Describe yourself like an Instagram/Twitter bio:
Recovering junk food addict who likes to take pictures, especially of the things I draw on my face.
What do you do?
Although I post makeup-heavy content, I wouldn’t say my Instagram is strictly focused. My feed shows a medley of different areas of my life ranging from travel photos to memories with friends and just everyday life shenanigans.
162 Likes, 17 Comments - Larissa.♡ (@lawisoly) on Instagram: "#makeup"
How and why did you start?
As a child, I would watch my cousins, aunts, mother etc. put on makeup and I would sit on the side, fascinated by what they were doing. One day I went into my mother’s bathroom while she was at work and tried on all her makeup. Needless to say, I made a huge mess of the bathroom and my face. My ‘smokey’ eye looked not far off of a black eye. I decided right there and then, through the likes of my panda eyes, that the art of makeup was not for me.
Then, I distinctly remember around 6/7 years ago, I was on Google looking up photo inspirations for Halloween (who hasn’t done that), when I saw ‘before and after’ images of people using makeup to transform themselves. I fell in love with makeup right there and then. I remember being amazed at the variety of looks that you could do and how they would give off a different vibe or persona.
I would always practise in my room or my bathroom, making sure to remove every trace of it before I left the room so that nobody else would see. Sure enough the black eye, with practice, slowly became a smokey eye. Over the past 5/6 years, I was always too nervous to post anything or share anything about it publicly. Call me foolish; I was self-conscious and valued myself almost entirely based upon what and how others thought of me.
104 Likes, 9 Comments - Larissa.♡ (@lawisoly) on Instagram: "🎀"
112 Likes, 7 Comments - Larissa.♡ (@lawisoly) on Instagram: "My version of "sunset" makeup"
After having left the packed city I grew up in, where judgements about other people were so readily available, I soon came to realise how silly I was to let other people’s opinions hinder my capacity to share what I love doing. I started to share my passion with my close friends and relatives. I did their makeup for different occasions and by word of mouth, more people were requesting for me to do their makeup. I got the opportunity to practise makeup on models, my friends and my friends’ friends.
Over the past year, I’ve been battling my brain to let go over the social chains that I thought I was restricted by. I posted my first makeup photo just under a month ago and at the same time, discovered a whole community of people who do exactly what I love doing. It made it easier for me to compare how my style of makeup was different, how I could improve and what I lacked. Now, here is where I stand.
152 Likes, 8 Comments - Larissa.♡ (@lawisoly) on Instagram: "Mermaid halo"
I love putting on makeup; it’s really therapeutic to me, I can spend hours on end just scrutinising over the little details of the face. I also love putting makeup on other people, watching their faces transform and seeing their reaction when they see themselves in the mirror. Nothing brings me more joy than to know that I was able to make someone else feel a certain way about themselves. Makeup isn’t all about masking a face (although I am not opposed to a ‘cake face’ every once in a while). In my opinion, it’s more about bringing forward a kind of beauty that already exists and to be able to instil that confidence in someone, makes me incredibly happy.
What are you currently working on/what should we be looking forward to?
Right now, I’m trying to bring forward more diverse looks with different techniques and colours and providing content that caters to a greater audience. I love fitness and exercise, so hopefully I can incorporate some aspects of that in my Instagram posts soon as well.
146 Likes, 8 Comments - Larissa.♡ (@lawisoly) on Instagram: "Cut crease"
What’s your advice for people who want to get started?
As simple as it sounds, I would say just go for it. If you always second-guess yourself, you will never do it. The first step is always the hardest, but you’ll see that the fears and anxieties are more in your head than anything else.
Don’t let other people affect you.
There is a huge difference between asking for other people’s opinions or constructive criticism and people who intentionally try to bring you down. If you do what you love, it will show and you will be able to attract people who do appreciate what you do, because your passion will shine through brighter than anything else.
Lastly, shamelessly plug yourself!