A couple of months ago I was contacted by one of my favorite magazines for a feature. BUST has been very kind to me and my brand from the beginning, and I think what they’re doing is quite brilliant, so it’s a real honor to be acknowledged by these guys.

They sent a photographer over to my house and had us shoot two outfits (both purple, of course); this is the one that made the cut. We also did a phone interview where I got to talk about my style and the inspiration behind it — things I enjoy immensely but rarely get to express verbally. It felt therapeutic!

I’d like to thank everyone at BUST kindly for allowing me to be a part of their wonderful, female-empowering publication. A lot of love went into this issue and I highly recommend it. You can get it in any major bookstore or newsstand.

Cut Out + Keep‘s Japan Issue is out! And it has my interview in it with pictures shot at Irregular Choice store in NY. :))) Read about my fashion inspirations, picking product names and breaking rules!

You may also enter a contest to win an Eyeshadow Helper, a magic dust and a lipstick of your choice! Contest ends August 31, GOOD LUCK!

Since most of my readers don’t speak Russian, I’ve translated the interview below.

Xenia Vorotova: Dreaming In Color

Xenia left Izhevsk when she was just 17. Together with her mother and sister, like many others in the 90s, they headed to America in search of a better life. Now Xenia is 29 years old and has celebrities and regular girls alike hooked on her cosmetics. Everything this girl from Izhesk touches — fashion, music, makeup — becomes a smashing success.

Xenia, you’re such a colorful and extraordinary lady. It seems you don’t just enjoy experimenting, you do it intentionally. Did America make you this way?

Not necessarily — I’ve always been a ‘creative rebel’, if you will. In pre-school, the teacher would gather kids around to listen to my fairy tales, which I’d make up on the spot. Later in middle school I was frequently in trouble for my ‘creativity’ — was even sent home a couple of times for wearing makeup. And the time I wore a temporary tattoo on my face? The whole school was scandalized! My mom even got called to the carpet. However, the next day I came in with 2 tattoos — and on the third day everyone decided they were kind of cool. Temp tattoos were a big hit among my school-mates — in fact, that’s how I dipped my toes into entrepreneurship. I even had sub-distributors. (laughs) In high school, my friends and I would dress up as hobos — complete with yogurt-stained sunglasses — and roam the streets. Street performance art of sorts.

I was generally well-liked though; what I did was never intended to anger anyone. I just wanted to express myself, and sometimes these attempts manifested in a peculiar form. My parents didn’t punish me for being myself — but encouraged it instead.

You were fairly young when you moved to the US. How did the move affect you?

I was partially prepared. Unlike my mother and younger sister, I knew some English. Believe it or not, I learned it from listening to my favorite bands (I still joke that Axl Rose taught me how to curse in English!). I also had a deep interest in American culture and read many books on the subject. Still, the first 6 months after the move were spent in silence — mostly listening, taking it in, evaluating. By 18, I was already a grown-up. New York is a big, busy city that teaches you one thing: ‘be quick or be dead’. It taught me the power of determination! I’ve spent 13 years there before relocating to the sunny Los Angeles, which I now call home. It’s closer to me in spirit; sunshine, palm trees and open shoes year-around — what’s not to like! Besides, our laboratory is out here so I don’t have to spend 6 hours flying across country any more!

Did you ever miss Izhevsk?

At first, terribly. I missed all the friends I’d left behind, lucky for me most of them are now online. Few people recognize me on social networks though — see what happens when you pencil in your brows? (laughs) I am still in touch with my best friend since kindergarten, Zemfira.

Last time I visited Izhevsk was in 2009. It was wonderful to see my dad, my aunt and cousin Ilya, and of course my old friends! We even drove down to Gozhnya — a small village where we’d spent our summers with grandma and grandpa. The property has been abandoned since the grandparents passed away; yard is overgrown with weeds. Eerie. Good thing our neighbor, auntie Rita, invited us in for a glass of fresh milk and sandwiches with home-made cheese. Zemfira baked sukhariki (Russian croutons) which I enjoyed on the plane all the way back to Brooklyn. It’s true: Izhevsk has the best white bread and ice-cream in the world! My hometown will always remain in my heart as a place of light and happiness.

A long time has passed since. You have some big achievements under your belt; how did you get started on your creative path and what are you up to now?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a strong interest in two things: music and fashion. The former I studied at the music school, the latter independently for the most part. I’ve always loved drawing and design. After my move to NY, I began studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology. And yet, the desire to play music wouldn’t leave me alone, so I learned to play the guitar and formed my first band, Sky Salt, in 2003. In fact, that’s how I met my husband, Mark — the guitarist! In 2004, right as we were finishing up our second studio album, I launched a fashion label called Lime Crime (which existed in various permeation for four years). We quit the band in 2006 and by 2008 I already had a new idea: a makeup line. Since the fashion label did pretty well and already had a following, I kept the name. The makeup brand was a big success for me; we’ve released over 50,000 lipsticks in 2010 alone. Now my husband works with me, and I spend my days at the lab, working with pigments and testing formulas. You’d never guess I was a C student in my chemistry class! (laughs)

Celebrities abroad wear your makeup constantly — tell us more about that! How do Russian women react to Lime Crime?

We’ve been lucky to see our makeup on many famous faces. English songstress Adele, Swedish pop-singer Robyn, Elvis Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough, along with many others. But my favorite will always be regular girls rocking our bright colors! If you count web-shops, our brand is carried in most every country in the world, including Luxembourg and the Bermudas. Popularity is on the rise in Brazil — Brazilian girls adore our vivid lipsticks! A year ago we were invited to join a prestigious makeup chain called SpaceNK in the Great Britain, which resulted in a UK tour. I got to meet face-to-face with fans and give makeovers! Our makeup is carried in a Harajuku boutique in Japan. Last but not least, we’d be thrilled to take our brand to Russia — are you ready for a mint lipstick invasion, ladies?!

Did you ever think, while still in school, that you would achieve so much?

I always knew I would achieve something, but never really thought about the extent of success. When I’m into something, I become unstoppable; I truly enjoy working scrupulously on a project I believe in. Anybody can find success — you just have to allow yourself to dream! That’s my formula. (smiles)

Huge thanks to Anna and Murshidat for conducting the interview.

Ready for the best news, ever???

Harlow Magazine issue #4 is out — and it contains my 8-page editorial called ICE QUEEN!!!! (Yes, we know it’s almost summer and we don’t care!) Harlow is one of my favorite publications because they straddle the line between alternative and high-fashion. Ice Queen was a collaboration between me and my New York friends, including several outfit/makeup & hair changes. It is probably the best work I’ve done to date. It also may or may not feature one of the new Lime Crime lipsticks coming out over the summer. ;)

BEHIND THE SCENES

Haha, LEON!!! Stuffing pillows under my skirt. :D

• Photography: Steve Prue
• Styling: Leonid Gurevich
• Makeup: Ana Lucca using Lime Crime Makeup
• Hair: Numi Empire
• Assistant: Mark aka Grenouille
• Model/Concept: Moi!

Preview issue #4 here

“Every time I open a package from the makeup company Lime Crime, my heart skips a beat—from the unique shades to the unicorn-clad packaging, I know I’m always in for a beauty treat. Though it has celebrity fans including Katy Perry and Taryn Manning, Lime Crime is also dedicated to bringing uber-bright eye makeup and lipstick hues to the masses (our fave: the insanely vivid Centrifuchsia lipstick). I spoke with founder Doe Deere about her inspiration, playful creations, and of course, unicorns…”

{ Read more }

*The interview was done by phone and some things got lost in translation. I get lost in a book of Pantone (not paintings!) and I actually just attended FIT, not graduated from it. ;)

Special thanks to Sophia for conducting, and Erin/Erica for hooking it up!

P.S. I will forever remember today as the day I discovered Rebecca Black. #GettinDownOnFriday!!!