M: My name’s Maria, and I’m an Editor by day, blogger the rest of the time! As my Instagram bio says, I’m essentially an eclectic ball of mess. I kind of scurry around producing makeup looks one minute, shooting fashion the next, indulging in my passion for film writing and also my new-found love of travel. Most of the time you’ll find me posting weird beauty looks on Instagram, or musing on my blog- lifewithmaria.
D: How did you get started in blogging and adventurous make up looks?
M: I’ve actually been blogging for over five years now, I started when I left uni and worked in social media and blogging for a few years, while running two blogs of my own. I finally invested in my own domain almost two years ago, and have been writing on Life with Maria ever since!
Can you believe I only really discovered makeup a year and a half ago?? I’d never really worn much, but after binge-watching RuPaul’s Drag Race, I got so inspired. I started experimenting a little bit and I’ve been so passionate about it ever since. I have such a long way to go in terms of development, but I can already see myself improving.
D: What brand of make up to you like or would recommend overall?
M: DEFINITELY KAT VON D! I’m so obsessed with every single product, and it’s a mid price range, so definitely worth the investment. When I first started doing dramatic makeup looks I had no money for products like this, but I really couldn’t achieve any results with cheaper counterparts. It’s definitely worth investing. Other than KVD, I also recommend Urban Decay, Anastasia Beverly Hills, CYO Cosmetics (they’re super cheap!), NYX and Marc Jacobs Beauty.
M: Ah thank you!! I get inspiration from everywhere! Sometimes I’ll watch a movie and get inspired by a landscape, or I’ll see a look on Pinterest that inspires me. More recently I’ve developed my hashtag #miasmakeupmonth for dedications to certain elements I love about life. Instagram is a wonderful playground of inspiration too, SO.MUCH.TALENT.
M: Keep trying!! I remember when I first started buying makeup and applying it, it was a minefield. I had no idea what primer was, and why I had to ‘bake’ my face… It can be all so overwhelming but focus on sections of your face and take time to master different parts. For instance if you want a killer wing, keep practising until you geddit gurrrrl. For me at the moment it’s brows, ugh I HATE MINE. So I’m sitting down 2/3 times a week to draw out different ones until I find my go-to.
M: OOOOOOH this one is a toughy!! I would have said Aja but she’s out, the last episode was SO SHOCKING!! To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of any of them this year, but there is such a ridiculously talented drag scene on the ‘gram. Fave past kweens include Sharon Needles, Kim Chi, Manila Luzon, Pearl and Jinx.
M: In terms of makeup, I’d love to do just full glam, it’s SO HARD, trust me. Painting my face blue? any day. Glamifying myself? omfg it’s SO FRICKING HARD. Haha. Obviously I have most of my makeup months planned for the rest of the year, but I want to make more videos, and basically just get better at what I’m doing, and perhaps be a reliable person to come to for makeup tips!
M: As I mentioned before I’m heavily influenced by drag, but not really the ones on Drag Race, there’s so much talent to drink up on Instagram– Go follow Ellis Atlantis, Creme Fatale (She blows Dela out of the water!), Imp Kid and Isshehungry. In terms of other influencers, I love Jess Chamilton (she’s too cute!), and makeup peeps like Puggsforever, Itslikelymakeup and Lucy Garland.
M: 100% Slytherin… I’m not a nice person. Just kidding… I love the colour green, and also I got sorted into that house on Pottermore!
M: Anyone who knows me will know this is the HARDEST question you could ask me, haha. My favourite word is ‘favourite’, I’m forever saying different movies are my favourite. I have a favourite genre- Indie Horror. From that films like The Loved Ones and Excision spring, and y’all know I love Halloween as a season so anything around that – Hocus Pocus is epic. I’m also a huge Star Wars fan, so any kind of adventure movie I can get obsessed with (I was an insanely big fan of Pirates of the Caribbean as a teenager, I used to dress up as Jack… I’m a drag baby!!). Movies influence my life, and are a huge part of me; I spend much of my spare time watching them, and I always stick a movie on while I’m doing my makeup.
M: Okay this is going to sound soooo weird, but I don’t listen to music. I cant find anything in the charts I like, so I’m always listening to 70s and 80s stuff. Blondie, Eurythmics, The Stranglers etc.
