Make-up Artist and Content Creator, May Tahmina, is currently taking the online beauty industry by storm. The Manchester based Influencer has accumulated a well earned following of over 58k on Instagram and over 500k on TikTok, by her use of bold, vibrant colours and patterns, applied with perfect precision. May’s looks range from bleached brows with under-eye Nike ticks, to full Euphoria glam, but her precise graphic liners might just be her signature stamp! In a digital age where Influencer culture is everywhere, Tahmina’s authenticity and strive for change in her industry makes her defiantly distinct from the rest, as she stands for a lot more than just make-up.
Voir sat down with May Tahmina and discussed everything from her make-up creativity to her strive and persistence in breaking through the beauty industry as a woman of colour.
How did you get into becoming a makeup influencer?
Growing up, my mum never let me touch make-up. She’s an Asian mum, so very traditional. You’re not allowed to wear foundation so all I did was eyeliner, and I was just always good at eyeliner because that’s all I did. Then, after having done Biology for three years at uni, I was in my master’s year, and I hated it. It wasn’t exciting to me, so I dropped out and I had like eight months of free time.
I came across the editorial makeup community on Instagram, and it excited me! I just started painting on my face one day and I was like, I feel like I’m good at this! It was the first time I had felt passionate about something, so I kept on doing it and posting it.
A big thing for me was building a community and building relationships with people. But, my intentions were never to become an influencer, I just sort of fell into it because I’m passionate about what I do and my art. I’m passionate about striving for change as well, I think that’s where I had grown my followers from.
You mentioned community, which is so key when you’re building a profile online. How would you describe the community that follows you?
They’re really appreciative and social – they show so much support. We all want the same thing, which is to be seen, we want everyone to be seen. In the editorial makeup community, were not afraid of speaking up because it’s for the greater good. We all care for each other, and we all want to progress. Within this community, it’s not just about makeup, it’s about inclusion, diversity, and change. It’s about holding everyone accountable and making sure that we’re doing better.
Of course, it’s also about makeup and our looks, but it stands for something more.
There are so many beauty influencers now, yet you stand out so much. How do you stay creative and innovative with your looks?
I think it’s hard sometimes because if your mind’s not in it, then you’re not going to create looks. You can sit for the whole day working and trying to put something on your face, but it just won’t come out. I think for me, I’ll see a lot of inspiration in other people and in colours, so I’m always working. If I see a pattern I’ll be thinking, “oh my god, that would look amazing on my face.” So, I try and take inspiration from everything. I won’t just create loads of looks that I’m not happy with, instead I’ll do like three looks in a day and it will be stuff I’ve actually thought about. If it makes me happy, then it’s worth it.
Did your rise in the social media world come about quickly and if so, how did you deal with that?
M: I’ve been doing it for 5 years now. But January last year, was when my Tik Tok blew up and went from 0 to like 500k, which was insane. And then my Instagram shot up as well! Instagram is harder to grow, but it has been easier to sustain because TikTok is very trend based.
At times, I know I need to tap into some trends but it’s not true for me, it’s not how I work. I love doing what’s in my head at that moment. But yeah, I have grown on both since last year and it has gone up and down a lot.
I have noticed my peers who are white have a much quicker growth than what I see for myself. I can also see that my growth is a lot quicker than for a lot of dark skin, black creators. So, it is frustrating, because I know that it’s still not a level playing field in terms of growth. But I’m happy with where I’m at and this is my full-time job now.
It’s very difficult, isn’t it? I think what’s great now is, more so than ever, people are talking about it.
Even when I first started, I was never seen. Brands weren’t having it. As someone of colour, and I know it is even harder for black creators, we have to do so much more to get the followers we have. Brands should be more understanding of that and I think they have started getting more understanding, slowly. I’m seeing a lot more creators who are getting PR and paid jobs with a low amount of following, which is great to see. But at the start, you’re lucky to get a lipstick for free!
Who have been your beauty icons that you look up to in the industry?
I would say Wendy’s World is a big one for me, we’re really close now. She is one of my best friends, but before, she was someone that I admired. She was always very vocal, and for someone who is a dark-skin creator to speak up as much as she did, even though she knew she had everything against her because of the world and industry we’re in, she still wasn’t afraid to speak up. Jackie Aina also! I love what she does. I think she’s great, she’s amazing.
I started this for my art, so all of the big people in glam and their journey’s don’t inspire me. However, I understand how amazing these people are! Like NikkieTutorials is amazing, she has been put up against a lot of things. NikkieTutorials did a look inspired by me the other day and I was so gassed! But, I never grew up watching these people because that was never my journey. The only thing that genuinely inspires me are people who do art and editorial makeup.
You mention editorial beauty. Who inspires you in terms of those looks?
Pat McGrath’s editorial runway looks are amazing and everything she stands for. I’d say she is definitely someone from the get-go that I was hoping one day I would get recognised by or even by her beauty brand.
Do you have a dream collaboration?
Definitely Pat McGrath or Fenty. A Pat McGrath event would be my absolute dream. Dannesa Myricks is another one. A lot of beauty brands are scared of colour, whereas Dannesa has got some amazing colour paint.
I’d love to work with skincare brands because I’m really into that, doing my makeup on really bare or minimal skin. Brands like Kate Somerville and Paula’s Choice, they’ve really helped my skin, I think editorials are quite good for people just accepting the skin they’ve got.
What are your absolute favourite makeup products?
With Pat, her eyeshadows are just undefeated. Fenty, their gloss and their blush, that’s literally the only blush I use. And then Milk Makeup I’d love to collaborate with, I use a lot of their products. Their foundations, under eye concealer, blush, bronzer, those products are incredible. Obviously, my main product I use is Glisten Cosmetics, I’ve got her brushes, I’ve got pretty much every colour she stocks! I can’t recommend her enough because she works with so many creators and she’s really authentic. Her products are amazing and she’s someone who really cares about their brand and community.
A lot of influencers go on to create their own lines, is that something that interests you? What does the future hold for you?
M: I think definitely at some point I will probably release some type of makeup. It’s not in the forefront of my mind. I’d love to be able to advise brands in terms of diversity. And I think making this industry a bit more open, because it’s not open enough, people are under- charging, they are underselling themselves. There is a lot of disparity in terms of pay between white people and people of colour. I’d love to be someone who changes this.
Right now, I’m concentrating on my makeup, and I am doing things behind the scenes to help with diversity. But I’m just trying to get myself out there, because I’m not as big as I want to be. I want to make this community as accepting to people in the future as it was to me.
Words by Lucy Rosenberg
Header Image: @maytahmi
