Eyes were her doing and undoing. Four years ago, Samaanta Dwivedi went to college to study optometry, but soon after, decided she loved ‘doing eyes up with makeup’ more than ‘looking into them’. She then went on to study the art of makeup and bridal beauty, before joining M.A.C Cosmetics as a makeup artist. “The experience, training and exposure I got there was outstanding and really helped me become a more ‘social’ being,” she recalls.
Soon, however, she was bitten by the beauty bug to start up something of her own (that’s increasingly becoming a mantra for young people these days, isn’t it? It’s all good!). So she set up a beauty blog Zuri.in, which – with video tutorials and holistic bridal beauty tips – has grown phenomenally over just less than two years, elevating Dwivedi’s status to one of the top beauty bloggers in India. “I believe in sharing knowledge. Beauty is for everyone. Not just for select few professionals. For me, it’s not about expensive products, it’s about feeling good about yourself,” she explains of her website’s ethos.
The problem of product placement clashing with genuine beauty advice is something that all beauty editors are familiar with. “I would often go online in hopes of connecting with others like me,” she adds. “Instead I only found blogs with a lot of product endorsements, and little about the creative artistry behind makeup. Discussing whether M.A.C is better or Sephora, while entertaining, doesn’t interest me as much as creating new looks and teaching others. So I started Zuri.”
Today, her blog Zuri – which means ‘beautiful’ in Swahili – has 12 million views since inception, 300,000+ views on its YouTube channel, and about 37,000+ followers on her YouTube channel.
But that, of course, wasn’t enough for this honest, ambitious and creative lass. She also wanted to get down and dirty (in a beautiful way, of course) in the world of bridal makeup. So she freelances on the side as a makeup artist. “The most important day in a woman’s life is her wedding day! It is an amazing feeling helping to transform a bride. It takes her a totally different level altogether,” Dwivedi confesses.
We get her to confess a little more.
Top item on your to-do list every morning:
To check the statistics of my blog, zuri.in!
EOD hobbies:
Watch YouTube makeup videos, read articles online that may give me inspiration for my blog.
Book at your bedside:
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
Eureka moment:
When I decided to quit my job at a makeup company and start my own Indian makeup and beauty blog.
Yo mama always said:
“Everything is going to be okay. Just pay attention.”
Papa’s girl:
I don’t think I could pick one moment out of a bunch of things fathers do for their daughters. I think that it all comes down to the day you get married and the flashback plays in front of you of all the wonderful things he did for you even without you having to ask.
Love is…
… When the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.
Marriage is…
… A mosaic you build with your spouse. Millions of tiny memories that create your love story.
eShe 
0 comments on “Samaanta Dwivedi: Makeup obsessed”