By Sahur Saleim is a Singapore based Makeup Artist with Pakistani-Muslim roots and over 265K followers on Instagram. Sahur has been internationally recognized for her work and has created stunning makeup looks across various social media platforms and Youtube. From stunning neutrals to colorful accents, Sahur’s artistry is unique and beautiful. Follow Sahur on Instagram and Twitter at @sahursart.
Last Eid, Sahur Saleim says she did a full glamorous face routine with bold red lips, but no eye make up at all. Just a little bit of concealer to correct some color, but otherwise, she says, she was able to rub her eyes freely and enjoy her day while still looking incredible in photos! It’s this kind of unique ingenuity when it comes to makeup that makes Sahur such a guru in her field:
“Incorporating glitter into your eye look is a beautiful and elegant way of spicing up your look without getting the wrong kind of attention from the aunties 👀 !”
For Sahur Saleim, the ideal Eid makeup look totally depends on you and your plans for Eid. Do you want to make jaws drop or just keep up with the latest trends? Do you want to be extravagant and glamorous or comfortable? Are you dressing for the mosque, or the outdoors, or a mocktail party? Or all of the above? In any case, we got you with some tips and an interview with the makeup guru herself:
MG: First and foremost, what are your go-to Eid makeup tips?
1) Never be scared to try something new or different. Neutrals are cute but there’s nothing wrong with adding some color to your look!
2) Keep a folder of looks that inspire you. I just use the Instagram collection feature to ‘save’ any look I like and then scroll back to inspire myself later on.
3) Don’t compare yourself to other artists! You grow at your own speed.
4) Do your eye makeup before your foundation just in case you get eyeshadow fall out on your cheeks!
5) Baking is a great technique that looks beautiful on camera but try lightly setting your under eyes with powder if you have textured fine lines in the eye area or want to minimize any cakey effect on the skin.
MG: How did you overcome criticism as you began your career as a Muslim beauty blogger and person of color?
I have to say that I’ve been very lucky and blessed that I didn’t face any. There have been ups and downs and I have gotten insults over everything from my skin texture, to my body to the way I talk. However, no one has ever criticized me for my religion or my ethnicity and I think that may have to be because most of my audience shares at least one of the two with me!
MG: Were there moments where you wanted to give up pursuing a career in the industry? If so, could you tell us your story and how you overcame those moments?
There have been so many. Working as an influencer while also going to university full time was very challenging. Luckily my parents and friends were very supportive, understanding and really helped me. I was ready to give up so many times but they never let me.
MG: What advice would you give to Muslim girls who want to pursue such a career but have difficulty either due to cultural stigma or criticism?
Honestly, just go for it! If you never try, you’ll never know. And someday when you’ve made a name for yourself, the people you are scared might criticize you will actually be bragging to their friends that they knew you before you made it big!
MG: What are some things you dislike about the industry? Perhaps things that are concealed by the industry that frustrate you or that make it more difficult for you to do your job as an artist?
I’m not a big fan of how controversy driven the beauty industry has become. I understand somethings are inevitable but I feel like there are so many amazing makeup artists who don’t get the attention they deserve because a few overhyped artists keep fighting with each other and that occupies everyone’s attention. I wish the beauty community would be uplifting, positive and kind.