An ex-economist turned make-up artist, Olayinka Akintomide, talks about her foray into the beauty industry and what 2016 holds in stock for women makeup-wise in this interview with Kehinde Oluleye.
Tell us a bit of yourself. My name is Olayinka Akintomide. I am the creative director at Blushville Makeovers Studio, graduate of Economics (Lagos State University) and a native of Osun State but resident in Lagos.
What inspired you to go into makeover business?
The passion for makeup application made me go into the business. I believe whatever career or business one engages in, there must be passion for it. Preceding my venture into professional makeup artistry, I was the go-to person for my friends any time they had occasions to attend. So, after graduating from school and because I didn’t want to stay at home jobless, my brother and I decided I needed to get professional training to hone my skills.
For how long have you been doing this?
Professionally, I started in 2012, four years ago.
Before opening Blushville, how were you operating?
Before opening Blushville Makeovers Studio, I was operating by word of mouth, referrals and through social media platform.
Apart from makeover, what other fashion items are you into?
Skin care products; cream and soap mixing, facials, body polishing, massaging, pedicure and a bit more are the other inclusions of our services.
Being around for a while, you must have witnessed a lot of changes in the makeover business.
Yes, there have been lots of changes in this business. Makeup artists are bolder now, with colours and the overall effect of the looks they create.
There are more artists now compared to some time ago when we had just a handful of artists.
People are more conscious of their looks and what they want.
Are you into men makeover?
Yes, I’m into men makeover, especially for photo-shoot, music videos and more.
Why is it a general belief that women’s makeover is more rewarding than men’s?
The women folk are more vain than their male counterparts, they care about their looks and appearance and would go all out to make sure they look good, sometimes not minding the financial cost, whereas most men will just dress up and they are good to go. So, financially, women’s makeover is more rewarding
Another aspect is that when one applies makeup for a woman the ‘before and after’ effect is usually wow.
And is it true that male customers are easier to deal with?
Yes, most male customers are easier to deal with….less attitude, they usually allow you do your job without stress. Most male customers have friendly disposition.
What kinds of products and colour do you love working with?
There are lots of quality makeup products available now; the list is endless. But I love working with Marykay, Mac, Inglot, Zaron, Revlon, Black Opal and so much more. For colour, I love working with red, I try to incorporate it into my looks.
Who are your targets?
Anyone and everyone who loves to look gorgeous and confident for that special occasion.
What should women look out for in 2016, make-up-wise?
The looks for 2016 will be more subtle, less sculpted makeup look with emphasis on real skin makeup than overly sculpted looks (over contoured and highlighted).
What are the challenges faced in the course of doing your business?
There are lots of challenges; as a makeup product retailer, lots of people buy on credit to pay at a later date. This affects ability to restock more goods. Also, there are some artists who charge ridiculous prices for jobs, some charge so low an amount for makeup jobs that you wonder if they have bills to pay at all and some clients don’t understand what our job entails, they feel our job doesn’t justify our charges; this affects business a lot.
What is the ABC of a good make-up?
*Know your skin type – so you know what works best for you and the products to use.
*Select the right kind of products – always buy quality products so you don’t harm your skin
*Correct shade of foundation and powder in order not to create a ‘mask’ after application.
*When applying makeup you should lay emphasis on one part of the face, either the eyes or the lips, not both at the same time.
*And blending is key, blend your colours well; blend, blend, and blend.
How will you rate Nigerian make-up artists with their foreign counterparts?
Nigerian makeup artists can compete with their foreign counterparts. We’ve come a long way over the years and lots of artists have sprung up in recent times who know their onions. I believe we are at par with our foreign counterparts.
What is style to you?
Style is being confident and comfortable in being yourself.
Describe your style?
My style is casual-chic. I like casual wears.
What determines what you wear?
The occasion, my mood and sometimes what I want to project.
ANKARA now comes in several natty designs and the good thing is that you don’t have to empty your account before you are able to get one.
