BEAUTY INSIDER: AYA TARIQ, NYC BASED MENA MAKEUP ARTIST

How did you get into makeup? Can you tell me a bit about that journey?

My journey to makeup started with me sitting in Grandma’s lap and watching her apply Khol liner into her water line, then she’d brush her brows backwards and put lipstick on her lips and cheeks and blend it with her fingers. I fell in love with makeup because I fell in love with strong Arab women.

I loved everything beauty, from hair, skin care, colors..I did my own makeup and experimented with style a lot. I had girlfriends come over to my place when I was in high school and they’ll ask me to do them up, I’ll do that from home. I did so well that a hair salon asked me to come work for them when I was 16 so I did and that was kind of the beginning. 

Being Moroccan, Egyptian and Saudi, how do you think your perception of beauty has been effected?

It has definitely been interesting in the way that I was exposed to every skin tone and hair texture in my own family. My Moroccan family is so mixed that me and my cousins almost don’t speak Arabic to each other, many of them speak Russian or French or Spanish..it’s definitely fun! Which has also exposed me to what is trendy at that time where they live. So my cousins who grew up in France, would never wear as much makeup as my aunt in Saudi Arabia would for example! One was trying to look cool and effortless, the other is embracing sexiness and femininity. Polar opposites! I feel like in my own art I’m always trying to bridge those two together and make sense of them 

Do you have any MENA (Middle Eastern/North African) beauty icons?

Shrihan, Samira Tawfik, Dalida, 

Shrihan, was my obsession though! I was always glued to the TV whenever she was on it. I would try to dance, preform and act like her. Her makeup, her outfits…she is definitely an icon! 

Are there any beauty rituals from our culture that you incorporate into your skin rituals or work as a makeup artist?

I think it’s funny how derma blading became a big thing in the recent years. Where I grew up I did that allllll the time. It was big part of my routine for sure, I still enjoy doing that once a week. 

Any favorite MENA skin rituals?

Lavender and jojoba oil mixed together in a bottle and misted after moisturizer.

What do you think is beautiful?

I think it’s beautiful when people are comfortable in their own skin. When they feel like they can be themselves and feel like themselves. 

What is your skin ritual?

Washing my face when I wakeup, applying eye cream, vitamin C serum and Bedouin Elixir especially now that it’s cold and dry in NYC! I need the extra hydration. I mix in couple of oils drops with my moisturizer. 

I love massaging my face and making sure I can get that blood flowing. A good lip balm to start the morning, and SPF 

At night I take my makeup off, apply moisturizer and my retinol, making sure to sandwich! 

 

How do you like to use the Bedouin Elixir Facial Oil?

Mixed in with my moisturizer during the winter. If I’m flaking from using retinol, I’ll apply it twice straight on clean skin. 

Who were your beauty icons growing up?

My mother for sure, she is so chic, elegant, loves to look fabulous but she’s also funny! I think that’s the most attractive combo. 

Where do you draw inspiration for creating makeup looks?

I love looking back on different eras with makeup, fashion, paintings. I’m passionate about learning and always hungry to understand artists from the past 

How do you like to prepare the skin for makeup?

Every skin has its own need, i think it’s hard for most people to know what type of skin they have so I always ask my models about characteristics of their skin. 

I used bio derma to cleanse, if the skin is flaky I take a Q-tip with a little bit of moisturizer and exfoliate the areas that needs a little bit more exfoliation, I had a little bit of my favorite oil Bedouin Elixir & I follow with Tatcha cream and lip balm.This combo always give me amazing glowing skin!

What are your go to Skincare & Makeup products? 

Skin care: The Bedouin Elixir Facial Oil, Ren ready skin glow, Tatcha dewy skin cream and their kissu lip mask, dr. Sturm face cream.

Makeup: Pat McGrath dark star mascara and her amazing concealer 

Fenty liquid lipsticks. Kulfi eyeliners are amazing formula and colors. Danessa Myricks translucent powders and colorfix colors.

 

What beauty products can’t you live without?

Mad hippie cleansing oil. I use Retinol from Curology, The Bedouin Elixir, Tatcha dewy skin cream. A brow brush And kissu lip mask from Tatcha.

 

Do you have any ingredients that you absolutely love for skincare?

I love jojoba oil, it’s the best for our skin, the antioxidants in jojoba can help us fight pollutants and other toxins. Living in a place like nyc, it’s just too many cars.. also wearing a mask all day..we need the extra help these days. Those and Vitamin C for brightening! Lavender oil, I noticed my chin acne has been getting better using that, and it smells so good!  Good news is your product has all these so I don’t have to do the mixing and guessing myself. 

Lastly I wanted to say that I find it very incredibly inspiring you started your own product, that we share Egyptian ancestors. You’re an amazing artist, and you’re inspiring many other Arabs out there! 

 

We love Aya so much! Find her on instagram here!