Young, passionate and full of dreams, 11-year-old makeup prodigy Dhairrya Prashant Bhate shares her story in a candid conversation with Vidhi Arya.

Passion, together with education and discipline, can bring you closer to your dreams. Young makeup artist Dhairrya

Prashant Bhate is living this maxim to the fullest. All of 11 years old, Bhate is making waves on social media with her makeup skills.

A journey that started when she was five, Bhate drew inspiration from her mother, Asmita Bhate, who is a makeup artist and educator from Sangli, Maharashtra. From an early age, she had access to a salon environment, make-up education and holistic learning. The colourful world of cosmetics soon transformed into her calling!

Bhate recalls how she became her own first model. “I was five years old and had participated in a talent show. I wanted to do my own makeup for it. My parents were amused at the idea but I went ahead with it. I did my hair and put on an eyeliner and some blush and lipstick. That was the first makeup I ever did!”

That sparked an ambition in Bhate - to prove herself to the world. She watched and learned quietly from the mentors at her mother’s academy, and of course, from her mother, too. She then took formal training at the academy, and received her much-deserved certificate. But that was just the first rung of the ladder. Bhate went on to train under several industry experts in the field of makeup and prosthetics. By the time she celebrated her 10th birthday, she already had a CIDESCO diploma under her belt.

EDUCATION MATTERS

What followed was nothing short of magical. Her skill and confidence caught the eye of many. Today, this grade six student conducts look-and-learn seminars, takes workshops and uploads demos online. When we asked her about the most important aspect of makeup, she shared, “Rather than paying too much attention to brands and products, we need to get our basics right. The right knowledge of ingredients, colour theory, understanding of skin textures and facial features will take us a long way. I believe makeup is as much a theoretical study as it is a creative expression.”

A PRESENCE THAT SHINES

Following her success in the academy, Bhate harnessed the power of social media to spread the word about education. She said, “While I still don’t own a phone yet, with the support of my parents, I continue to make the best use of social media. Uploading looks, knowledgeable videos and promotional posts is an important part of every artist’s journey.”

Bhate is a multi-talented child who believes in keeping her mind calm and focused. She elaborated, “My parents have instilled in me a powerful philosophy. I am not running after fame, I don’t want to work for ranks or validation, I just give my 100 per cent with a smile and a lot of motivation. I am sure this will lead me to success.”