Take one look at actress Peyton List and it’s clear that the Cobra Kai star knows a thing or two about makeup. Holographic highlighter, bold cat-eye liner, and immaculately blended metallic eyeshadow are just a few of List’s go-to looks – so it made total sense when she announced she was launching her very own makeup brand, Pley Beauty.
Now a growing line of products, including eyeshadow palettes, lip tints, and blushers, Pley Beauty launched in 2022 with the aim of combining List’s love of playful, expressive makeup with her passion for clean, sustainable beauty – and the vision soon became reality. Thanks to skin-kind ingredients and high-impact formulas, the products have been a big hit with beauty obsessives in the U.S., and now they’re finally available in the U.K.
Below, the actress and brand founder shares some insight into why and how she created Pley Beauty, plus tips and tricks on how to use her favourite products.
On how she first got into makeup:
My mom worked behind the makeup counter at department stores so I loved learning about makeup through her. As a kid, I would steal her makeup, lock the bathroom door and just experiment. When I started working as an actress, I spent a lot of time in the chair with makeup artist and learned many tips and tricks along the way!
On what makeup means to her:
Makeup means I get to create the person I feel that day and tell a story through a creative format. It’s one of my favorite things to do.
On why she wanted to create a makeup brand:
I experimented with every makeup product imaginable, and it became nearly impossible to find formulas that were both high-performance with great color payoff and suitable for my sensitive skin. So, I wanted to push the boundaries by creating a color focused brand with clean formulas, and hydrating oils and ingredients. I wanted to prove being conscious and having fun could coexist. Also, creating a makeup brand channels my creative spirit – I love how it is a form of expression and has a way of connecting beauty enthusiasts and building a community.
On being a brand founder:
Building Pley Beauty has been such an incredible experience for me and it’s opened my eyes to just how much goes into creating a brand. Every little detail is so thoughtful, from product formulas to packaging choices. When I set out to create the brand, it had to have all the right elements: amazing clean formulas, sustainable packaging, approachability, and the ability to give our customers a wide range of colors where they can really express creativity. I could never imagine how big of a challenge it could be to achieve all of this, but a lot of persistence and a talented, hardworking team along the way make it possible.
I learned that the beauty industry was one of the biggest contributors to plastic waste on our planet so it became a HUGE priority for me to push the envelope when it comes to sustainability. Beauty is supposed to be fun, and it felt irresponsible for it to come at a cost. I am proud to say that nearly all of our packaging uses recycled materials, our eyeshadow and blush palettes are fully recyclable and we are a plastic neutral company.
On her favourite product:
Disco Dust in the violet shade ART POP. It is the prettiest soft shimmer dust. I banned glitters from my makeup bag because of the environmentally harmful micro plastics that can harm the ocean and its inhabitants. I developed this product using vegan pearl instead of glitter because I think we should still be able to have fun with sparkle/shimmer without the harmful ingredients. This formula is amazing because there’s no fallout and it wears without creasing and like every product in our range, it’s made to experiment and layer. You can use this as an eyeshadow, topper, or dusted on the body.
On her go-to Pley Beauty look:
My go-to makeup look is a fresh-faced pink look that takes less than 10 minutes to create. I’m all about simplicity and using multi-purpose products to create dimension.
I start with One Stop POP in Desert Dusk and sweep it across the apples of my cheeks. I start with a little then build it to the intensity I want.
Then I have fun with my eyes. Using my Modern Muse Palette, I start with the lightest shades then work in the darker shades. Using shade Sweet Talker, I brush it around my eyes, paying attention to where I need to brighten and open up the eyes. Then I use Royal Tea on the lids and crease to create dimension. I top with Champagne Breakfast for a shimmery sun-kissed look and then finish with a deep purple in shade Sakura on the outer corners.
I use my Pley Date All-Over-Color-Stick in the shade Pley Pink on my brow bone, tip of nose, cupids bow and inner corner of eyes to brighten. Then I use this as a highlighter on the cheekbones.
I finish off my look with a couple of swipes from Lust + Found in Ava, a shimmer pink.
On the importance of sustainability:
I couldn’t have a brand without the products being sustainable and cruelty free. I listened to where the world is at and it is what should be the standard. It is possible, and the resources are available now being a young brand coming into the space. We as consumers have so much power with where we buy from I didn’t want to become a part of the problem that attributes to so much of my anxiety. It was a non negotiable for me when creating a product and putting myself behind it. I think it is the new standard for brands and we as consumers care about a brands impact and are aware.
On her top piece of beauty advice:
I know we’ve all heard it before, but the best beauty advice is to take care of yourself underneath. We must glow from within, rest, be kind and gentle with ourselves. But makeup can help give you that dewy healthy look in a pinch, especially on days we don’t feel 100%. The easiest way to get that glow is to use my Festival Flush Lip + Cheek Tint and my Pley Date Highlighter Stick.
For that everyday glowy look, use Festival Flush in Mojave Rose. This product is great because it has this creamy yet squishy, spongey quality to it and you can throw it in your bag, it builds/layers with ease and mixing colors is really fun. To use, I warm it up on my hand before applying, and go in with my finger. I like to place it on the apple of the cheek and move up onto the cheek bone and blend out with my blush brush. To finish out a monochromatic look, I also use the product on my eyes and lips. I go in with a light touch on the eyes for a washed effect and then layer it on for more intensity on the lips.
Finish off the look with Pley Date in any of the lighter/highlight shades. You can use this anywhere but I like to use it on my brow bone, tip of nose, cupids bow and inner corner of eyes to brighten.
