Photo: Instagram
By Elizabeth Blasi — Written on Apr 17, 2018
Let’s be real. We all wish we lived like Kim Kardashian West. One of the main reasons (aside from having daughters as completely adorable as North West and newborn Chi West), is because she's best friends with one of the best — if not THEE best — makeup artist in the world, @makeupbymario Mario Dedivanovic.
Mario X KKW (which is also the name of their new beauty collab) go everywhere together, have been each other’s best cheerleaders, and even started their own makeup line together! To make the jealousy even more real, according to Time, their makeup line sold all 300,000 kits in less than three hours, bringing in 14.4 million dollars. Gulp. Yep, sounds like a nice (and lucrative!) friendship to have.
Plus, Kim always looks flawless, thanks to Mario. But besides the makeup, the money, and the social events, what’s the scoop on Mario Dedivanonic, Kim Kardashian's makeup artist? Here we’ve listed 15 glamorous fun facts about Mario you probably didn't know unless you're a Keeping Up With The Kardashians superfan.
1. Mario did the makeup for Fergie’s music video, M.I.L.F.
While everyone couldn't stop talking about Kim’s new blonde-do as Fergie’s M.I.L.F $ video premiered, it was the on-fleek makeup that had us in real awe. Mario crushed it again by giving Kim, who makes a cameo appearance in the video, long-ass lashes, beautifully contoured skin, and her signature nude lip. We salute you for your pristine work, Mario. Check it out for yourself:
2. He was the man behind the makeup for Kim's wedding to Kanye West.
According to The Cut, Kim's completed look only cost $180 and was primarily made using Urban Decay products. While it’s inspiring to know you can get porcelain wedding skin for under $200, there’s still little chance we can hire Mario to actually apply said makeup (or have Kim's flawless skin to begin with), so it sort of ruins the fantasy. Womp, womp.
3. Mario’s a mama's boy.
Mario bought his mother — a woman who ironically never wears a stitch a makeup — a Cartier love bracelet for Mother’s Day that cost $6,300. In an Instagram post, he goes on to say he will never stop spoiling her. He even teases giving her a glam mom makeover one of these days. He recently shared a post saying, "How is it possible to love a human being so much?! She’s so honest. She’s never worn makeup in her 72 years of life LOL. Should I do a tutorial of me doing her makeup using the #KKWxMARIO collab?"
Answer: YES. Now that's a tutorial we'd like to see.
4. Mario won Best Celebrity Makeup Artist at the 2017 American Influencer Awards.
We're not even surprised. He launched one of the highest grossing makeup brands in 2017 and had us in awe with the myriad looks he did on Kim.
RELATED: 15 Glamorously Fun Facts About Ariel Tejada, Kylie Jenner's Makeup Artist
5. Mario’s first job was at 12 years old.
And guess what he bought with his first paycheck? Air Jordan shoes! According to Mario’s Instagram, he was so happy to have done the makeup for Michael Jordan’s beautiful bride, model Yvette Prieto, because all he wanted to buy as a 12-year old boy were MJ kicks.
6. He has his own Kimoji bitmoji.
If you’re a part of Kim’s posse, you get a Kimoji, that's just how it works. And you also get a featured on Kim’s app in caricature form. Meet bitmoji Mario:
7. Mario's bedroom has suede walls.
Mario has jazzed up his bachelor pad with swanky suede walls, saying, “Everyone touches the suede walls when they walk in." Looks like his great taste expands beyond his makeup artistry.
8. He's close enough to make fun of Kim.
In one of Mario’s Instagram videos debuting his and Kim's KKW x Mario new shadow palette launch, he says he has to keep Kim from getting too big-headed so he throws some shade her way every once in awhile in the makeup chair to keep her humble. That's how we know for sure they're BFFs — they tease each other!
9. Mario is a judge on the reality beauty competition show, Glam Masters.
Glam Masters, which was created and executively produced by Kim Kardashian West (and hosted by the fabulous Laverne Cox!) pits aspiring MUAs against each other to see who can come up with the most glam looks. Each show starts with four artists then slowly whittles down to one. The winners of each show then compete for the title of Glam Master — and the prize? A beauty collab with Kim! Watch the trailer for yourself:
10. There's only only person that comes between Kim and Mario.
Kim and Mario are as thick as thieves and nobody comes between them. Except that is: Kim’s daughter, North. And we mean she comes between them not only metaphorically but physically. Mario often says it’s an extra layer of difficulty to precisely apply Kim's makeup when North is on her lap wriggling around.
11. Mario did Kim’s makeup for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
And the highlight is on point. Mario was way ahead of his time.
12. Speaking of early millennia Kim, he also helped turn her into Jasmine for Halloween.
In 2009, Mario helped turn the Armenian reality princess into a Disney princess. If anyone can find a way to get a genie and magic flying carpet, that person is Kim Kardashian. Also, can we talk about Mario’s Instagram and Kim’s hips via 2009? Either Photoshop has been having a heavy hand in recent years, or we really need to get on the waist trainer bandwagon.
So what have we learned, class? Mario is sooooo much more than just a makeup artis. He's a top-notch creative genius that gives us glam-spiration every day. Him and Kim are true #bffgoals and clearly a match made in makeup heaven. We're all hoping these two stay together forever and continue to collaborate on KKW Beauty products because they are KILLING the glam game.
RELATED: I Tried Kim Kardashian's Vampire Facial That Injects Blood Into Your Face
Elizabeth Blasi is a New Yorker, who is often seen with a suitcase in hand, jet-setting to her next location. But as a true digital nomad, and her love of writing and romance novels, she always has her laptop right beside her.