By Raisa Anan
For this issue of MUSE, Raisa Anan sat down with Ramisa Samrin for a chat about her hobbies. Read more to find out about the many talents of this DEH student.
- To start off, could you please share your different hobbies and how you got into them?
Answer: I have a lot of hobbies. I like painting a lot. I also like to work with makeup. When I was in class 10, I got started with it for the first time. I’d put makeup on my friends or neighbours. I also did mehendi. I remember putting mehendi (Henna) on around fifty people for two family events. Then, gradually, after finishing college I got into baking. So, drawing was my first hobby that I am still pursuing. I love painting landscapes and sceneries. Human sketches aren’t really my thing. As a child I used to work with poster colours but now, my favourite medium is acrylic colours. Mixing and blending colours is my favourite thing to do. It is something I have a good grasp on and it gives me a lot of joy.
I have also done modelling. It was not a hobby necessarily but how I got into it was a surreal experience. Basically, I used to follow a modest fashion influencer and I look up to her a lot. So in 2024, when she announced that she was looking for models for her new hijab page Sura, I applied and got selected. It was amazing to work with someone I admire so much. I have had the pleasure of working with her three times, last being at the beginning of this year. So yeah, these are my hobbies in a nutshell.
- Is there any hobby of yours that you want to pursue as a career someday?
Answer: Definitely. So, I have a page dedicated to my baking. I opened it during my college years when I was really into exploring baking. At that time I’d watch a lot of baking videos on YouTube and take inspiration from people around me who are into baking. Thankfully, I was quick to learn the dos and don’ts and so, I’d make cakes for my friends’ birthdays and such events. Baking is a really tough job because it creates a lot of mess and you have to clean it up afterwards so I did not think about doing this professionally. But after a lot of encouragement from my friends, I finally decided to open my page. It did quite well which I’m thankful for but after I got into university it stalled because I became busy.
But the thing I want to build my career around is makeup. The first page that I opened was actually about makeup and I did it back when I just finished school. Even though my page is inactive currently, I used to regularly upload over there. Whenever my cousins or friends got their makeup done by me, I’d upload videos. Makeup is something I really enjoy doing and it correlates to the earlier idea of how I love mixing and blending colours. So yes, career-wise I want to pursue makeup.
- All of your hobbies are a little different. What do you enjoy most about each of these hobbies, and how do they help you express yourself?
Answer: Makeup, obviously, is my favourite hobby. It equates to mental peace for me. I just love going through the process of doing a makeup look and seeing the result. My favourite thing is putting on blush, whether liquid or powder. I also love doing eye makeup. Playing with different colours and creating a new look is always a thrill.
For painting, I love focusing on details. The same goes for my baking. I love focusing on that precision when it comes to measuring ingredients and working with them. When baking cakes, piping is my absolute favorite. You know, focusing on the minute details and perfecting it is something I adore.
For mehendi, even though it is not something I am passionate about, I remember enjoying how to do the precise details of mehendi designs. So, I did a course back then to really learn all the basics of mehendi. I signed up for that course with my own money and the Apu would conduct the sessions online at night, teaching us a to z about mehendi. It was a fun experience!
- Has social media or anyone in your personal life inspired you to explore painting, makeup, modelling, or baking more seriously?
Answer: So, for my art, I did not follow anyone particularly. It just came naturally to me. I just like doing normal paintings when I feel like it. I don’t necessarily rely on inspiration for that. For mehendi and makeup, yes, I do follow a lot of creators on Instagram and Tiktok. People online are very creative. I used to be very inspired by really intricate and creative eye makeups that were very bold and dramatic. And I could recreate them very well, as well. Now that I look back on it, it is quite crazy for me because I cannot do those looks now. These days, I prefer doing more minimal and “clean girl” looks. I think this switch came to be after I finished college, because I was mesmerized by their skin, you know the flawless base. I had some problems with my skin back in 2020, so I could not apply any makeup at that time. I’d watch different videos and I wanted to get that effortless, clear skin through makeup.
In general, my taste has changed quite a bit. I’d wear a lot of colours when I was younger but now I prefer to go for muted or neutral tones when I am dressing. I think naturally, over time, our preferences and tastes change, and that is something that I have experienced as well.
- How do you manage your time between academics and your creative interests?
Answer: So I have had to put a hold on my pages because of lack of time. With age comes more responsibilities and now that I am doing my undergraduate, I naturally have less free time on my hands. I know that my love for makeup will never go away so I focus more on academics.
But during breaks I do try to pursue my hobbies. I mainly do painting and makeup. Baking is not something I necessarily enjoy. The passion I have towards makeup is very strong and deeply rooted within me. So when my cousins or friends reach out, I can never say no. Currently it is not quite possible for me to give equal time to these hobbies but I try whenever I can.
- Can you share a memorable moment or small achievement related to one of your hobbies that made you feel especially proud?
Answer: Yes, so it revolves around my first bride client. She was a senior Apu of mine in school and it was right after I opened my makeup account that she texted me to do her makeup. I was very shocked at first because I was just getting started and the photos and videos I took were not even that good in quality. So at first, I was wondering if she texted the wrong person. Anyway, after a conversation I agreed to do her bridal look for five thousand taka. So while I was doing her makeup, I ended up asking her why she chose me. Her response was that she really liked my makeup style. I had really mastered the blending and mixing at that point and there were no harsh lines in my makeup and that was what she wanted. She wanted a clean, elegant look and apparently, I was the one for the job. Her words really warmed my heart and it is a memory I will always cherish.
Another memory I really feel proud about is regarding baking. It was right after I started my page that I got an order for a big square cake for the Holud ceremony. The design was pretty detail heavy and it was the first time I worked with fondant. It was a daunting task because these types of cakes are not just about baking but I also needed to collect different materials for decoration like colours and fondants. Since it was summer, it posed another challenge in terms of keeping the whipped cream stiff. So I’d blast the AC in my room and work on perfecting the cake. In the end, it took me about 12 hours to get the job done. Later, when my client sent me photos saying that the cake was lovely and everyone really enjoyed it, I was over the moon. It’s a different feeling when your hard work pays off.
- In terms of makeup is there some celebrity makeup artist you look up to and would like to collaborate with?
Answer: Oh yes, there are so many. Makeup by Mario for one. Then there is Kylie Jenner’s makeup artist Ariel Tejada. I really really love their work. In Bangladesh, I’d love to work with Zahid Khan and Safa, of Salon 31, respectively. I really want to do a makeup course under them but I do not have the budget now. Hopefully, I can do that someday, with my own money. I’d love to be employed at their salons and learn under their direct guidance. That would be an absolute dream come true.
Then, ultimately, one day I would love to open my own salon. That is one of my craziest dreams. The other would be to launch my own makeup business, a brand that would cater to Bangladeshi skin tones.
- Finally, what advice would you give to other students trying to balance or pursue their hobbies along with their studies or work?
Answer: I think if you have your family’s support, try to actively pursue your hobbies. That could be signing up for a course or trying anything new. I remember being at an all time low during my college years because I was studying at an institution that I did not like. But now I am doing a lot better, thankfully, in terms of my university and the friends I have made. So, I would like to say that you should not lose hope. Life has ups and downs and that’s only natural so keep trying.
I also think that it would be great to be able to earn some money from your hobbies because that gives you a sense of accomplishment and you do not feel like a burden on your parents. It may not be possible for everyone but still, trying is important.
Also, a very crucial thing is to not listen to others. There are always relatives or random people who make a lot of comments and nitpick our dreams and hobbies. It is important to not listen to what they are saying and chase your dreams boldly because at the end of the day, their comments and judgements do not matter. So yeah, my advice is to pursue your hobbies as much as you can.
