Ryno Mulder – Paws, Palettes & Perfection

November 3, 2025
Categories - Cover feature, Uncategorized

If pink had a postcode, it would be Goddess Café in Centurion. Think plush velvet chairs, floral walls that look like they’ve been plucked from a dream, and milkshakes that come crowned with whipped cream and glitter. It’s the kind of place where conversation sparkles just as much as the décor, and on this particular morning, the sparkle comes in the form of Ryno Mulder and his beloved rescue poodle, Gigi.

Gigi, perched gracefully on a blush-pink chair as if she’s holding court, tilts her head towards the camera with the kind of poise only a seasoned model possesses. “She knows exactly which way the light falls,” Ryno laughs, adjusting a strand of her perfectly groomed curls. Photographer Emma O’Brien smiles behind the lens; it’s clear she’s not the only one captivated by this dynamic duo.

Ryno Mulder, makeup artist, brand founder, and unapologetic advocate for compassion has built a career that blurs the line between glamour and goodness. His artistry has taken him from red carpets to editorial spreads, and yet, sitting here amid cupcakes and cappuccinos, it’s obvious that his truest masterpiece is the life he’s built with Gigi.

“She’s my Sandton sheep,” he says fondly, cradling her like a baby. “She might have her own glam bed fit for Marie Antoinette, but she’s still happiest sniffing out KFC bits in the park.”

It’s a long way from where she started. Gigi’s story began at the Maltese, French Poodle & Yorkie Rescue in Kyalami, where Ryno first met her while volunteering to walk dogs on Sundays. “She never wanted to walk,” he recalls. “She wanted to be carried.” Every week, she’d stand in her cage at the end of the corridor, watching him leave until one day, the shelter messaged saying that Gigi was still looking for him. The moment was a scene from a movie and with no shocking plot twist, Ryno turned the car around and took her home.

Since then, the pair have been inseparable, their lives intertwined in ways that seem almost cinematic. Together they’ve graced magazine covers, starred in commercials, and became the faces of cruelty-free beauty. Yet behind every photo and post is something far more grounded, a quiet devotion rooted in second chances and shared spirit.

“I’ve always felt more at home in a world of imagination,” Ryno says. “Reality is beautiful, but I’ve never been interested in its rough edges. That’s why animals resonate with me, they’re fully themselves. No pretence.”

That authenticity runs through his artistry too. Known for his bold transformations, Ryno doesn’t just paint faces – he paints confidence. “Makeup is confidence in a compact,” he explains. “It allows you to present an idealised version of yourself. For me, it’s art and voice – a way of saying this is who I am, unapologetically.”

His own signature look, sharp cheekbones, luminous skin, a touch of theatrical flair, draws inspiration from icons who lived on the edge of convention. “Marchesa Casati, Mathilde Willink, David Bowie,” he lists, eyes gleaming. “They were living works of art. I wanted to create beauty that carries that same spirit, fearless but full of meaning.” And meaning is where Ryno’s work truly shines. Long before “vegan” became a marketing buzzword, he was quietly building a makeup line that reflected his values: cruelty-free, PETA-accredited, and proudly South African.

“If we’re taught that it’s acceptable for other beings to suffer for our benefit, we’ll always believe some lives are worth more than others,” he says. “That’s the root of all inequality, whether species, gender, race, or sexuality.”

It’s a philosophy that runs deeper than branding. Every product in the Makeup by Ryno range, from foundation to eyeshadow palette, was developed with compassion in mind. “It’s entirely possible to create high-performance, luxurious products without testing on animals or using animal-derived ingredients,” he insists. “We test safely on humans, willingly and ethically.”

Ryno’s conviction has earned him respect across the industry, but his activism extends far beyond beauty counters. “South Africa still has a long way to go in how we treat animals,” he notes. “In Europe, I saw dogs in grocery stores, cats on trains, a greyhound in Zara and no one blinked. Gandhi said you can judge a civilization by how it treats animals. He was right.”

As he speaks, Gigi curls up in his lap, her tiny paws tucked neatly beneath her chin. “She reminds me to breathe,” he says softly. “To slow down, to enjoy the small joys.”

That grounding influence has carried Ryno through the chaos of freelancing, travel, and building a brand from scratch.

“My work, my beliefs, and Gigi, they’re not separate boxes. They overlap, and that makes life simpler. When your values and your passions align, there’s peace in that.”

Peace, however, doesn’t mean complacency. Ryno has plenty of dreams still in motion, from expanding his cruelty-free line to mentoring the next generation of makeup artists. His advice to newcomers is refreshingly practical: “Assist the best people you can. Watch. Learn. Network. That’s the real education.”

And when life feels less than glamorous? “I focus on love,” he says. “My boyfriend Andre and Gigi keep me anchored. Love, whether two-legged or four-legged, matters more than glamour ever could.”

There’s a moment of quiet as Gigi yawns and rests her head on his arm. Around us, the Goddess Café hums with laughter and clinking teacups, but for a beat, the world seems to soften. It’s hard not to feel moved by the balance Ryno has struck where luxury coexists with empathy, and beauty becomes an act of kindness.

Before we leave, I ask him what he’d say to someone choosing between adopting a rescue and buying a purebred. He doesn’t hesitate.

“Adopt,” he says firmly. “You’re saving a life. People think they’re buying predictability, but they’re really buying a look and often, a set of built-in health problems. For every dog bred, another in a shelter dies. There’s always a dog that fits your heart. Pets aren’t furniture, they’re family.”

It’s that kind of conviction, equal parts compassion and courage, that makes Ryno Mulder more than a makeup artist. He’s a storyteller, a visionary, and a reminder that glamour and grace aren’t opposites. They’re partners, just like Ryno and his Sandton sheep are proof that beauty, when guided by kindness, shines brighter than any highlighter ever could.

Ryno Revealed: Quick-Fire Q&A

1. If Gigi had a royal title, what would it be? Princess Gigi, of course.
2. One beauty product you can’t live without: Makeup by Ryno ICON SPF 50 Foundation.
3. Your ultimate glam anthem: “Primadonna Girl” by Marina.

4. Which Dream celebrity (or royal!) you’d love to do makeup for? Paris Hilton.
5. Tea, coffee, or champagne at Goddess Café? Whatever vegan milkshake they’ve got! preferably pink and with rainbow toppings!