Twins are often expected to look alike and have similar characters and personalities, they are often expected to mirror each other... Alexia (below right) and Stephie Samut-Tagliaferro, however, two 20-year-old twin sisters, do not look alike and emphasise that they have very different characters...

The two sisters, born on 6 October 1983, are fraternal twins, which usually means that they have the family resemblance of normal siblings... however, they also have a special relationship...

“I think it’s great being a twin, because you have a sister who’s your best friend, whom you can trust... we fight about stupid things - but on the whole... we’re on the same wavelength,” says Stephie...

“We’re like best friends. It’s fantastic. I’m never lonely with Stephie around... Sometimes we go partying together, we have the same friends...” says Alexia, echoing the same sentiment as her sister.

However, the two have very different characters... “Alexia lets the world go by...” says Stephie... “I’m a relaxed person, but then I want to know what’s happening...” she continues. “Even with things like cooking, for instance, Alexia will take her time; I don’t have the patience, I enjoy cooking but I like doing everything quickly. If I come home because I have an hour free from a lecture, I just want to eat quickly and leave again. Alexia will take her time and prepare something good... I’m very clumsy too, while Alexia is more careful...”

“Stephie is on the nervous side and is sometimes intolerant, although this depends on her mood... we’ve been abroad together so I have experience of this...” notes Alexia. “She is also quite untidy and messy...” she continues, enjoying teasing her sister.

Stephie giggles. “Alexia is very moody as well... and she is always late. Full stop. She always is,” says Stephie. “What do I like about Alexia? Hmmm... Sometimes she doesn’t care what people think... sometimes it’s good, because I’m completely the opposite... I get worried and nervous for other people...”

“It’s not that I don’t care about anyone, I’ll just do my own thing...” corrects Alexia.

“One thing I can say about Stephie is that she knows everything about everyone, their whole family tree – while I am completely unaware...” she says.

Stephie laughs. “Alexia won’t even know they exist.... I’m bothered about things around me... but I know things not because I make it a point to; I’m just observant by nature...”

The two sisters speak about their current lives and their plans for the future. Both are University students, currently in their third year. Alexia studies Communications and European studies while Stephie does Tourism studies. Both have sideline jobs, however, and lead busy lives with many other interests. The twins also have a younger sister, Suzie, 13.

“Once in a while I get make-up jobs... Occasionally I do the make-up for the programme Red. I’m helping another girl there, so it’s not even every week... I’m really enjoying it...” says Alexia. “Then I do make-up for plays, mostly MADC plays. With theatre make-up you can use your imagination, it’s not like the make-up you see on TV, which can’t be too ‘out’.

“In fact, my favourite make-up is probably theatre make-up; because you don’t have to stick within limits. You can be more creative, while with TV, fashion and wedding make-up, you have to stick to ‘reality’... the process of applying the make-up is the same, but it’s more flexible. For example, in TV make-up you have to keep the eyes a certain shape, you have to apply eyeshadow in a certain way... Even in theatre, you have to do it but then, for example, you can draw on the face.

“You can apply colours which you wouldn’t use in TV, eyecolours, face colours, you can actually maybe paint the face a different colour... in that sense, it’s more artistic. But then I enjoy all types, if I had to get a theatre job or to work on a film, I’d go for both of them... I don’t think I have enough experience to say which I prefer, so for now I can’t really make up my mind...”

Alexia explains that she did a two-year professional make-up artist course at Face2Face Academy. “I really enjoyed it because I’m artistic... I don’t paint or draw so it’s the only way I can bring out my artistic side... I feel really relaxed when I’m applying make-up...”

Eventually, after completing her degree at University, Alexia says she would like to work in the make-up field, on film sets. “Eventually I will, I want to do it... Hopefully, now I’d like to get more make-up jobs...” she says.

Apart from that Alexia also goes to jazz dance twice a week at the College of Jazz Dance. “At least it gives me a break from everything, it gets your mind off things, you work your body. Then when I have time I go to the gym, but I find it really hard to go, it’s difficult to get out of the house to go to the gym when you’re taking it easy at home...”

“I don’t waste time, I plan my time... somehow I always manage to get through it... I always make sure I have time for a social life, too.”

Stephie is planning to do her honours next year and then would like to travel. “My first aim is to finish University. Then I might go abroad... But it all depends on the situation I’ll be in... I don’t know what I’d like to do as a job, I know I’d like a job related to marketing, I don’t want an office job where I have to sit down all day. I want to go out and meet people but I don’t have my eyes on anything yet, I’m just going to see where the wind takes me... you never know what will happen...”

Alexia agrees. “Hopefully, in the future I’ll have a well-paid job,” she says. Then considers for a moment and rephrases: “An extremely well-paid job. Settle down and have my own house... My ideal job would be working on film sets, abroad, doing make-up for Milan fashion shows wouldn’t be a bad idea, maybe...” she muses.

Stephie also speaks about her ideal job: “I would either like to have a job in which I get to travel around the world for marketing purposes or to promote or organise events related to tourism...”

Stephie also works part-time after University. “I work in a mobile shop, it keeps me quite busy, I play tennis, I go to the gym, I try to go four times a week. I’m very busy, I always invent something to do... I hate not doing anything because I go crazy... In my free time, I don’t have the patience to sit down and read a book; I try, but I either end up watching TV – or sleeping – or I try to do something a bit more worthwhile with my time...”

“In my free time, I enjoy going shopping or keeping in touch with the latest fashion or else I try and exercise or, if not, eat, or else do things that need to be done...” says her twin sister. “I hardly watch TV, I always manage to find something to do...”

The twins go on to speak about their relationship. “I was the one who always took care of her because she’s very relaxed, while I’m not...” says Stephie. Then follows a discussion on who is the elder. “I was born first...” says Alexia. “10 minutes...” says Stephie. “They say Stephie is the elder cause she was conceived first...”

“Alexia was born first, I was born second...” says Stephie. “They always say that of twins one’s always a leader...”

“I rely on her much more than she relies on me... I wait for her to make plans...” says Alexia.

“I tell Alexia most things... but there are some things I won’t tell her...” says Stephie.

“Really? What wouldn’t you tell me about?” asks Alexia.

“If she asks me I’ll tell her...” begins Stephie. “I tell her most things...” she continues.

“I hardly have any secrets to tell her,” says Alexia. “But if I have a problem I’ll go up to her because she’s a very good problem-solver... it’s true... that’s why it’s good as well to have a twin sister... I know Steph is always going to be there for me, no matter what it is... maybe I won’t tell my friend a problem but, with her, I know that she won’t change her view of me... probably she’ll also give me the best advice because she knows who I am...”