Makeup by Mario, aka Mario Dedivanovic, aka Kim Kardashian-West’s makeup artist, aka new television star, has revealed to HELLO! that he had set his sights on Meghan Markle. He exclusively told us that ever since Harry proposed to Meghan, he wanted her to hire him ahead of the royal wedding. He said: "My goal was to do Meghan Markle’s makeup – it didn’t happen – but I love Princess Diana so much, and so, ever since she got engaged I was dying to do her makeup. I wish I wish I wish. I would have wanted to [do her makeup] with so much emotion and making sure that she was beautiful for Diana. I would have done literally the most beautiful makeup in the world.”
He might not be the makeup artist on Meghan’s big day, but that doesn’t mean he won’t reveal which product he’d use on her. After Meghan once said she asked makeup artists to keep her freckles on show, Mario knows the perfect foundation that will let Meghan’s real skin shine through. He said: “There’s a foundation I love called the Ko Gen Do Aqua foundation. It’s a very sheer product and gives you nice luminous skin, so probably a product like that.”
Mario is currently here in the UK to celebrate the launch of his brand new TV show, Glam Masters, which premieres Thursday night. The new competition reality series sees Mario as one of the judges alongside YouTube star Kandee Johnson and Fashion Editor Zanna Roberts Rassi. The host of the show is Emmy award nominee Laverne Cox. When we asked Mario if Laverne was the ultimate sass-pot in real life, he said she is “sassy in real life as she seems. She is amazing to work with. She has the best one-liners. She’s incredibly sharp, witty, quick and she sings A LOT - she sings opera.”
You can’t interview Mario and not ask him about Kim Kardashian-West – the makeup artist has been a key player in Kim’s glam squad since they met in 2008 and now they even have their own makeup line together. She’s also the Executive Producer of Glam Masters. Thankfully Kim wasn’t on set throwing orders around, but she did hang out while Mario was hard at work.
READ MORE: Why Kim Kardashian gets late night facials
Talking about the day they met all those years ago, Mario told us: “I almost didn’t take the job that day that I met her. I had no idea what would happen to my life. I knew she was a great person. I always saw an incredibly bright, shining star power in her – before it even happened – and it was interesting to see it happen over the years. But I always knew from the very beginning that she was a force to be reckoned with – that she was a star.”
MORE: Kim Kardashian shares first ever photo of her family of five!
We couldn’t let Mario leave without getting his top tips. First of all he told us the budget buy he uses on Kim and co. the most, saying his kit wouldn’t be complete without a cheap-as-chips mascara. “I’ve been using the same mascara since the beginning of my career,” he said. “The L’Oreal Voluminous mascara is my favourite hands-down and nothing compares to it.”
Kim's favourite mascara costs just £8.50
When we asked him if there was a product he was taking home with him from the UK, he revealed he stocked up on Egyptian Magic; the all-purpose skin cream has a huge cult following here in the UK. First launched in 1991, it’s based on the Egyptian formula women used around the same time as Cleopatra to keep their skin glowing. Victoria’s Secret angel Behati Prinsloo is a fan, as is Kate Hudson and Lauren Conrad. Mario is excited to use it to keep his celebrity clients "looking dewy." For £18, we might just go buy a tub, too!
Make sure you watch Mario in action on Glam Masters Thursdays at 9pm, exclusively on Lifetime.