Teacher-Turned-Makeup Artist Creates Mind-Bending 3D Optical Illusions

The use of makeup has gone beyond enhancing our features and hiding our blemishes. It has become a tool for total transformation and even for creating optical illusions.

Former school teacher and now makeup artist Mimi Choi has become popular for her insane makeup optical illusions. The talented 31-year-old from Canada is able to totally transform herself and others using makeup, creating mind-bending and surreal images.

Choi is especially talented in creating 3D illusions.

With well-place drop shadows, Choi is able to make certain areas of her artwork look like they’re popping out of the skin, or hollow, or receding into the body. Some of her works are realistic, while some are cartoonish.

Choi’s makeup illusions are now trending on Instagram.

Choi spoke to Allure magazine and said:

“When I do illusions now, I draw my inspiration mostly from my surroundings, photography, paintings, and emotions. I try not to look at other makeup artists’s work too much and challenge myself to produce original, unique work. My main goal each time I do a new look is to beat myself from yesterday because I’m the biggest critic and competition to myself. It’s gotten really hard to impress myself these days but it motivates me to keep trying and doing better.”

Choi has been doing makeup for three years now.

She also uses paint brushes to achieve her makeup illusions, and a piece can take as long as five hours to finish. Choi uses everyday makeup and even shares some of the products she uses in her Instagram posts.

She creates optical illusions that are inspired by many things from food to everyday objects.

Choi said regarding one of her looks:

“My sushi looks were inspired by a sushi dinner that I had. I’ve seen people paint animals on their hands before but I thought why not food?”

Of course, Choi also does wonderful glam makeup, but her illusions are very famous.

What do you think of her awesome makeup illusions? Leave a comment below and tell us about it!