Friday March 29th, 2024
Download SceneNow app
Copied

6 Epic Halloween Transformations by Egyptian Makeup Artists

Halloween is when the ghouls, goblins, and makeup artists come out to play - sometimes together.

Staff Writer

For some, the advent of autumn means we can officially get over the sheer abomination that is formet is sahel and finally wallow in our own fat and become the tubs of lard we always wanted to be while we binge watch Stranger Things with pizza sauce stains on our pyjamas that haven't been washed in three weeks. But it also, and more importantly for some, means Halloween is officially here! As All Hallows' Eve approaches, the annual frenzy kicks in; frantic costume searches, parties where you can get away with looking like a slut, pumpkin-shaped everything!

This day of ghouls and goblins is possibly our favourite holiday of the year – mainly because we get to finally pretend to be someone else for a day. But also because when you drink way too much at a Halloween party and descend into a shame spiral that ends up with you passed out in someone's kitchen while their cat licks your arm, no one will be able to tell who you are - if you've got a good makeup artist, that is. Makeup artists have the ability to transform us ordinary folk into whatever our frivolous little hearts desire. So we tapped six of Egypt's coolest artists and makeup artists to come and work their magic on our faces and transform us into an array of iconic characters, paintings, and even emojis. Check out the wicked results below...

Corpse Bride by Chanel Arif
Local artist Chanel Arif got her start on the scene in New York before moving to Egypt and steadily garnering a reputation as a creative force to be reckoned with. Between bold, dreamy pieces awash with vibrant colour that have been featured on Absolut's Art Exchange series, and inventive art installations complete with a full-on hand painted set and models coated from head to toe in streaks of paint, the young ingenue is pushing the boundaries of what it means to create.

 

Harley Quinn by Mai Ayman
The makeup darling has created a name for herself over the past few years, collaborating with a myriad of local and international fashion brands, from local boho hero Kojak to powerhouse caffeine crew Nescafe. She's conducted workshops and beautified brides ahead of their big day, and her work has been featured in magazines - and on Instagram accounts - across the country ahead of her recent shift over to the silver screen to work her magic on Kalb Balady.

 

The Mad Hatter by Yasmine Khashab
Local makeup artist Yasmine Khashab cut her teeth on creating bold and definitive looks for an avalanche of local projects, but her creative prowess veers more to the haunting and unearthly; last year she teamed up with Blue 40 for their Halloween campaign to create six eerily epic looks for the elixir, and she's one of the rare artists on the Egyptian scene who has studied special effects and can whip up a burn victim imitation as flawlessly as she can a bride. 

 

Starry Night by Nour Omar
Founder of Egyptian brand Marsuma Designs, local artist Nour Omar's style thus far has revolved around recreating iconic masterpieces off the walls and on wearable items like clutches, oversized beach bags, and even Converse sneakers, as the brand seeks to fuse the art world and the fashion sphere and essentially make art accessible. She's also one of the five Egyptian designers who was selected to represent Egypt for the first time at London Fashion Week's International Fashion Showcase last February, hand painting a bodysuit and cape for the Ancient Egypt-inspired installation.

 

 

Emoji by Laila Omar
An architect by trade, Laila Omar's been steadily making her way in the creative local arena, experimenting in various spheres from hand painting edgy abstract murals at hotspots across the city – such as Loft 21 – to designing furniture with boutique brand Mit Rehan, to graphic design, and even collaborating with Marsuma on a slew of pieces.

 

Raggedy Ann by Kiki Ismail
The indisputable king of Cairo's makeup scene, Kiki Ismail exploded onto the scene a couple of years ago and has been dominating it since. The makeup maestro, who kickstarted his career in New York and has worked with the likes of Stella McCartney and Cara Delevingne, has garnered renown for bridal makeup, and has worked on a slew of fashion shoots, although his pedigree is in body paint and special effects.  


Videos and shoot by @MO4Network's #MO4Productions.
Photography by Ahmed Najeeb, Ezz El Masry, and Osama Selim.