Cheeky Ma Loves Getting Your Reactions

Hairstylist and artist Cheeky Ma has been a fixture of New York City for years, known in the scene as someone with a penchant for consistently surprising transformations. “Self-expression through my style has always been important to me,” Cheeky tells PAPER. “Allowing myself to explore outside of the ‘norm’ with experimental looks gives me a thrill. I love getting reactions, good and bad.”

The opportunity to shock is even greater around Halloween. Photographer Anna Bloda, who captured all of Cheeky’s transformations this season, says the perfect costume will confuse people. “They won’t know whether they want to scream, cry or take you home to find out what’s underneath,” she says. “Halloween is the season to let your imagination run crazy, whether you’re going out to the club or raving in your room.”

For Cheeky, there’s still a bit of balance at play, despite what one might assume. “If the makeup is horrifying, do a glam outfit and show a little skin. If the outfit is disgusting, throw a little glitter on your face. Everything is subjective, so it’s really about committing to the gig. It’s a practice like any other art form and not everyone is going to like it.”

Below, Cheeky Ma brings PAPER through three Halloween looks, from a sexy Rubber Duckie to an existential tradwife. Meet more of Anna Bloda’s NYC muses, here.

Rubber Duckie

I love taking baths, especially with some duckies and bubbles floating around. I noticed when I squeeze the ducks and place them on my nipple and let go, they suction to my boob — that’s what sparked the idea for this look. I used liquid latex and toilet paper to construct the duck lips, and some classic yellow face paint.

Harley Quinn

Sometimes I really feel like New York is Gotham City, so this look was inspired by the original Harley Quinn cartoon character. I didn’t want a store-bought feel, so I kept the color scheme in mind and thrifted some clothes. I am known to make my hair stand up, so I thought it was only right to make the jester hat out of my hair. I used Got2b Hairspray and a blow dryer on hot heat to form my hair into spikes, and used red color spray on one side, as Harley Quinn would.

Skinned Housewife

As I get older, I start considering what’s important to me. Do I want to be a mother? A wife? It all seems like such a bizarre and horrific thought. I wanted to encapsulate that feeling with this sexy modern tradwife vibe, with a peeling face. I layered liquid latex on my face to created a mold, then peeled it off and re-glued it on with blood around the edges to create this face.

Photography: Anna Bloda

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