Laney Chantal Face Off celebrity makeup artist & reality star aka Alaina Chantal Parkhurst, dead from drug overdose. Ongoing addiction & mental health issues.
Struggling with her sanity… Celebrity makeup artist and former ‘Face Off’ reality TV star Laney Chantal died this week from an accidental drug overdose, her family said.
Chantal, 33, whose real name is Alaina Chantal Parkhurst, died Monday in Milford, Michigan, her family confirmed in a public obituary, writing that she had ‘struggled with various mental illnesses throughout her adult life.’
Chantal had been open with her fans about being diagnosed with BPD and battling addiction and other mental health issues. Laney started a GoFundMe page in 2019 to raise money for a sober living facility. However, the GoFundMe page only raised $1,661 of its $4,000 goal. She stated,
‘I realize that my life has become unmanageable, and even with the help of my outpatient rehab, I still feel like I need extra support,’ Chantal posted at the time.
A prominent FX makeup artist and mask designer, Chantal came into the spotlight after appearing on the SyFy Network’s ‘Face Off’ competition show in 2013 for its fifth season. She voluntarily withdrew from the reality show, about special-effects makeup artists, earning the fifth-place spot.
One of a kind talent saddled with mental health issues
Chantal worked with several big-name stars following her appearance on the show, including Bella Thorne and Marilyn Manson. She even created the ‘Head FX Makeup’ for rapper Lil Nas X for his controversial music video ‘Montero (Call Me By Your Name)’ in 2021, which won the Video of the Year award at MTV’s VMAs.
Fellow makeup artist Gabriella Accarino remembered Chantal as her ‘sister and soulmate.’
‘She was a genuine, sensitive, talented, and beautiful soul,’ Accarino posted. ‘Laney’s art and her spirit are irreplaceable, and she made the world a better place. She was truly one of a kind.’
Chantal had moved from Michigan to Los Angeles after graduating high school in 2007 to attend the Cinema Makeup School, where she earned a certification to become a special effects makeup artist, her family stated.
‘Alaina put her whole self; body, mind and soul into her jobs, no matter the size,’ her obituary said. ‘Her artistic ability and visions quickly set her apart from other artists in her field and her portfolio blossomed.’
Her family did not provide additional details on her death other than it was due to ‘an accidental drug overdose.’
But there’s more.
Six months before her death, Chantal posted a photo to Instagram of a pink coffin being buried. The post suggested that Chantal was aware of her own imminent self demise and ongoing struggles with mental illness.
The Parkhurst family asked for donations to be made to The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, noting the struggles its daughter experienced with mental health throughout her life.
