Today we’d like to introduce you to Mariam Ali
Hi Mariam, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’ve been into makeup for as long as I can remember. When I was about six years old, I used to dig into my mom’s and aunt’s makeup, just playing around and hoping I wouldn’t get caught. I remember my favorite products were my mom’s MAC blushes — I loved putting those on. She also had this bronze eyeshadow that I would apply all the way up to my eyebrows. There’s never been a time in my life where I haven’t been into makeup.
My first model was my little sister. I would force her to sit down for hours at a time while I poked her in the eye incessantly with my makeup brushes. We would film little tutorials on my grandmother’s first-gen iPad, modeled after the OG YouTubers. To this day, she is my go-to model!
I started taking makeup seriously in high school. I grew up in Pakistan, and we weren’t allowed to wear any makeup at the school I went to. So all my experimentation happened outside of school which really limited my time with it. Later, I moved to the States and went to public school where, suddenly, I could wear makeup — that opened up a whole world of possibilities. I would go to school with black lipstick, blue lipstick, graphic liner, bright yellow eyeshadow — I really had fun with it. High school was when I began exploring makeup freely.
I started taking it more seriously during my junior year. Two seniors hired me to do their makeup for prom. Those were my first paying clients outside of my family, and it was the first time I saw makeup as something real, something I could pursue professionally.
When I got to college, I attended UT and discovered a campus fashion magazine. They were looking for makeup artists to do fun, editorial makeup for their shoots. This was huge for me! I’d started doing mini photo shoots with a friend, who was an amateur photographer, back in high school. We’d get our friends to model, I’d do their makeup, and she’d take the photos. But working with the fashion magazine really opened my eyes to how much fun makeup could be, especially editorial makeup.
Through the magazine, I met the most creative people — stylists, models, other makeup artists, photographers. It was incredible to be surrounded by so much talent and creativity.
One of my friends from the magazine approached me about starting a magazine of our own, open to anyone in Austin, not just students. That magazine became Glaze. When I helped start Glaze, that’s when I really began to flourish. Though I am currently the Co-Editor-in-Chief, I started off as the Asst. Creative Director and Hair & Makeup Director. I was the director of hair and makeup for a long time, but I’ve since stepped back from that role to focus on managing the magazine — but I still do makeup for several photoshoots every season! I’ve been running Glaze for about five years now, and see no end in sight.
After I graduated college, I decided to pursue a makeup career. I went to The Makeup Academy NYC and got my official certification about two years ago. Since then, I’ve been working as a freelance makeup artist. I’ve done fashion shows, editorial shoots, commercials, bridal work — pretty much everything under the sun.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it’s definitely not been a smooth road. I think the biggest and most pervasive obstacle I’ve faced has been people not taking makeup seriously. When I was a kid, people would say things like, “Oh, it’s just a phase, you’ll grow out of it,” or “It’s just a hobby.” When I got to high school and started going to school with a full face of makeup every day, my mom didn’t really understand it. She grew up in Pakistan where that kind of thing wasn’t as common, so at one point she forbade me from wearing makeup to school. It was really disheartening and broke my heart because makeup was so important to me, and I enjoyed it so much.
I would still go to school with a full face of makeup but remove it on the bus ride home, so I wouldn’t get caught. Eventually, my mom started to understand more, especially after I booked those clients for prom. When I got to college and became part of the magazine, and my work got published, that’s when my family really started to take it more seriously.
Another big struggle has been finding clientele. There’s no shortage of makeup artists out there, so carving out a niche for myself and getting visibility has been tough. I’m also not very social media savvy, so that’s been a challenge. Finding enough clients to make this a full-time gig has been the most difficult part of it all since I’ve had to supplement my income with a day job, which eats into my time.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a professionally certified makeup artist, and Co-Editor-In-Chief of Glaze, a a Texas-based community magazine. I am mostly known for my editorial makeup, but have done makeup for commercial, film, brides, and runways.
I think what sets me apart from others is the fact that I’m professionally certified. I’ve received instruction from some really talented makeup artists and have learned industry tips and tricks that are hard to come by without formal training. I’ve dabbled in several styles of makeup — bridal, editorial, runway, print, commercial — so I consider myself to be a very versatile artist.
Something that contributes to my versatility is my work with Glaze. As I mentioned, I’ve been a part of Glaze since the very beginning. I do about 10 photoshoots a year with Glaze, and each shoot involves two to four models. So, if we average it out, I work on about 30 models a year just through Glaze alone. This experience has given me the opportunity to work with a wide variety of models with different skin tones, skin textures, and features. Each shoot also has its own unique concept which requires a different makeup style. This has made me adept at being creative and coming up with fresh looks every time.
In terms of what I’m most proud of (other than Glaze, of course), it would have to be doing makeup for New York Swim Week in 2022. I got to do makeup for about four or five models who walked the runway, and seeing my work on display and captured in Getty photos was honestly surreal.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
The thing I like most about Austin is definitely its vibrancy — just the vibe of the city. From the food, to the music, to the people, and the fact that there’s so much nature around while still being a big city. I get to experience all the things that come with city life but also enjoy the natural surroundings. Plus, I get to meet so many new people all the time.
One thing that truly makes Austin stand out is the creative scene. I’ve met so many incredibly talented creatives while living here, from filmmakers to photographers, models, to just about any other creative you can think of. It’s the creativity of the people here that makes Austin such a great city.
One downside, though, is its rapid growth. I’ve been here for about six years now, and while I’m not an OG Austin resident, I’ve been here long enough to see the changes . Everything is becoming a bit oversaturated. Standing out and carving a niche is becoming increasingly difficult. The creative spaces are also becoming more competitive, and that competition can sometimes cause negativity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mariamalimua.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariamalimua/
- Other: https://www.glaze.community/
Image Credits
Alyssa Olvera
Randy Brooke
Adrian Flores
Divzi Media
Studio K10
Shuer Zhuo
Cat Wilson
