Incredible talent
SOMETIMES, I am left speechless by how mature children are these days. When I was 11, my world was all about friends, Disney channel, keeping up with homework and, well, just being a kid. But look at the post-millennial generation. Their attitude, behaviour and lifestyle are significantly different compared to my generation (not that I’m old or anything!).
Perhaps being born in an era when society is heavily reliant on social media does that to them. Information is easily accessible, making it easier for a child to discover, for instance, what contouring means without needing an adult to tell her.
The only memory I have of make-up back then was putting on my mother’s red lipstick, or playing with a child’s make-up set that my parents bought for me.
There are children with special talents — unfortunately, I’m not one of them — and they can, for example, cook, play the piano really well or sing like an adult.
INCREDIBLE SKILLS
Iris Khairi, an 11-year-old, is a local make-up prodigy with incredible beauty skills.
With the power of social media, her skills have turned heads and created a buzz.
Her eyebrows? Well-defined. Her eyeshadow? Beautifully blended. Her contouring? On point. Her highlights? Beaming! Like most post-millennial children these days, she learnt all that via YouTube.
Iris often shares the results of her magic touch via Facebook, where it has gained traction. She appears extra mature for her age once she is dolled up but she looks good and you would never think a child that young could paint her own face so well.
Never underestimate your child’s potential, I say! Lucky for her, her mother supports her passion.
Iris’ mother says that her daughter developed an interest in make-up when she was 8.
She was hesitant at first to let her daughter experiment with make-up at such a young age.
But there was no stopping Iris. It got to a point where her father had to hide all the make-up stash so that she would focus on her studies.
When she turned 10, she fully started to experiment with make-up. Her mother started uploading her daughter’s make-up tutorials, and this drew attention on social media.
People started to forward gifts for product reviews. Soon, at 11, she would become the talk of (social media) town.
Netizens argued that she should focus on being a child, playing outdoors instead of doing make-up. But Iris’ mother gave an assurance that her daughter’s just like any other child who has to keep up with homework every night.
Iris, she added, can pursue her passion for as long as she prioritises her studies and follows rules set at home.
The future is bright for Iris. I sense she will be a much sought-after make-up artist in the future. There’s just too much talent bottled up inside her small body!
Truly, her make-up skills will put many others to shame. You go, girl! Keep doing what you love.
THE OTHER PRODIGY
In 2017, Jack,10, from the UK became an Internet success due to his brilliant makeup skills.
One of his tutorials was uploaded to Facebook and it went viral, notching millions of views.
His Instagram page boasts 451,000 followers and his posts range from subdued make-up with nude and natural products, and dramatic, vampy looks to face art!
His dream? To become a celebrity make-up artist for Kylie Jenner. Of course, when his videos went viral, it drew a slew of negative reactions, not only for his age but also his gender. Many others begged him to teach them his skills.
It’s never too young to hone a skill, and it’s never too early (or late) to start working on something you love.