, graphic eyeliner with lots of negative space, from what she tells me, seems to be what tickles her fancy most. If you’re looking for great eyeliner pencils to try this with, Allure editors recommend Merle Norman Soft Touch Eye Pencils or Make Up For Ever Aqua XL Eye Pencils.

Don’t get Mendes started on her hair, either — that’s something she very much wants to experiment with but can’t, thanks to her job. Even though Veronica’s look has evolved with the show’s recent time jump (she traded waves for a straight blowout), Mendes is still beholden to long, dark hair. That won’t change for a while, by the looks of it. “As long as I’m on Riverdale, I have to stay pitch-black, but I don’t know what I’m going to do when this is all over,” she ponders. “It really depends on what role I’m going to play next; I always like to think of how I can make myself look different from my last role through my hair.”

If she could undergo any dramatic hair transformation with no consequences, she’d cut most of it off, like, tomorrow. “I’ve always wanted to do an above-the-shoulder bob. I love the low maintenance of it… [and] I think would be really fun and chic,” she says. “But in a few years’ time, who knows what I’m going to want to do?”

Camila, if you’re reading this, might we suggest taking after Clifford Blossom? Start a wig collection, we mean. Not, uh, you know… the homicide. All we’re saying is that colorful graphic eyeliner would pair extremely well with a commitment-free brunette bob — or blonde ringlet curls, or maybe even a colorful pixie. If and when that ever happens, we (and your millions of other fans) will be waiting with bated breath to see you in a whole new way.

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