Mimi Choi

Choi was born in Macau but immigrated to Vancouver at a young age with her family.^[1] From a young age, she began doing her own makeup. Eventually, friends and family asked her to do their bridal and beauty makeup.^[2] She went into work as a Montessori preschool teacher, but was still passionate about makeup, and ultimately left her job to enroll in a makeup school in Vancouver, which is near where she lives.^[3] She soon began doing illusion-focused looks, starting with a cracked face.^[1]

She's become known for her hyperreal optical illusions,^[4] including designs with extra eyes and lips on her face and designs that transform parts of her body into food,^[5] such as cake,^[6] ramen, a hamburger, and others, as well as other surreal makeup designs.^[7] Signature makeup designs she's created include a "faceless look" hiding her facial features in a hollow void,^[8] multiple eyes, and a shifted face.^[9]

Some inspirations she has cited include food^[10] and her sleep paralysis.^[1] Many of her looks have also been based on art,^[11][12] especially the work of Salvador Dalí.^[13]

She gained attention after doing the makeup for Ezra Miller in their 2019 Met Gala look, featuring seven eyes.^[14][15] This makeup took five hours to complete.^[16] She has also collaborated with UNICEF, Make Up For Ever, MAC Cosmetics,^[17] Food Network, and others,^[18] and has taught makeup.^[19][20]

She is also noted for her Instagram content creation, where she has frequently gone viral. As of 2019, she had 1.1 million followers.^[1] In 2025, she was one of the inaugural recipients of the Instagram Rings award.^[21]