Three years ago, young Druze woman Maisam Makeup launched her brand on social media. Since then, the 25‑year‑old from the village of Rama has become her community’s biggest influencer, with millions of views, hundreds of thousands of followers, coveted campaigns and discount codes that turned her into a success story.
Why did you choose the name “Maisam Makeup”?
“In our sector, lots of girls are called Maisam and even quite a few create content, so I had to distinguish myself. Maisam Makeup is already a brand.”
Love her or not, she’s considered a trailblazer in her field, and sales‑wise, she’s not far behind Israel’s major creators.
“It’s not something common among us,” she admits. “I’m one of the first to do this in our community. I come from a conservative family, and it’s a miracle my father even agreed I could become a content creator. For him, I wasn’t allowed to post pictures on Instagram even when I had only 100 followers. My father is very protective of me and our family honor. To him, I couldn’t wear revealing clothes, nor socialize with men and women together.” Indeed, in Maisam's feed, you won’t find her wearing swimsuits or low‑cut dresses.
Her passion for the beauty world burned early, and in high school, she already knew and dreamed of becoming a creator. “Since sixth grade, I watched beauty videos on YouTube,” she says. At the same time, she knew she’d face significant obstacles: “I knew my father would oppose. In our family, education and academic degrees come first,” she explains. She did go to university, but after a year studying psychology and art therapy, she dropped out: “I felt I had to fulfill my dream.”
Is this accepted in your community? Did your family know about this hobby?
“Of course they knew. But from knowing to becoming a creator myself is another thing. I opened the door for all the girls in our community. I’m a pioneer in the beauty field.”
Her workspace is a room in the family home. There she films and streams videos advising and selling the brands she works with.
In 2022, she posted her first TikTok video — it reached 500,000 followers within 24 hours. “That triggered lots of responses and raised eyebrows,” she admits. “I was ridiculed because people weren’t used to a Druze content creator. There was lots of talk in the village about me making videos online, but luckily, my father supported me. As long as I speak and appear in a respectful way, and preserve our family values, then why not?”
So the fear your father wouldn’t support you was unfounded?
“He believed there was no future in this career. That there was nowhere to advance, that I couldn’t make a living. He wanted me to invest my time in studies.”
And his view today?
“He’s very proud of me. He loves people knowing me, and especially that I can preserve my values. But as far as he’s concerned, without a degree in my hand, the pride isn’t complete. I feel that now that I have fulfilled one dream, it’s time for me to return to the classroom.”
How do you explain your success?
“You must understand in our community the lifestyle is very different than among Jews. We don’t go to parties, for example, and when Druze women see me online — someone they can identify with — it really helps.”
When did you realize you had hit the wave?
“After six months, there was this big explosion and a crazy jump in followers. After the first video, I never stopped creating content. I persevered and there came a stage when followers connected with me and the content, and I built credibility among my audience that I don’t just post and promote anything.”
Who is your audience? Are there Jewish followers too?
“Girls from our sector. No Jews at all because I speak only Arabic.”
Do you feel your appearance and your investment in a striking look stand out in the place you come from?
“Not at all. We’re all like this. There’s huge awareness. The biggest beauty consumers are from our community. Every month, women here spend between 5,000 to 7,000 shekels on beauty. I can promote a product and they’ll buy 1,000 shekels’ worth, then another campaign and they’ll spend 2,000. The girls here are constantly shopping. They love self-care.”
So, what happens when you walk around your hometown?
“People recognize me, of course. Girls come up to me and ask for selfies. The first thing they always say is, ‘You’re even prettier in real life.’ They share what they’ve bought and how they’ve followed my recommendations.”
Do you see yourself as the Druze Einav Bublil?
“I’d love to be!" she laughs. "I admire her. I also really like Danielle Amit—I buy everything she promotes. I recently bought a soda machine she posted about.”
What’s the difference between you?
“Lifestyle. Things like parties and flying abroad alone.”
Would you have to ask your father for permission to go to a party?
“There’s no such thing as going to parties. I wouldn’t even ask—because I’m not interested. In high school, it bothered me a bit because we have a lot of Christians in the village and I saw how the girls dressed and went to parties. But today? It’s not on my radar.”
What do you think of influencers who share every detail of their lives, like Odeya Pinto? “I know her, but I don’t share personal stuff. My content is sales-focused. Yes, I give advice and post videos, but my followers know I’m here to sell and give them good deals.”
What won’t you promote?
“Anything unrelated to beauty. I’m not going to promote a vacuum cleaner or a set of pots.”
What about a lucrative offer from a swimwear brand?
“No way. That’s forbidden! My life is more important. It’s like the Haredi women in your community—you wouldn’t expect them to wear bikinis at the beach. Same goes for us.”
Despite her success, Maisam says she faces her share of online backlash. “There’s definitely racism. People wait for me to slip up. It’s not from my followers, but from people who judge me just for being Druze. It happens, especially in today’s climate.”
Do you post political content?
“Some try to pressure me to take a stance, but I won’t. That’s not my field. I’m in beauty—not here to talk politics.”
Influencer Sapir Burgil has spoken about the emotional toll of content creation. Can you identify with that?
“There are days I’m less motivated, but I’m not affected to the point where I can’t get out of bed.”
What really gets under your skin?
“When companies ask me to promote products I haven’t used or to read a scripted message. I won’t do it. I’ve walked away from deals worth hundreds of thousands of shekels over that. I succeeded because I promised myself I’d never promote something just to make a sale. Credibility with my followers is everything.”
Only in the last year and a half did she start earning real income from her platform. “It took time because I was picky. I didn’t jump at the first campaign. The real money comes when you’re patient and build yourself up.”
Like most successful influencers, she works through promo codes and earns a cut of each sale. Her client list includes leading beauty and fashion brands that recognize the massive market in her community, including Delta and Maven. “I’m the first Arab woman in the world to do a campaign with OFRA Cosmetics. That was my childhood dream. I knew one day it would happen—and it did. We launched a palette together.”
There are influencers who became millionaires through social media; are you there yet?
“This supports me financially. But to tell you the numbers and how much I earn — that’s not acceptable in our community. More important to me than money is how I’m perceived and my good name. I still live in the village with my father, in a simple, modest home, and I try to spoil the whole family because that’s what I love. I wanted to succeed so I could spoil them.”
Do you consider yourself a success story?
“Yes. I grew up without a mother from the age of two, with only my father in a male‑dominated environment, and honestly, I was surprised I turned into the most feminine person possible, someone who loves beauty and style.”
What would I find in your wardrobe? Luxury brands? I see your Burberry bag.
“You’ll find clothes from Shein for ten shekels, and designer bags for ten thousand shekels. Even in my videos about clothes I bought, I don’t tell how much they cost me.”
Are you thinking of breaking out internationally?
“Absolutely. I have a high percentage of followers from Arab countries; they adore me. They always ask why there’s no shipping to Syria? To Dubai? I released a perfume in my name and they asked why I can’t ship to them. I have followers in Ramallah and Nablus who buy from me.”
Are there also men following you?
“Less so. They have nothing to look for here. I’m not provocative. My audience is about 96 percent women.”
What’s the situation today for women in the Druze community?
“They’re all in university, at least 90 percent of them with degrees. We’re not a closed community, but we have our boundaries.”
Do you consider yourself a feminist?
“Yes, but not one of those feminists who hate men. I grew up with a tough father, in a home where many things were not accepted for me. When I was younger, I faced more limits because he wanted to protect me.”
And now? Does he still worry about you?
“Constantly. At 10 p.m. I’m always home.”
What if there’s an event in Tel Aviv at night, or a photo shoot that runs late?
“If a relative is with me, then it’s okay. With my agent Orit Selay, for example, I won’t sleep because there are men in the house.”
In working with fashion brands, your boundaries are clear to all sides: “The brands know and respect that. Everything is very clear, and they understand. For example, I will not work with a brand like Victoria’s Secret. I’ll tell them I do not promote underwear.”
Is there a chance we’ll see you on reality TV one day?
“I was offered to join Big Brother, but it’s not possible. I won’t sleep in the same room with men—it doesn’t honor a Druze woman to appear on such a program.”
What don’t Jews understand about the Druze community?
“That not every Druze knows each other.”
Are you happy?
“Very. It’s all from God. You cannot reach this kind of success and then say I’m not happy.”
Are you proof you can succeed without posting bikinis?
“You don’t need to post! You can dress in style without stripping. Even from a conservative environment, you can succeed and develop.”
Do you believe in coexistence? For peace?
“Of course! The dream is that there will be no more wars.”
There are talks of Israel–Syria contacts.
“Would love that. We all dream of visiting Syria. My family has been here since before the state existed, but most Druze originate from Lebanon or Syria.”
What drives you? Money? Likes?
“Social media was my way to get known and fulfill my dreams. I need a big audience that knows and trusts me, so that I can—for example—launch a company under my name and sell products. I have big plans for the future.”