Social media influencer Yara Ayoob on DMC Amplify: ‘If you believe you’re beautiful, then you are’

Dubai, UAE, 06 March 2021:Dubai Media City, the region’s leading media-focused business district, and local music legend, Big Hass, recently hosted Yara Ayoob, a Dubai-based Bahraini make-up and visual artist, on the fourth episode of DMC Amplify, a new digital platform to promote local artists and celebrate the skill and talent of the region’s creative community.

Resident host Big Hass kicked off the first episode of the year with Yara’s beginnings of building up her confidence and unleashing her creativity. She said: “The first post, I was shaking, but I thought to myself, you have to do it – it’s a shame to let your talent go to waste. Show the world what you’ve got, and you either get constructive criticism that you can work with, or you get haters that you just disregard.”

She continued: “My passion for make-up started from a very young age, when I would watch my mother get herself ready for outings. I made mistakes along the way, especially at the start, but then I kept trying new things growing up and amplifying my knowledge as well as my passion. I took the two things that I love – my Bahraini heritage, and make-up – and I mixed them together, creating different looks inspired by my culture.”

Looking back on her journey to becoming part of a leading global make-up brand, Yara said: “It’s still so surreal.”

During the fourth DMC Amplify episode, Big Hass and Yara tackled a significant social issue on standards of beauty and the mental health of women when dealing with distressed confidence levels.

Big Hass said: “There’s a thin line between using make-up to feel better about yourself and using make-up to accentuate existing self-confidence.”

Yara responded: “Thankfully we are now seeing more people coming out and speaking about loving yourself and loving your features, no matter what they may be. There definitely is a thin line, and it’s somewhat tougher to convince the younger generation to accept themselves as they are. Being in the position that I am, I feel a sense of responsibility, so I try to teach the youngsters to use make-up just to enhance their features. Make-up isn’t the only thing that will make you confident, it’s all in yourself. So, if you believe that you are beautiful, then you are beautiful. I try to instil that in my videos through some words of wisdom to get people to accept themselves.”

She concluded: “At the end of the day, make-up isn’t what’s going to make you feel amazing. When you feel good and confident in yourself, you’ll automatically glow.”

For those who couldn’t catch the live show on the official YouTube channel of Dubai Media City, you may watch the episode’s recording that has been uploaded on the official Facebook page of Dubai Media City.

Launched in September 2020, the key objective of DMC Amplify remains the same:  to serve as a platform to promote local talent, share inspiring experiences and enable aspiring artists to gain valuable insights. Episode one covered Saudi Arabia’s up-and-coming rapper Molham, while episode two featured Emirati pianist and opera singer Fatima Alhashmi, and episode three starred Lughass, one of the UAE’s top names in photography, filmmaking, and skateboarding, alongside Akira Kyle, Dubai-based rising star and content creator. The recurring online series features hard-hitting talks and live performances from emerging artists, musicians and poets and is beamed across the nation on YouTube Live.

Established more than two decades ago, Dubai Media City has become a popular destination for live events. One of its major attractions is the award-winning amphitheatre that hosts everything from music concerts to food festivals. In the past two years, it welcomed Lionel Ritchie, Snow Patrol, award-winning rapper Stormzy and world-famous DJ Martin Garrix to perform at big-ticket shows such as Emirates Airline Dubai Jazz and Redfest DXB. While physical events have been constrained in recent months, the business district has shifted to digital platforms to keep its community engaged and promote local talent.