Home / Illusion

This Woman’s Mind-Bending Optical Illusions Are All Made With Makeup

By Sara Barnes on February 21, 2018

It’s no secret that the world is wowed by digital effects and technology that bends our view of reality. But this burgeoning field has yet to completely overshadow the optical illusions that are made by hand—and artist Dain Yoon is keeping this art alive. In 2016, she introduced the world to her mind-bending body art that will make you see double—or triple—all without the help of programs like Photoshop. Using an extensive paint palette and brushes, she applies multiple eyes or mouths on her skin to create the effect of blurred vision, or she flattens her body with complex patterns.

Yoon’s illusion makeup is a reflection of how she sees the world. “People live in illusions,” she says. “People see everything in their own subjective way.” These different viewpoints are what make the world complex, and at times, confusing. Like many artists before her, Yoon chooses to outwardly express this concept—except her work is on the skin. The result, while mesmerizing, connects with us on a primary level; as we navigate the world, we’ve all had to hide things about ourselves or present who we are in different ways to other groups of people. We've certainly felt the way that Yoon projects.

Yoon’s work is so mesmerizing that it’s hard to believe that it isn’t the work of Photoshop. To prove that it’s real—and give insight into her incredible body art process—she shares videos on her Instagram and YouTube channel.