The Tale of The Unicorn Queen: An Interview With Doe Deer

Once upon a time, a girl moved from her home in Russia to the US at the tender age of 17 to make her dreams a reality, and her wish came true.


Sounds like a fairytale, but this is the true story of entrepreneur Doe Deer. Starting as an indie fashion designer on eBay, she quickly branched out into modeling and make up, even posting the first make up tutorial ever on YouTube. Now, Doe is the mastermind behind the colorful, brighter than a rainbow make up line Lime Crime. She has been featured on the covers of Young Entrepreneur, Fae, Auxiliary, and Lipstick Royalty. She has also done features for MTV Buzzworthy, NYLON, and Cut Up & Keep, among others. Now she did an interview with me, discussing her latest makeup collection Chinadoll, her influences, and how she came up with the nickname "The Unicorn Queen".

What is your inspiration behind your out of this world, in your face make up collection? What made you want to get into the makeup industry?
I never wanted to get into the makeup 'industry', I just wanted to make great makeup. I'm picky when it comes to cosmetics and it's hard for me to find stuff I like... So I've decided to create my own brand that would carry all my dream products!

You have some great names for your products, one of my favorite names being Airborne Unicorn for a great lipstick shade. How do you come up with such creative names?
Wordplay, rhymes and limericks is something me and my husband/business partner are keen on naturally. We joke around all day making up lyrics and rhymes! What makes it onto the products is the PC version. ;)

Can you tell a little about your latest collection, Chinadoll?
Chinadoll is a multi-purpose palette, our first foray into the realm of pressed eyeshadows. The name is a pun: China + porcelain (china) doll. I'm partial to the Chinese aesthetic and collect clothes, jewelry and furniture... I love the Shanghai advertisement posters from the 1920s, they have such innocence & purity to them even though they're often advertising cigarettes, haha. Chinadoll is not a literal reference however, more of a fantasy character inspired by the beauty of China. In our campaign, she is portrayed by the tattooed indie style icon, HannaBeth.


Do you think your background and where you come from influences your makeup collection? I know you are originally from Russia, and you have been in some bands. Does culture or music give you inspiration to create new products?
Of course! I lived in Russia till I was 17, studying piano and composition at the music academy, so music is in my blood. And even though I no longer do music for a living, I am happy to be able to express myself artistically every day through makeup (wearing and developing). And of course I'm a big fan of Eastern European fairytales, Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Beautiful being my favorite characters. :)

Where did the self dubbed title “The Unicorn Queen” come from?
Someone had to have the title, so why not me? A unicorn, to me, is a symbol of beauty, kindness, tolerance, and being different. It's a lone animal that lives life its own way -- everything I can stand for.

You seem to have a love of fairytales, and really you are living one as well. When did this love start?
I love fairytales and was quite a bit of a story-teller as a kid. I refuse to give up on the magical world even as an adult!


Is there a fairytale that is your absolute favorite?
When I say fairytales, I'm more into the visuals rather than the plot. Mermaids, in particular, are of great interest to me. All of my childhood drawings featured a mermaid (or two), it's really quite funny!

I know you travel around promoting your line and giving makeovers. Will you be making any appearances soon?
Very possible, yes! Watch our Facebook page for updates: http://www.facebook.com/limecrime

What’s next for Lime Crime? Do you have any other collections or products in the works?
We are working on several releases due out this spring. Stay tuned!

Do you have any advice for other girls looking to make their dreams a reality?
"If you can see it, you can do it" -- I find this to be true more and more. If you can visualize something happening, in great detail, then you already know the steps you need to take. Dream bigger and be bold!

You can buy her gorgeous fairytale makeup on Lime Crime's website