A Bridal Affair

She’ll put on music to make her brides relax, chat the session away and immediately put
a frantic bride at ease, ensuring harmony between the makeup, gown and hairstyle, a
natural look and a picture-perfect bride. Mariam Makhlouf’s career took quite a turn from a call center to the world of beauty when she decided to become a professional makeup artist at the age of 25.

Now 28, Makhlouf has proved she’s able to cut through the clutter and compete with the gurus of the profession. Soon enough, her name became a favorite among brides, already harnessing over 165,000 followers on Facebook. It all started when she was a little girl giving all her Barbie dolls a makeover.

Her mother noticed her special talent and encouraged her to learn about the profession and encouraged her to attend courses taught by professional makeup artists so she could develop her talent from an amateur to a professional level. Makhlouf speaks to us about her journey, makeup and how she managed to break through in such a competitive industry.


Sample of Mariam Makhlouf’s artistic work

Tell us about your journey to becoming a professional makeup artist.
I read a lot about the profession and attended international workshops here in Cairo. When the Lebanese makeup artist Fady Kataya came to Cairo, I attended his workshop and he taught me a lot;it was a lifetime experience. He taught me how to do the “no makeup makeup” so that the girl would look beautiful without appearing too artificial. I still plan to attend international workshops every year to be updated on the new trends.

How did you start marketing yourself ?
I felt I am ready when I was 25 years old. I started to do my friends’ makeup and some random models posted the pictures on my Facebook page. I thought that it would take time to [gain clientele], but literally in just one week, I couldn’t handle the bridal requests; but that’s what happens when you exert effort and do what you love. This was when I decided to leave my main job as a call center agent to focus on my new business.

Where do you see yourself now among the famous makeup artists?
There are too many makeup artists. Some of them succeeded to be different and have their own styles, and others weren’t as lucky. I have this feeling that I want to be a different person to get honest insight on how people recognize me in the profession. But
the feedback I get is very positive, which makes me afraid of this success. I want to keep working on myself to evolve by time.

How do you deal with your brides?
My attitude changes by time and it depends on the bride herself. If she is worried, I try to play music for her and talk to her. I always tell her that it is my job to make her look beautiful so that everybody would tell what a professional makeup artist I am. I show her
the brands and colors I will use so that she’s satisfied. I also don’t allow her to look in the mirror until I finish so that she doesn’t get worried. I put myself in her shoes; if I were the bride, I would want everything to be perfect.

What makes you different than other makeup artist?
Simplicity; I prefer simple makeup. I don’t like artificial looks like applying very long lashes or the wrong contouring. It also depends on the dress, her eye color and the hairstyle the bride will choose. If she has green eyes, I have to choose colors that would make her eyes look beautiful. It also differs if she is veiled or not. What I want to say is that I love the harmony; I want the dress, the bridal bouquet, the hairstyle, the manicure and the makeup to be consistent.

Who is your favorite makeup artist?
Mario, the American makeup artist who does Kim Kardashian’ makeup. He gave her a special signature look. Many girls are trying to achieve Kardashian look now.

What are the latest makeup trends?
As we are welcoming autumn, it’s a whole new story. I love autumn colors. There is the peachy and orange eyeshadow colors, which I prefer to mix with brown or nude colors for a simple look. Brown lipsticks are back again, but I use specific shades of it.The dramatic lashes are still trendy. The natural-looking rose blush that reflects the real color of blushing, healthy cheeks. Although matte lipsticks were trendy during the past year, glossy lipstick is now back in fashion.