Emily Deyo, a sophomore communication studies student at Klein College of Media and Communication, was recently featured in Milk Makeup’s 2019 holiday campaign. The cruelty-free, vegan and paraben-free cosmetics company is located in New York City, where Deyo traveled to shoot the campaign over the summer.
Deyo, who transferred to Temple University from Drexel University to study communication studies on the policy, regulation and advocacy track, has strong interests in writing and activism. She considers herself a freelance model who utilizes many communicative processes to strengthen her skills and build a network. Although she had previously been scouted as a model for agencies such as Wilhelmenia outside of social media, she was discovered by representatives for Milk Makeup through Instagram. After attending her first casting with the brand and not securing a spot in a campaign, they reached out to her again with an offer to work with them for the holiday shoot. She says that talking with representatives of the company at the first casting call helped her connect with familiar faces the second time around.
“The industry’s changing so much to the point where people can become successful completely on their own just by using social media and I think that’s so awesome,” she says. “It just makes the whole thing so much more accessible to anybody.”
Deyo has always been a fan of beauty and makeup and appreciates the artistry required in the work. On the set of Milk Makeup’s studio, she enjoyed experiencing the behind the scenes work required to put on a successful photoshoot. Another big selling point for Deyo was the principles that Milk Makeup embraces, like their commitment to diversifying the group of models they choose to represent their brand and the non-harmful ingredients they use in their products.
“I’ve always been kind of drawn to the world of beauty and fashion,” she says. “I just think it’s so fun and I feel like 2019 [was] such a good year for the beauty and fashion world just becoming more inclusive and exploding in every different way. And I just think it’s something I want to be a part of.”
In the age of social media, Deyo believes that anyone who wants to model can do so without a green light from a major agency; after all, she has seen a major company’s recruitment process firsthand. She continues aiming to make her online presence unique and authentic.
“I just want to get the message across that like anyone can be a model...I just love that social media is making it just a more accessible career for anyone to pursue.”
Most recently, Deyo has joined underwear brand Parade as a brand ambassador. The size-inclusive company uses sustainable material in its products and packaging and donates a percentage of its proceeds to Planned Parenthood. Check out the link in her Instagram bio for an exclusive discount code for Parade purchases!