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For someone who masks people with make-up for a living, Zahraa Hubail has nothing to cover up. The emerging face behind make-up in Bahrain, teaches her clients how to get rid of their everyday insecurities without the hassle of expensive surgery.
The 27-year-old was deemed to be one of the region’s most talented make-up artists when she won the second prize at the World Beauty Contest in Dubai for the Middle East 2012, which featured 830 artists from 50 countries.
In 2001 Zahraa, a mother-of-two, from Segaiya, moved to the UK to study make-up in London and Manchester for film, TV and theatre and now runs her own studio in her home. She said: “A lot of make-up artists in the region keep their secrets to themselves; I’m more than happy to share what I know.
“People don’t need plastic surgery to hide their flaws; there are so many ways it can be done with make-up.”
Framing your cheeks as well as outlining high cheek bones helps give an impression of a thinner face, structuring the bridge of your nose with a darker shade of foundation gives it a more slender appearance and bordering the edge of your lips provides extra plumpness, she revealed.
“Everyone has their own insecurities and there are ways of masking them. Women should start to learn and select what is best for them,” Zahraa added.
“A lot of things in make-up depend on the person’s skin type and colour as well as their facial structure. Some people get it wrong and my aim is to provide them with help and advice to boost their confidence and self-esteem.”
Zahraa’s favourite make-up companies are MAC, Makeup Forever and Kryolan. She believes that every woman should always have a good moisturiser as well as a good foundation at arm’s reach.
Zahraa's Top tips
Cleanse: Cleaning your face is important. Simply choose a suitable medical cleanser for your skin type.
Always use sunscreen: The sun causes many skin problems, not to mention premature ageing. Hold on to your younger years by applying it every morning.
Hide your tired eyes: If your eyes look tired, don’t worry. Take a little sandy-coloured eye shadow, put on an eyeliner and mascara to lift your eyelashes up and the problem is solved.
Oily skin: To refresh your skin in minutes, put a tissue paper on the oily area, press gently with your finger tips to absorb the oil from the skin, and then put a little loose powder on the area, and voila … you are fresh and attractive again.
Maintain your make-up: Spray your face from an arm’s distance with mineral water and you will find that your make-up stays on much longer.
Reflect your natural beauty: Use light colours and simple make-up; go for sandy colours which are suitable for all skin colours and types. Your daily make-up must be light, smooth and simple, so go for light and gentle foundation creams especially in summer. In addition, use pinky colours as they give you vitality.
Make-up may hide your flaws, but constantly using it may make them worse: Many of those who put heavy foundation on a daily basis do so to cover-up skin problems, therefore the problems remain. The only solution is to use a light foundation and give your skin a breather at times.
Draw attention to your eyes: Reveal the beauty of your eyes and define them with a very thin black liner.
For more details visit her website www.zahraahubail.com
