On Thursday, December 12, celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic revealed that he’s releasing his first-ever makeup brush line with world-famous beauty giant, Sephora. Launching on December 26, the Makeup by Mario x Sephora Collection holds a special place in the makeup expert’s heart.
The 36-year-old Bronx native is Kim Kardashian’s right-hand man and the epitome of the phrase “hard worker.” What you may not know about Dedivanovic is that he began his career as a Sephora employee 19 years ago.
Flash forward to present-day and Sephora is gearing up to release the luxe, travel-friendly brush sets, perfect for everyone from makeup enthusiasts to, well, Dedivanovic-types. Just a few weeks ago, the social media-famous artist dropped his second collab with Kardashian, named the Artist and the Muse collection.
“For 2019, I wasn’t planning on doing any collabs,” said Dedivanovic as he sat on a velvet couch wearing an all-black ensemble, accessorized with a long, gold necklace. “I got some massive opportunities for collaborations with brands and I said no to all of them — but obviously, I did my collab with Kim.”
The artist continued, “When this one came about, I immediately said yes without even asking what it was for. Sephora is, to me, a lifesaver. It’s where I discovered my passion for makeup and where my life changed on my first day when I stepped foot in the store.”
The Makeup by Mario x Sephora Collection consists of three sets: the Eye Brush Set ($39), Complexion Brush Set ($69) and his favorite, the Master Brush Set ($119). Each brush has multiple uses to speed up one’s routine and they’re made with vegan, synthetic fibers.
Dedivanovic shared a story that he hasn’t yet told his followers. “When I started at Sephora 19 years ago, there was a big makeup artist doing something with them and I was in the store watching and I just remember thinking: ‘I’m going to do this one day. I’m going to do something one day where I’m important enough, knowing, fully, that I had to work really hard to get there.’”
He continued: “On the day of the campaign shoot, about two months ago, I was in the shower washing my hair and all of a sudden, that entire experience — that moment of manifestation — came into my mind and I just started crying uncontrollably. I realized, ‘holy shit, it’s actually happening.’”
When asked what he would tell his younger self, the one who worked as a fragrance consultant and greeter at Sephora, he said, “I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be alive if I had not stepped into Sephora that one day. I had a very suppressed childhood before that. I sort of created a prison in my own brain to protect myself. When I discovered Sephora, I left my entire life up until that point behind, blocked it out and went into my new life as a makeup artist.”
He paused with tears in eyes, from what we can infer was brought to the surface from self-reflection and an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. With a deep breath, he said, “And so, I would probably tell myself that everything is going to be OK.”
