Words | Jacob Apezan
Across Tehran, Lagos, and China, people are quietly reclaiming identity and freedom through underground makeup parties
The first thing Maryam does when the last guest arrives is lock the door.
Not check that it’s locked. Lock it. There’s a difference—the deliberate turn of the key, the pause after, the exhale. Then someone dims the overhead light and pulls out a bag, and the apartment in north Tehran fills, briefly, with the sound of plastic cases clicking open.
Women applying lipstick in front of wing mirror
The first thing Maryam does when the last guest arrives is lock the door.
Not check that it’s locked already. Lock it. There’s a difference—the deliberate turn of the key, the pause after, the exhale. Then someone dims the overhead light and pulls out a bag, and the apartment in north Tehran fills, briefly, with the sound of plastic cases clicking open.
This is what a color party looks like from the inside.
Six nail polish bottles…
