Posts

Merium Bhuiyan of CakeFace Makeup on Self-Expression and Community

By Erin-Leigh Hoffman, You Press Intern

Here at You Press, we specialise in helping people find their voice in their creative field and give them the opportunity to be heard. We offer resources to achieve this mission to a variety of people from different backgrounds. We offer the space for people to express themselves through creative arts in any way that they can imagine.

CakeFace Makeup, a makeup service owned by makeup artist, teacher and You Press partner, Merium Bhuiyan, is an example of what creative self-expression and entrepreneurship can look like.

Bhuiyan created CakeFace Makeup back in 2012 when she began to do makeup on a diverse range of clientele looking to use her services. She has experience doing makeup for special events like weddings and has also done makeup for TV, stage, and film. She also hosts makeup workshops available for anyone to attend. 

“It’s quite inclusive which is really fun and just a great way to bring people together to help them look and feel their very best,” Bhuiyan says about her services with CakeFace. 

As part of these makeup workshops, Bhuiyan created Club CakeFace which is a space where women can come together to learn about makeup and feel safe in an environment that is accepting of who they are. Its also a space that Bhuiyan has created for young Muslim women to feel comfortable either covering up or letting their hair down. For Bhuiyan, this is very important as it has the element of representation.

 “I get a lot of women who come to me and they feel happy to see somebody that looks like them in this kind of position so that is a major part of it for me” Bhuiyan reflects. “It’s really important to empower yourself and those around you.”

Bhuiyan feels that CakeFace is a unique creation not just because of the environment it has created, but because the idea of CakeFace takes a more holistic approach to beauty that goes beyond just the makeup itself. 

“My business is not about solely making money. It’s about helping people. So it’s more of a social enterprise I would say. It sounds funny, because it’s makeup, but through makeup, I’ve had some really powerful conversations, and people have told me about how you know, makeup has changed their lives and made it better,” Bhuiyan explains. “It’s kind of all encompassing, and it’s a welcoming space.”  

Since the creation of CakeFace Makeup in 2012, Bhuiyan has seen much success in her brand. In 2017, the next big part of CakeFace Makeup began with Club CakeFace that came from a small idea into a viral hit with coverage from the BBC. This coverage of Bhuiyan and her brand stemmed from Bhuiyan’s activism by speaking to young people about terrorism in light of the Finsbury Park Mosque terrorist attack as Vice Chair of the Islington Faith Forum last November which attracted the attention of journalists from the BBC. 

“I kind of said to the journalist, I’m a bit bored talking about it in terms of whenever Muslims are mentioned in the media, it’s usually in a negative light or about us being victims. And I said, if you don’t mind, can we talk about more positive things that Muslims are doing because it far outweighs the bad? And then I told her about the Club CakeFace and it kind of took off from there,” Bhuiyan recounts.

After that point, the coverage helped CakeFace Makeup and Club CakeFace take off even further. People from around the world were reaching out to her with messages of support and some offering to help get tickets for women who could not afford to attend.

“It was just incredible. I’m really riding the high from that one, and hoping that it can continue to grow,” Bhuiyan says.

Throughout Bhuiyan’s journey with CakeFace Makeup and Club CakeFace, You Press has been there to support Bhuiyan and her brand’s mission of inclusivity and self-acceptance. 

“You Press linked me up with several organisations, and I’ve travelled the world with them, so that’s definitely been huge,” Bhuiyan explains. “It just feels so beneficial not only to the young people, but also to myself as a trainer and facilitator, so I can only say good things about You, Press and recommend them to everyone I know,” Bhuiyan says 

CakeFace Makeup is offering services for a variety of occasions with rates available on the website. You can find CakeFace Makeup on social media via the CakeFace Makeup website or get into contact with Merium Bhuiyan via email at info@cakeface-makeup.com