How Parris Goebel Is Redefining Beauty With Raw Confidence

"Every woman should start their day feeling like a bad b****," says Parris Goebel, the New Zealand-born co-creative director and choreographer to Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Doja Cat and Nike, to name but a few. And it’s a sentiment that we honestly couldn’t agree with more. Goebel has spent her career transforming movement – bold and raw – into a statement undeniably her own, and in the process redefined what power looks like onstage. Now, she’s bringing that same energy to skincare, as one of the faces of new beauty brand Mienne. 

The "first luxury house dedicated to desire," Mienne is an extension of everything Goebel believes in: unfiltered self-expression, celebrating the skin you’re in and refusing to shrink yourself to make others comfortable. "If you’re looking for skincare to help you connect with your raw divine feminine power... Mienne is it," she offers matter of fact.  

 

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While her dance and approach to skincare belies a deep seated confidence, there was a time when Goebel didn’t feel as comfortable in her own skin. She recalls wear a full face of foundation to rehearsal, "just to feel presentable," she tells Hypebae. Now, she is all about showing up with nothing but glowy skin. "I’ve learned to love my features," she explains, "whether I’ve got a full beat or I’m fresh-faced, I feel good either way."

We caught up with the creative to talk about the intimacy of a performance, her skincare routine and what she’s embracing now. 

How has your relationship with your body evolved through dance?
Dance has allowed me to learn how to love my body in a way that a lot of people don’t get to experience. It has a special connection with sexuality, sensuality and the body in a way that I think is really unique. As a woman, it's allowed me to love the skin that I'm in also; it’s really allowed me to feel empowered. 

How do you stay grounded and in tune with yourself when you’re constantly creating and performing?
It’s something I still struggle with, but I love the challenge. I stay grounded through music, mainly. It allows me to control my mood, sets the tone for my day, and, if I'm exhausted, it motivates me and inspires me to change my frequency. 

What does your skincare routine look like, and how does it fit into your self-care or wind-down rituals?
I love having a clean, fresh face. Even for work and when I rehearse, I go in fresh faced; nice, moisturised and glowy. My skincare is pretty simple, but at night time, I’m a big serum girl. I like to feel as if I've put the whole ocean on my face. Moisturising my body, Mienne body crème in particular, is a favourite. 

Has your relationship to beauty or skin changed as your career evolved?
Definitely. I used to feel like I needed a lot of makeup to feel good, and I remember a time when I would wear makeup to rehearsals, even though I'd be sweating and dancing through it. I felt like I needed foundation. Over the years, that perspective has changed. I’ve learned to love myself more. So, if I want to go out with a full beat face, I’d feel equally as confident as I do with no makeup at all. 

Tell us about the intimacy of your work.
It’s such a layered word: Intimacy. There’s so many sides to it. When I think of intimacy, I think of the relationship I have with myself; being in tune with my femininity and what that means for me. My artistry has allowed me to open the doors and express myself boldly. I think what many people don’t understand is that it’s a very intimate thing, to dance and to express myself in the way and the level that I do when I perform. I think that’s the flip side of being a creative: you put your work out in the world, but you also feel very naked at the same time. My work can be viewed as entertainment, but it’s also a part of my soul and DNA I’m sharing each time. 

What do you hope people feel when they watch your work?
I authentically don’t give a f***. I create from a place that’s real for me and don’t overthink on how it’ll be received. Once I put something out into the world, it has a life of its own. I can’t control how people interpret it. But if there’s one feeling I hope it sparks, it’s empowerment. That’s the energy I move with.

What’s something you’re learning to embrace?
I’m learning to embrace my imperfections. If my skin is bad one day, I try not to let it ruin my whole life. It’s the little things that you know and obsess over, especially the beauty standards that you’re fed through social media. I’ve always struggled with acne growing up and now as a grown woman, I’ve come to be okay with the fact that my skin isn’t going to be permanently clear everyday. There are moments when the younger version of me creeps in, worried about every little flaw, and I have to remind her, "You’re still beautiful, even with a pimple or two. It’s not that deep."

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