Home Spotlights & Interviews All I Want For Christmas Is…To Know How Makeup Artist and Celebrity Illusionist Aurelio Sánchez Achieved This Amazing Mariah Carey Look


All I Want For Christmas Is…To Know How Makeup Artist and Celebrity Illusionist Aurelio Sánchez Achieved This Amazing Mariah Carey Look

Mimi...is that you?!

All products featured on Beautify.tips are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Photo by Scotty Kirby

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. This is not Mariah Carey, but I bet you did a double take! Wait…it really does look striking similar to the iconic queen of Christmas herself, don’t you think? What you are witnessing is the masterful, mind-blowing, and downright magical work of makeup artist and celebrity Illusionist, Aurelio Sánchez.

Take a look…

Exclusive for BEAUTIFY.TIPS, Sánchez shares ALL the glam details on how he recreated this magical Mariah Carey look.

We are literally blown away by your Mariah Carey transformations, so incredible. How long have you been impersonating her and what inspired you to do so?

Thank you! I have been a Mariah Carey fan since I was little. I remember watching her on TV and writing down her lyrics on a piece of paper and just thinking how much her music was making an impact on me. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I began getting so many requests to do a Mariah Carey transformation, that the illusion into becoming the elusive chanteuse began. Taking on that challenge was a huge deal for me because every makeup transformation and illusion that I do, I always try and make sure it is with the upmost respect and admiration. Fortunately, people loved it and now I am blessed to be able to travel around the world with her music, lyrics and love she has given to all of us

You are amazing! We need all the glam details on how you got this look; lashes, nails, lips, skin…EVERYTHING.

Most of my makeup transformations take an average of about four to six hours to complete, and as you can imagine, the amount of products I use is never-ending but I will mention some of my absolute favorite products I used for this festive look; KISS of course! 

A very special shout-out to Scotty Kirby, one of the best photographers I have worked with. Scotty created this photograph and captured this makeup look.

NAILS & LASHES

I always make sure I have my Jelly Fantasy KISS Nails with me everywhere I go, and I pair them with the lashes to bring out the eyes. I usually stack more than one and play around with the shapes from the  KISS Lash Drip – Icy to the Lash Pompadour.

LIPS

I also love the Ruby Kisses Ultra Easy Lip Liner in color Nude Rose. Another lip must-have is Cozzette’s lip color for a matte nude lip in color Liza. (They also have the best makeup brushes that are an essential to my kit.)

HOLIDAY GLOW

My glow, blush, and lip-gloss are from an amazing makeup brand Kara Beauty. They are absolutely fantastic; I have fallen in love. The blush is Lightning Hour, the highlight and glow is Dazzling Lights in Diamond Light and the lip gloss is Liquid Rouge Queen Glitter Lip Gloss all from Kara Beauty.

BASE

The base is created with the great coverage of Kryolans TV Paint Stick in many colors to create the perfect blend of highlight and contour to shape shift into each celebrity.

SKIN

To cleanse before and after I like to use the Pacifica Vegan Ceramide Cleanser to calm and moisturize the skin. I then have a go to holistic skincare line from Evanhealy; which is cruelty-free and vegan. The Blue Cactus Beauty Elixir paired with the Blue Cactus Balm make an exceptional retreat for my skin to be fully glowing and moisturized.

The rest is magic!

Whoa, you really covered it all—thank you! (I’m literally adding some of these to my holiday must- have list.) So, what’s it like being a celebrity illusionist? That sounds like such a fun job!

It is the best job in the world. I get to use all of my love for art, music, and theater to create each illusion. Being able to travel the world or even through a TikTok video has been so rewarding! The incredible messages and comments I get from people all around world make it all worth it. I hope to inspire that anything is possible when you do it with love and passion. 

Most of the celebrity transformations that I create are of people I have admired and looked up to, or that have had an influence in my life in some way. I have created many transformations from Dolly Parton, Selena Quintanilla and even the king of pop Michael Jackson. Just recently I was able to create another personal favorite illusion, The Nanny (Fran Drescher). Fran Drescher recently reacted to my transformation in a video, you gotta check out!

author avatar
Janene Mascarella