Meet the Chinese make-up artist who became Mona Lisa - and an overnight Tik Tok sensation
Vlogger He Yuhong explains how she’s been wowing internet users around the world with her stunning facial transformations
A Chinese woman with a passion for make-up is creating a buzz online with a series of videos in which she transforms herself into famous characters from the worlds of music, film and even fine art.
Former teacher He Yuhong, from the southwestern megacity of Chongqing, has been showing off her styling skills online for over a year, but it was only last month that she decided to take the plunge and become a full-time vlogger, using the pseudonym Yuya Mika.
And although the 27-year-old has yet to reap any financial rewards for her efforts, she is rapidly building up an army of devoted fans.
One of He’s most ambitious projects can be seen in a video she uploaded to Tik Tok and YouTube earlier this month in which she transforms herself into the enigmatic subject of arguably the world’s most famous painting, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
While the video runs for only about 25 seconds on Tik Tok, He said the actual process of making up her face took almost six hours. She said she was so tired afterwards that she went straight to bed. Her only thought was whether people might be offended at what she had done.
“I wasn’t sure how internet users would feel about me trying to copy such a famous and beloved painting onto my face,” she said. “I prepared myself for criticism.”