Using makeup and YouTube to inspire Syrian girls
Date Published: 3/24/2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gUlJ-lFYyU&t=41s
Hi Simonetta, my name is Mirna and I have a wish or The Wishwall. I moved to the US three and a half years ago from my hometown of Aleppo, Syria due to the war. Makeup was always a hobby for me growing up, but I really got into it when I was in medical school, when the crisis first started (between 2011 and 2012). During the war, we used to lose electricity frequently, but I still had access to wifi and I used to binge-watch makeup YouTube videos as an escape from the war and from the stress of medical school.
I really wanted to apply what I was learning from these makeup videos on myself, but we didn’t have brands in Syria similar to the U.S., and buying makeup over there was not really affordable, especially during the war when money was tight. Also, in Syria, like many other creative professions, makeup wasn’t really considered a realistic career choice. When I finally came to the U.S., I was able to buy brand-name makeup, try new techniques, and apply what I was learning from the YouTube videos and professional makeup artists that I follow on social media. I also started learning about the makeup industry here, which opened my eyes to thinking about makeup as a career. One thing I’ve always loved about makeup is that you can express yourself in different ways without it being permanent. It washes off the next day and you can start over.
After watching so many YouTube videos, I really wanted to start my own YouTube channel, but due to financial strains and being a fulltime student in college, I decided not to create it until after graduation. I finally did (this past fall) and I’ve uploaded about 15 videos so far, and I just love doing it. However, YouTube is very competitive right now so it’s hard to stand out to people and get a lot of viewers when a lot of other people are doing the same. Also, in Syria I wasn’t able to take any type of classes because they weren’t offered, so I really wish that someday I will be able to here when I have more money saved up.
My wish for you is to connect me with people in the makeup industry who can offer me help and advice, and share their journeys with me. I want to expand my YouTube channel and turn my love for makeup into a career, and I hope my story can inspire girls in Syria and other similar countries that they can pursue creative passions like makeup professionally. I also want to give hope for people who got displaced and relocated that they should not give up on their dreams because they will get there in time. Lastly, I hope my channel can help empower women everywhere to express themselves freely with makeup and beauty, and to be confident in their own skin, with or without makeup. Thank you!
Hi Simonetta, my name is Mirna and I have a wish or The Wishwall. I moved to the US three and a half years ago from my hometown of Aleppo, Syria due to the war. Makeup was always a hobby for me growing up, but I really got into it when I was in medical school, when the crisis first started (between 2011 and 2012). During the war, we used to lose electricity frequently, but I still had access to wifi and I used to binge-watch makeup YouTube videos as an escape from the war and from the stress of medical school.
I really wanted to apply what I was learning from these makeup videos on myself, but we didn’t have brands in Syria similar to the U.S., and buying makeup over there was not really affordable, especially during the war when money was tight. Also, in Syria, like many other creative professions, makeup wasn’t really considered a realistic career choice. When I finally came to the U.S., I was able to buy brand-name makeup, try new techniques, and apply what I was learning from the YouTube videos and professional makeup artists that I follow on social media. I also started learning about the makeup industry here, which opened my eyes to thinking about makeup as a career. One thing I’ve always loved about makeup is that you can express yourself in different ways without it being permanent. It washes off the next day and you can start over.
After watching so many YouTube videos, I really wanted to start my own YouTube channel, but due to financial strains and being a fulltime student in college, I decided not to create it until after graduation. I finally did (this past fall) and I’ve uploaded about 15 videos so far, and I just love doing it. However, YouTube is very competitive right now so it’s hard to stand out to people and get a lot of viewers when a lot of other people are doing the same. Also, in Syria I wasn’t able to take any type of classes because they weren’t offered, so I really wish that someday I will be able to here when I have more money saved up.
My wish for you is to connect me with people in the makeup industry who can offer me help and advice, and share their journeys with me. I want to expand my YouTube channel and turn my love for makeup into a career, and I hope my story can inspire girls in Syria and other similar countries that they can pursue creative passions like makeup professionally. I also want to give hope for people who got displaced and relocated that they should not give up on their dreams because they will get there in time. Lastly, I hope my channel can help empower women everywhere to express themselves freely with makeup and beauty, and to be confident in their own skin, with or without makeup. Thank you!
