Nilo Haq on the art of makeup

FAMOUS makeup artist Nilo Haq’s job is to make people feel beautiful. Talented, ambitious and motivated, Haq has gained her unique skills from her love and passion for makeup and beauty.
She has excelled in the field and is one of the most sought-after makeup artists in the region. In a tête-à-tête with Arab News’ Amrina Qaiser, Haq reveals her success mantra and much more:
AN: How would you describe your journey in the world of makeup so far?
My journey as a makeup artist has been a gradual one, with a combination of hard work, dedication, family support, blessings from above and a dream, all playing their own roles. Like most girls, I always had a love for makeup. When I was in my teens, my friends used to ask me to put makeup on for them, but I never thought I would have the talent in me to pursue makeup professionally. I was lost in my University days and didn’t really know where I wanted my career to go or what I wanted to do. I didn’t know what would make me happy. When I met my husband, he noticed a talent in me and started to convince me to take professional makeup courses. When I got married, I enrolled myself in several makeup courses and realized that I had a hidden passion for makeup, which led me to become a professional makeup artist and have a career in the beauty industry.
AN: How do you define makeup in just one sentence?
Makeup for me is color on canvas.
AN: At any given point, what makeup stuff is your purse likely to carry?
Believe it or not, I don’t wear a lot of makeup nor do I carry a lot of makeup with me. My personal makeup look is generally liquid eyeliner, mascara, blush and a new lipstick. I love lipsticks and they are my weakness, so I usually only have the lipstick I’m wearing that day with a matching lip liner in my purse.
AN: Which, according to you, is the best makeup brand and why?
Honestly, all cosmetics companies have their strengths and have their own great products. If I had to choose one overall brand I would chose Mac Cosmetics. The brand was created in 1984 by Frank Toskan and Frank Angelo in Canada and was originally designed for professional makeup artists but now is sold to anyone. I love how the brand is so fashion forward and sets trends. I love the creativity of the artists behind the brand and since I used to work for them when I was living in Toronto I know the products very well. They have such an extensive selection of products, colors and tools to suit any woman’s needs.
AN: How important is makeup to make a woman attractive?
To look attractive it’s not all about makeup, makeup is definitely one of the bigger pieces of the puzzle but healthy looking hair, good skin, personal style along with confidence all come together to make a woman look attractive.
AN: Do you specialize in a specific area of makeup artistry?
Through JeddahBeauty.com we offer a range of makeup courses and workshops. Our most popular courses so far have been self grooming, learning to put makeup on oneself. We also have workshops for bridal, photography, fashion and creative makeup. In our classes we touch on skincare, health, personal style and building confidence but our main focus is of course makeup artistry.
AN: What are the credentials of the instructors for these courses?
I instruct all the makeup courses, and I’m a self-taught makeup artist. I have a little over 10 years of experience. I have taken courses and workshops from many professionals and professional institutions around the globe. I’ve trained in Karachi with a one-on-one class with Nabila from NPro, Nighat Mishab from Diplex and Shaheen’s. I’ve also done an extensive training program while working at MAC Cosmetics in Toronto, Canada. I’ve trained at Alexander Zaouri Paris and I’ve done several courses at Illamasqua School of Make Art in London. I’m always looking to learn and improve my skills, so I take the opportunity to learn more when I can.
AN: What do you think is the best way to pursue one’s interest in makeup art?
The best way to pursue a passion of makeup art is to attend a course, even though many of the best makeup artists around the globe are self taught, taking a course is a good way to understand makeup, gain a solid base and master techniques. Once you get comfortable with techniques and products the best way to further enhance yourself is to practice, practice and practice. There are also many great tutorials on YouTube that can help you learn tips and tricks to further improve your skills.
AN: Some makeup artists are great at their craft but do not teach well. How can a balance be drawn between the two?
I developed these makeup courses from scratch always keeping in mind what it was like for me when I didn’t know anything about makeup and wanted to learn myself. I start from zero with my students and build my way up so that students can take with them lifelong understanding of makeup along with skills. I put my heart and soul into my classes and always welcome feedback to make sure the classes are the best they can be.
AN: Is it important to first teach the history of make-up?
In professional makeup courses it is important to teach the history of makeup to understand more about the art of makeup and where it came from. History is a great source of inspiration.
AN: How do you select students for the courses? Is there a process?
It’s really important for me to make sure that the girls who attend any of my courses really learn and gain value from them. We do screen the students when they enroll to make sure they are suitable for the specific course they are interested to take. For advance level courses, we do have prerequisites to ensure that you are ready for the course.
AN: What distinguishes your classes from other makeup courses?
We have a tremendous referral rate from our students and most of our enrollment comes from our reputation, which is what truly distinguishes us. Our courses are designed for our students, by providing in-depth, comprehensive classes that are hands-on. I take pride in my student’s skills and because I personally work in the industry at all levels from beauty writing to makeup artistry. I invent new techniques and teach the newest skills to our students which they won’t be able to get anywhere else.
AN: How do you visualize makeup trends after 50 years?
Makeup has been around over 6,000 years of human history, with pretty much every society on earth. Today it’s one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Like fashion, makeup trends come and go, like a cycle. What’s great about it is that each time the trend is with a slightly different and updated edge. The future of makeup is exciting; with so many technological advancements and development of new products it’s only going to get bigger and better.
AN: How does your style standout from that of the others?
Since I’ve lived and taken makeup courses from different parts of the world, I bring together the best from the east and west to create my own personal style of makeup looks.