ADVERTISEMENT

Makeup is usually used for slightly adjusting the everyday look but some actually realize its true potential. Mimi Choi from Vancouver, Canada is one of them. She is a 31-year-old makeup artist who creates intense hyperreal optical illusions, and her amazing work has earned Mimi 274,000 followers on Instagram.

Before discovering makeup art, Mimi trained as a teacher and worked in a pre-school for three years. "I felt like my creativity was suppressed. I enjoyed teaching but I wasn't completely happy," she said. "I needed a new challenge." After leaving the classroom, she started experimenting with her makeup brushes at home.

"I've always been arty and had done bridal makeup before, which people really liked. 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.

Choi creates her mind-blowing work through masterfully understanding perspective, creating three dimensionality on a flat surface. She manipulates makeup like an artist uses his paint and places shadows onto her body to make her skin either pop out or recede back into the body.

More info: Instagram (h/t: mmm)

#8

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
dariab_1 avatar
Daria B
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone must have said something really REALLY stupid to make her roll her eyes like that....

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#20

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
lara_andrea avatar
Lara B.
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It looks like someone casually wiped some cloth with paint over her face, but i guess it took her ages to make it look like that.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#23

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
sorayajakob avatar
Sorai Jordan
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

someone wrote something about nightmares in the comments before this pic, but I think... this pic here is worst. worst, but best. very nicely done

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
knomuraloha avatar
Karen Nomura
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

FALSE ADVERTISING! This isn't smudge proof, waterproof makeup😡‼️

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#35

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
donutlsf avatar
Luna Kittenwarrior
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Forget my last comment: THIS looks like the girl from the opening scene of Botched.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#38

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
hrossell4 avatar
Hillary Rossell
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If I were her, I'd go out in public and act as if nothing were unusual.

ADVERTISEMENT
#48

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
lisanne-dejong avatar
Liz dJ
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And to think that I can't even wing my eyeliner like that

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#52

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
sorayajakob avatar
Sorai Jordan
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

that's incredibly creative! it's disturbing, but funny at the same time

View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda
See Also on Bored Panda
#72

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
#80

Optical-illusion-make-up-mimi-choi

Mimi Choi Report

Add photo comments
POST
rosebyne avatar
Janette Murray
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

While these are different and get your attention, there is no doubt this lady is loaded with talent. A consummate artist indeed, and why not use the face as a canvas? Most impressive.

View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda