Lipstick artist paints his way out of hunger

RICOLLIN Moodley, 24, is a makeup artist, but not the usual kind. While most people use lipstick to colour their lips, Moodley uses it to paint incredible portraits.

From shiny to matte and even smudge-proof, he uses all brands to further his craft and has made a name for himself as ‘the lipstick artist’. 

This week he told the Independent on Saturday that his art didn't start in a studio, instead it began on a beach in 2017 with nothing but borrowed pages and a growling tummy. 

“We didn't have food for days. My dad was traveling 200 kilometers to work, and my mom wasn’t well. I was just sitting there, thinking, ‘What can I do? How do I get us food?’ I just wanted to do something.”

The 16-year-old teen felt a sudden urge to draw and went to the library to ask for paper. “I didn’t do art at school, no one taught me. But I just had this urge. The desperation to find a way to put food on the table pushed me.”

While sketching on the beach in Port Edward, a German tourist walked past and was so impressed that he asked Moddley to draw a picture of his grandchild from a picture on the phone. “Without even thinking, I said yes. That’s how it started.” 

The tourist was stunned when Moodley told him what he wanted in return. “I said, ‘just groceries, bread and juice, something to eat.” 

An hour later, the man returned with groceries, a phone, and an envelope of cash. 

He also had some stern words for the youngster. “He told me never to underestimate my value. Where he comes from, art means something. That’s when I knew I could put food on the table with my art.”

Moodley’s mom began sharing his sketches on Facebook and there was huge interest. People sent him art supplies but it was still not enough and it forced him to become creative. He turned to coffee, food colouring, and later makeup for his portraits.  

In 2021, things got worse. 

Moodley’s dad was promised a job but it went to someone else. The family became homeless and had no option but to live in a tent.  “We sold everything and came here for that job. But it wasn’t there. We slept in a campsite which cost R400 a night and worried about what to do next. 

Moodley approached malls to set up a table and sketch portraits and because the locals knew him, they let him work there. “That’s how we raised rent money and moved into our flat. My dad got a job after that, but food was still tight.”

They didn't have any family to turn to because they disapproved of his parent’s marriage. His mom is Indian, his dad Xhosa. 

“Neither of our families helped us because of who we are. It’s been hard, but it made us stronger and closer,” he said. 

In 2023, while digging in a bin behind a mall, Ricollin found a box of lipstick and other makeup. “I started painting with makeup, nail polish and lipsticks. I just kept trying. I wanted to stand out. And it worked.”

His lipstick paintings caught people’s attention and when the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup that year, he painted captain Siya Kolisi and recorded himself doing it. That video went viral. 

“People talked because I was painting ‘manly’ men with lipstick; mixing sports, art, and makeup.”

Despite his talent, many people, including his Grade 11 teachers, discouraged him from continuing with his art. 

“They said I must  be realistic because art is not going to pay the bills.” Despite this, he persevered.  “Because I knew nothing about art, I had to find that strength to still do it, regardless. It was putting food on the table,” he said.  

His mom Evelyn Moodley says he is a  blessing. “He gives us hope in our darkest days. Every month, he adds his money to my husband’s salary for food and medicine. He even homeschools his sister.”

His dad Sibuyile Masola agrees. “Without Ricollin we wouldn’t have survived. My salary isn’t enough, but he covers everything. We’re so proud of him.”

However, Moodley almost died at birth. His mom was shot in the stomach during a break-in while she was pregnant with twins. Moodley was born almost three months early but his twin sister died as a result of the attack. 

“Doctors told us he wouldn’t survive. They wanted to switch off the machines, but we said no. By God’s grace, he’s healthy now, just sometimes he has breathing problems,” said his mother.

Moodley says there’s only one other artist who paints with lipstick and her technique is very different from his. “People might try, but no one puts in this much detail. I even made my own formula to seal the paintings so they don’t smudge. It makes them unique,” he said. 

Despite the widespread publicity and even securing some opportunities to promote products like sunglasses, Moodley says it's still a daily struggle. Many people expect him to sell his work for next to nothing, or they want to bargain. But he says painting with lipstick, coffee and other makeup is expensive and they should respect his art. 

“A customer once told me, ‘I thought you had a professional gallery. I didn’t expect you to be doing this from your house.’ People think that just because I’m working from home, it lowers the value of my work.” 

The tourist who kick-started his career has passed, but Moodley says he will forever live in his heart. he will always treasure those memories. For those hoping to find their way in life, he has the following advice: “Just do it, just start. If I hadn’t sat on that beach that day, I probably wouldn’t be doing art now. Taking the first step is the hardest, but it’s what gets you there.”

His next aim is to make enough money to buy his family a house and secure their future, one lipstick at a time. His work can be found on all major social media platforms, and his email address is ricollinart1@gmail.com.