[1] She is the daughter of retired pair skaters Larisa Selezneva and Oleg Makarov, the 1984 Olympic bronze medalists.

[7][8] She began competing in the United States in the 2003–04 season at the intermediate level, where she placed 7th at her regional championship.

The following season, again competing as an intermediate, she won the pewter medal at her regional championship and went on to place 15th at the U.S.

In the 2005–2006 season, competing for the final time as an Intermediate, she won her regional championship, but had to withdraw from the U.S.

At her first event, in Lake Placid, New York, she placed 4th in the short program and second in the free skate to win the silver medal.

At her second event, in Belarus, she placed 2nd in the short program and 3rd in the free skating to win the bronze medal.

At the Olympics, Makarova placed twelfth in the short program, ninth in the free skate, and finished tenth overall behind teammate Alena Leonova.

During the 2010–11 season, she won silver at 2010 Skate Canada International, her first medal on the senior Grand Prix series and placed seventh at the 2010 Rostelecom Cup.

At the 2011 Russian Championships, Makarova placed first in the short program[13] and sixth in the free skate, finishing fifth overall.

In January 2011, she changed coaches to Evgeni Rukavicin in Saint Petersburg, Russia.