Personally, I don’t wear makeup in my day-to-day life, but I have worked a good deal as an actor, and on a film set (and sometimes on stage), everybody wears makeup. Lucky for me, there is usually a professional around to craft the look, which comes as a huge relief as I’m…how do I put this…extremely terrible at putting on makeup.

I have a true appreciation for those who can do it well, which is why this thread is so interesting. These are Instagram posts from the account of a Russian stylist named Julia Ismailova, who frequently shows off side-by-side comparisons of what it looks like when her clients do their own makeup vs what it looks like when she takes over. Check it out!

(Unfortunately nobody on staff here speaks Russian, but thanks to Google translate we do have some snippets from the posts roughly interpreted in the headers.)

15. Julia herself

“In the photo you see me BEFORE AND AFTER 2 years of wearing braces.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByZi28QnXvD/

14. Heroine

(You may notice in her posts that she refers to her clients as “heroines.” I love it!)

https://www.instagram.com/p/ByHiUmMnQpn/

13. Youthful glow

“Youth is a vice that is quickly cured by age.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx146xTHY-5/

12. Cool down

“The first thing Elana said, sitting down on my make-up, ‘warm colors don’t suit me'”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwtecfbnKU7/

11. Minimalism

“I use a minimal set of cosmetics and make the most simple makeup, which can be repeated on myself tomorrow.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwbf_3ZHtRE/

10. Making an appearance

“I was amazed at how critical my model is about her appearance😱”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvlfaioHxkJ/

9. Cure-all

“As you may have noticed, the task that stood before me this time was not just makeup, but to help correct vitiligo. Vitiligo is a disease from the group of skin dyschromias (pigmentation disorders, persistent discoloration of the skin), manifested in the disappearance of the melanin pigment in certain areas of the skin.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvTgiOoHFpS/

8. On the surface

“We are more than just skin.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvBjAC5ntgJ/

7. Purple haze

“If you zoom in on the photo, you will see how beautiful the purple pencil looks on the lower mucous membrane!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/Buvj1O2n0eY/

6. Devil’s in the details

“My work 🙂 how do you like the result?”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BducMLnBm5o/

5. True to you

“She said that she is constantly struggling with her Asian appearance, trying to fit into European standards.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtYaLkin5eJ/

4. Perfection

“Everything is perfect: hair, lipstick, clothing style!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtGA6g3gmaq/

3. A comfortable living

“When working on a makeover, I always think about comfort first.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrpPDCyguts/

2. Seeing red

“Red lipstick doesn’t suit me at all!” -said @_kate_bulatova_ and her words became defining in the choice of lipstick color😂”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BrFG4kJAsaV/

1. Just browsing

The ring light is a striking touch.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb1Z7z3Bqt4/

Here’s to the professionals that keep us looking good!

What do you think of these transformations?

Tell us in the comments!