A young burn victim has become a star by showing her make-up tutorials after suffering a tragic accident aged 12 when a head lice treatment caught fire, turning her into a human fireball.
Student Aleema Ali, 18, from Bradford, Yorkshire, was lucky to escape with her life when head lice shampoo she had on her hair ignited as she walked past the cooker while helping her mum take the bins out.
She now posts videos online showcasing her talent for make-up. Aleema shows off her skills which sees her use fluttering lashes and a great foundation technique to cover her scars, and fans love it.
She encourages fans to use £1.99 lashes instead of shelling out for lash extensions and also shows that she uses popular faux mink brand Tatti Lashes retaoling from £7.99 and often used in salons by professional make-up artists.
Aleema Ali, 18, from Bradford, Yorkshire shows off her glamorous look in a yellow gingham bell sleeved top, with glossy locks and sensational lashes, after one of her make-up tutorials on TikTok
Aleema in hospital after the accident. She ended up being in a coma for five weeks after suffering burns and was in hospital for an additional nine months
Aleema before the accident: She was 12-years old when she was engulfed with flames after walking past the cooker with a head-lice treatment on her hair
The teen now says she feels ‘braver and more confident than ever’ doing her make-up videos and has received nothing but positive support online from legions of fans
The inspirational 18-year old applies eyeshadow, contour and lashes with half of her hand missing, leaving viewers in awe.
In December 2016, Aleema returned home from boarding school to discover she had caught head lice, and applied Full Marks Solution, a medicated shampoo to kill the lice in her hair.
‘I went to the kitchen to get to the bin and whilst I was walking past, my hair caught fire as the medicine was extremely flammable,’ she recalled.
Not only is Aleema hoping to inspire others through her journey, she also does her makeup with one hand as she lost most of her fingers during the accident
Aleema Ali in hospital after the accident.The teenager suffered third degree burns after lice shampoo caught fire and engulfed her in flames Aleema has since said she ‘thought she would die’ at the time
Aleema admitted she ‘thought she would die’ when her entire head was engulfed in flames.
She wasn’t aware she was on fire until she caught her reflection in the nearby window – before she blacked out.
The then 12-year-old was left with burns on over half of her body, lost seven of her fingers and over the years has had to undergo hundreds of procedures to help her adapt.
She ended up being in a coma for five weeks and was in hospital for an additional nine months.After countless surgeries and physiotherapy sessions, Aleema managed to carry on with her life, but her face was badly scarred.
Due to how severe her burns were, her confidence in herself plummeted.
But despite her horrifying injuries, Aleema says her ‘confidence and self-love’ are at an all-time high – and she has since amassed a loyal fan base online where she shares make-up tutorials.
The student says she is now ‘grateful for the accident’ because she has learned to accept her appearance and is doing viral make-up tutorials online.
Doing makeup videos helped build up her-self image and she hopes it will inspire other burn victims to use a creative outlet to help find themselves again.
Since going viral, Aleema has received nothing but positive comments.She has inspired thousands of people to embrace themselves and to love their insecurities.
, she said: ‘In a way,I am now glad this happened.It’s made me into a better person. My self-love and confidence have risen rapidly.’
The teen endured a long and painful recovery process over the years, with skin graft surgeries, specialised garments and medication to help her adapt to normal day-to-day living after her accident.
Aleema said: ‘The only thing I was thinking was, “I’m going to die”.How can somebody make it out after such a big accident?
Aleema ended up being in a coma for five weeks and was in hospital for an additional nine months.After countless surgeries and physiotherapy sessions, Aleema managed to carry on with her life and is now thriving saying her confidence has ‘skyrocketed’
‘Internally, I am completely fine.I was also told my hair wouldn’t grow back but miraculously it has.’ Aleema is even asked which hair products she uses by TikTok users – which includes rosehip oil, coconut oil and Head and Shoulder Supreme shampoo
Eyebrows on fleek: Aleema shows off her perfect brows after completing a TikTok make-up tutorial
Aleema is a TikTok star now, six years on from the accident that left her scarred – she shows others her confidence by applying meticulous make-up looks
‘I’m waiting for one more surgery to get my tracheostomy removed, but other than that everything is all good.’
She said after the accident: ‘My recovery was extremely difficult and it is still ongoing.
‘Every day, I have to do nebulisers, humidifiers, pressure garments, splits, creams, medication and much more.
‘I’ve had hundreds of surgeries before and will hopefully have more in the future.
‘Every single member of the NHS has been so supportive from the hospitals I’ve been to including Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Menang189 Pinderfields.
Aleema pictured at age 16 on her way to sixth form at Dixons Sixth Form Academy in Bradford, Yorkshire
The make-up enthusiast has gained millions of views on her videos, with one of her make-up videos amassing 15.8 million views and has 780.2K followers on TikTok
‘Internally, I am completely fine.I was also told my hair wouldn’t grow back but miraculously it has. I can still lead a completely normal life. I can drive and do everyday activities.’
Even with all the challenges, Aleema is grateful to be alive.
She said in 2020, four years after the accident and at the start of her make-up journey online: ‘It’s changed my life for the better.I’m a much stronger, braver and confident than I was before.’
Aleema’s TikTok page @aleemaxali where she posts make-up tutorials to a thriving fan base of over 780.2K followers.
She has gained millions of views on her videos, with one of her make-up videos amassing 15.8 million views.
