Makeup can be a great way to highlight your features or hide something we’re insecure about. However, some are able to take it to a whole new level and turn makeup into a magical form of self-expression and art. Mimi Choi is one of these people - with her mindblowing optical illusion looks, the artist has amassed an audience of 1.7 million followers on Instagram.
Surprisingly, her creations are often inspired by the visions she has during episodes of sleep paralysis: "In addition to not being able to move, I see things," she says. "Once I do a makeup of some vision, it never repeats itself."
Before seeing the newest work by Mimi, check out Bored Panda’s previous posts about the talented artist: 1, 2, 3, 4.
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Mimi’s looks are crazy popular amongst her almost-2-million followers and she likes showing some behind the scenes with her fun captions. Recently she wrote: “This experimental look took about 3 hours to complete. I was about to give up halfway because it looks much worse than how I imagined it in my head but I pushed through. It was fun. Learned a few things while trying to problem-solve.”
"I've always been arty and had done bridal makeup before, which people really liked,” Mimi told us a few years ago about her career beginnings. I'd not done anything as crazy as the work I do now, though." Enrolling at a local beauty college really helped Mimi to take her skills to new heights. But things really took off when Halloween was just around the corner. "I wanted to do something different for October 31, so I had a look on Instagram and found a photo of a woman, who looked like her face had cracked."
"I'd never tried any kind of crazy make-up on myself, but I just got out my black and white eyeliner and gave it a go. And the rest is history.”
What’s interesting is that before discovering makeup art, Mimi worked in a pre-school. According to her website: “Coupled with her background and previous career as an educator, Mimi now instructs at Blanche Macdonald and leads various masterclasses and workshops around the globe where she demonstrates her iconic looks. She also freelances as the artistic director for various campaigns and her CV includes collaborations with brands such as NYX Professional Makeup, MAC, Kryolan, Mehron, UNICEF, Warner Brothers, and Samsung to name a few.”
Oh no, this isn't- having a great effect on my mind. She's really really good at makeup though
That is brilliant. My brain hurts trying to piece everything together.
It’s no surprise that with such impressive looks she’s been able to create over the years, Mimi has made a name for herself in the makeup community. The talented artist has even been featured on various international television shows, magazines, music videos, and most notably at the Met Gala a few years ago, where she created the event’s “most talked-about” look on actor/model Ezra Miller.
Girls when they come back from a party late at night and are too lazy to remove their makeup
Painting with this much detail is hard on paper/canvas, imagine painting these on yourself!
This one is... Interesting. This woman has some amazing talent though
This takes pop art and surrealism to a whole new level.
This is one of my favorite articles. I'm definitely going to check her out... she's a modern day Salvador Dali. 🎨
Some of these sparked my anxiety real bad, but she's a great artist!!
WOW!!!! She is so talented. Painting what she does would be difficult on paper I can't imagine doing it on yourself. It's crazy & different but true art. I just don't understand the order. Shock over beauty & difficulty? The one with the sea shells & fish should be like #1 or #2. I'm going to bookmark this page & follow her on socials immediately!
The designs are crazy SICK! Pretty out of this world! An extraordinary sense of art!
WOW!!! Absolutely amazing, beautiful, and at times, creepy! Lol A very gifted artist. I would like to know how she comes up with her designs, how long they take to complete, and, does anyone assist her? Truly talented artist!!
Holy crap. She is such a visionary artist. Incredibly using her own face as a canvas. I believe this is the best I've ever seen.
Some of these images were unsettling, others were haunting, some were just downright disturbing...but all were absolutely breathtaking and incredible!The fact that she creates all of them on HER OWN FACE, is nothing short of amazing.
Entirely too creepy. Couldn't even look at all of them. Nightmare Inducing.
Mimi Choi is just extraordinary. I can't even begin to imagine how she accomplishes some of these.
This is one of my favorite articles. I'm definitely going to check her out... she's a modern day Salvador Dali. 🎨
Some of these sparked my anxiety real bad, but she's a great artist!!
WOW!!!! She is so talented. Painting what she does would be difficult on paper I can't imagine doing it on yourself. It's crazy & different but true art. I just don't understand the order. Shock over beauty & difficulty? The one with the sea shells & fish should be like #1 or #2. I'm going to bookmark this page & follow her on socials immediately!
The designs are crazy SICK! Pretty out of this world! An extraordinary sense of art!
WOW!!! Absolutely amazing, beautiful, and at times, creepy! Lol A very gifted artist. I would like to know how she comes up with her designs, how long they take to complete, and, does anyone assist her? Truly talented artist!!
Holy crap. She is such a visionary artist. Incredibly using her own face as a canvas. I believe this is the best I've ever seen.
Some of these images were unsettling, others were haunting, some were just downright disturbing...but all were absolutely breathtaking and incredible!The fact that she creates all of them on HER OWN FACE, is nothing short of amazing.
Entirely too creepy. Couldn't even look at all of them. Nightmare Inducing.
Mimi Choi is just extraordinary. I can't even begin to imagine how she accomplishes some of these.