Like most girls, I love makeup but I don’t overdo it. My recently discovered signature look is an eye lifting eyeliner and a bronze skin. As for my lips, depending on the season and the mood, I can go really bold using Red/ Orange, else nude lips.
I took my makeup application skills up a notch after working on my fashion shows several times with Samira Olfat, who I later on labeled as my absolute favorite Makeup Artist! Samira is an artist. In her mind, our faces are like blank canvases and she likes to paint on them. When she was young, she used her permanent markers to paint on her dolls faces! She looks at our faces, and imagines them with makeup on and she follows that image she created. This is probably the reason why she is faster than others.
Samira Olfat
Samira is so devoted that she never gets tired of research, courses and discovering new techniques. She is after all the official Makeup artist for Max Facter Middle East.
I asked her for some advise and she led me into some amazing secrets in the makeup Heaven!
– As an average woman, I always wonder if we should be using the concealer before the foundation or the other way around. Which is first?
If you are using pen stick concealer, apply it before foundation. If its liquid, apply it on top of foundation. However, if you are applying dark eye shadow on your eyes, no matter what type of concealer it is, apply it after you’re done with your eye makeup.
Don’t forget to choose the right shade for your concealer or instead of concealing your flows it will enhance your problem areas! It should be just one shade lighter than your foundation.
– Which brands and types do you advise women in general for Foundation, Concealer, Eyeliner and Mascara?
People have different skin types and obviously it’s impossible to recommend one product for very one. Generally, for foundation and concealer look for those with natural ingredients such as sheer butter, mango butter, cucumber water, rose hip plus SPF.
For Mascara I love the one from MAX FACTOR MASTER PIECE MAX. The brush is IFX and prevents the eyelashes from sticking together and at the same time will cover all the eyelashes. For a more dramatic effect apply 2 coats of mascara!
My favorite eyeliner is Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner, It won’t smudge or peel off.
– How can we stop a red lipstick from bleeding (or expanding beyond the lip liner)?
To apply Red lipstick or any darker color, always apply bit of concealer or foundation all over the lips then draw the lip liner, which works as a border so the lipstick won’t run, plus fill inside your lips with the lip liner to make your lipstick last longer. Apply the lipstick with the lip brush to get the pigment will go inside all the small lines in the lips so the color won’t go even with drinking and eating. Dab a tissue on your lips to get ride of excess oil and reapply the lipstick again.try to avoid the gloss as it will make the lipstick fade out quickly but if you really want to have glossy lips, just apply small amount of gloss in the middle of upper and bottom lips but not in the corner.
– Should the lipstick always match the dress color?
Matching the makeup with the clothes it always depend on the trend of the season!
I personally like to match my lipstick color with my shoes, my bag or my nail polish but not my dress!
– When a woman has to wear makeup for a long time, how can she refresh her face without adding too many layers or ruining the look?
I’m a big fan of blot pad, which is getting away the excess shine on my face in order for me not to end up with many layers of powder on my face. At the same time, I always reapply the black pencil inside my eyes and clean up the inner corners of my eyes as well as reapplying my lip gloss.
– So where do you aspire to be in few years from now?
I’m working on opening my own makeup school in Dubai within the next two months and I’m hoping to franchise it in GCC within the next five years as I love spreading beauty! At the same time I love doing charity work whereby I can teach makeup to women having a difficult time taking care of their families and trying to find a career.
– When a client tells you what she wants, do you do what she wants no matter what?
I always try to tell the client what’s the best for her, but at the same time I listen to what she wants and at the end I create a look which will make her and me happy with the result!
– How do you feel about the exaggerated colorful makeup we see in parts of the Middle East?
I love colors in makeup, I believe if its applied in a right way it will look gorgeous!
However, sometimes I see a disaster and I wish I could go up to them, clean their faces and do what’s best for them!
To learn from and know about Samira Olfat, follow her blog fabprofashional.blogspot.com and her Facebook Group: fabprofashional