Category: Mind & Body

Millicent Arebun Onuoha is the founder and Creative Director of Millare Fashion Ltd. Her label prides itself on using ecofriendly fabrics. In this encounter with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about her beauty routine and the things that make her tick.

First you want to know the secret of looking good.

“More credit lies with the genes God blessed  me with and the fact that I consciously try to take care of it as best as I can by eating healthy and sticking to a basic skincare routine . I say BASIC, because I am a very lazy skincare person and can stick to a product that works for me for a lifetime”.

Also there is no adventurous skincare buying for her. “I am very hard to convince when it comes to trying on a new skincare product or routine. Until what I am using isn’t producing the needed results I don’t buy any new brand. Whenever the inevitable occurs and I have to upgrade or change my skincare products, it’s always an uphill task especially for my facial skin products so I try as much possible to postpone the stress for as long as possible”.

She therefore visits commercial spas at most thrice a year simply for the deluxe experience and as a self-care treat. “I am more into DIY home spa treats because I believe more in organic treatments than products that may or may not contain chemicals that may or may not be good for my skin and health in the long or short run. Moreover, considering the regularity of the spa treatments I indulge in, the DIY home spa is definitely more budgeting friendly for me. I mean, to get a decent facial and massage in Lagos today isn’t cheap. DIY spa treatments at home also saves me time as I can be done with my facials with a simple beauty sheet mask or fruits and oil combo paste in a matter of minutes. Still if you have the funds and time needed, visit to the Spa, to be pampered and primped by others is a treat everyone deserves as often as humanly possible. Your skin and emotions will thank you for it “.

Millicent’s go-to, for pampering her skin is moisturising and exfoliating using Karay cosmetics skin combo or The Ordinary peeling 10mins exfoliating Facials. “To prep my facial skin I use Collagen by Watsonville facial mask or Bisutang Rice Nourishing Mask. Both works wonders for my facial skin. If I am not tired by the time am done, I follow up with Vitamin C syrup by Indigo Glow cosmetics and voilà! I don’t do this every day though; this “long” process for me is biweekly if the spirit is willing because the flesh is often not”.

Diet “I don’t eat sugar even in my tea and I don’t like minerals (coke, Fanta etc) or malts. Thankfully I am not a cookie and sweets fan so it’s easy for me to avoid those as I have almost zero interest in them. I also have little or no interest in fast foods (except am ravenous) and junk food like the famous Gala, burgers, bread, hotdogs etc. I prefer home cooked or freshly cooked meals that are as near as possible to how God Intended it to be “.

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She continued: “To be candid I eat a lot! I mean a lot!!  Besides I love looking good, it makes me feel great and adds extra bounce to my steps; anything that interfere with my “Joy” is given zero attention”.

Fashion to her is therefore an expression of one’s individuality, value system and culture. “There is very little that fashion can make anyone do, because an individual’s choice of fashion or attire is a reflection of their current state of mind .That been said , it is very relevant to mention that people also forget that fashion is an embodiment or catalogue of a  society’s prevailing value system, political landscape, culture and norms. In today’s global village, fashion has become a mesh of different social-cultural, religious and political ideologies which can sometimes be confusing or misleading to the budding fashionista”.

Personally, she draws the line at outfits that leaves extremely little to the imagination or leaves her precious butt cheeks at the mercy of the winds and lascivious minds. “This choice is simply an extension of my personal value system, which brings me back full circle to my earlier definition of fashion. Fashion is indeed an outlet. For those who haven’t yet discovered their personal identity or core values, fashion can become a minefield”.

Also, she does not like or indulge in full coverage makeup. “So except it is for a very serious wedding of a loved one or is receiving an award I make do with simple eye & brow pencil, my extension lashes and my signature red lipstick. That is it! No foundation, no powder no concealer or anything else. This is me at least 360 days in a year which is why I suppose I have great skin. I retain the services of makeup artist only when the situation demands. So far my best experience with makeup artists has been with @Bare2Beauty and @HouseofYinkus. My favourite beauty products are from Zaroncosmetics and Mac”.

For Millicent exercise routine consists of taking long walks on the streets or on the treadmill in her home gym in a bid to meet the daily target of 7000 steps. “On an average I meet my target 22days out of 30 in a month.

Amanda Oruh is an actress, presenter and voice over artiste. The creative lady who studied Microbiology but veered into the entertainment sector is happy touching lives. In this encounter with Chinyere Okoroafor, she takes you into her world, sharing her beauty secrets land personal style.

FIRST, you want to know the secret of looking good and she responds this way.” I like doing things that makes me feel good about myself. I also love myself more, giving love freely and that has worked for me”.

Happily, she goes on to talk about some of the other things she does that makes her tick. “I make sure that I get eight hours of sleep daily and that relaxes the mind and body. In addition, I make sure that I eat well, I eat things that are natural and this makes me healthy.”

That is not all! “It is important to be fit and I do this with adequate exercise routine. I also drink lots of water which is very good for my system. I am always conscious of the need to look neat and fresh and for this I make use of nice deodorants and perfumes. I also take proper bath twice daily; pay great attention to self-care and good attitude in everything that I do”.

Next, she goes on to talk about managing and pampering her skin as a routine. “First, I apply my body moisturizers with care and love. This way my skin feels loved and I do this passionately.”

She continued: “I’m an oil addict, I don’t go a day without applying oil, it’s therapeutic for my skin. I speak to my body as often as I can, it feels loved, and that way it glows and gives me joy”.

Talk about eating right and she tells you about the kinds of food that she eats and the things that you would never find in her diet. “What you eat reflects on the outside and on your health. You will therefore never catch me eating food that is fattening or has too much carbs”.

Asked about the things that she won’t you do in the name of fashion, she replies:” I don’t just follow trend. Instead, I wear what I am comfortable in. Comfort is key and very important, when it comes to my personal style”.

Next, the discussion moves to identify her favourite products and make-up artiste and again you are in for a surprise.” At the moment I don’t have a favourite product; I use what I feel comfortable with. Something that I connect with and feel good about. Well, I do my makeup myself most times. So, I don’t have a favourite Make-up artiste. But I really do look forward to getting my face beat by Bimpe Onakoya”.

Her favourite hairdo? “I love cornrows; it is so easy and gives you that blissful look that is interesting. I also do my best to work out at least thrice weekly, at the gym or at home”.

Esther Tijani is a model and she is strongly attracted to acting and film making. In this encounter with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about the secret behind her good looks, keeping fit as well as seeking regular attention from experts.

Her journey into modeling initially was experimental but today she has carved a niche for herself on the local and international scene.

“ I am very unconventional. I am not a conformist, I think out of the box and I don’t mind being different in my opinion. I love to do my things my way and that spots me out immediately. It separates me from others; I don’t follow popular opinions or ideologies”.

Happily, she takes you into her world, looking good and the things that make her tick.

Asked her about the secret of looking good and she responds this way: “God is the major secret behind my beauty but all I do to maintain my beauty is to work out and this has really worked for me. Exercise make you trim and fit which is important for my career as a model.

Keeping fit through a variety of exercises however is something that she would not trade for anything. “I work out at least 4 days in a week and it’s been very exciting for me”.

In addition, I drink lots of water, it is a great therapy and it really works for me”.

In addition to the personal things that she does, Esther also seeks professional attention at the Spa pampering her body from time to time. “I go to the spa at least twice every month, honestly it’s no big deal I just do it to pamper my skin.”

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Home remedies, she informed have helped to make the process of looking good interesting and easy.

“Looking good is also about having a good and healthy body routine. I take my bath twice daily and that is one thing that makes me feel fresh all the time. I also don’t joke with facial and body scrubs because it works very well with my skin. I am particular about the scrub that I use on my skin. I also take a lot of fruits, honey, turmeric and lemon”.

Next, the energetic beauty goes on to talk about the things that she loves to eat as well as avoid in her diet. “I don’t really avoid much in my diet, which I should and I think that is something that I should look into. However, I reduce my sugar in take and food with obvious or too much fat. Lastly, I try not to eat late at night and that works for me”.

You want to know the things that she would not do in the name of fashion and Esther replies this way: “I can’t get a tattoo or dress half naked. Personally, I believe that being modest is very important to me and that is what keeps me going”.

If you think that she has favourite products or make-up artiste that would help give her the desired transformation from time to time, then you must be in for a surprise. “I enjoy making myself up, that makes me my own make-up artist”.

Her signature look is the low cropped hair but she also wears wigs to vary her look. Apart from beauty, she takes you into her dreams, passion and the legacy that she would like to leave behind.

“I want to be known as a game-changer, a model with class and character. A torchlight of hope for other black women to shine bright and believe they can make it”.

Just before she leaves, Esther talked about her passion and the inspiration she intends to bring to the younger generation. “I am interested in the redefinition of style, energy, perfection especially the feel of the African beauty and essence. My love for cultural exchange and interaction would be accentuated in my work as a model”.

Kasi Usani is the winner of Face of Niger Delta Cultural Pageant 2021/2022 edition and Kindness Ambassador.  In this encounter with Yetunde Oladeinde, the Computer Science undergraduate, model turned queen opens up on her beauty secrets and more.

The first thing is having that inner peace and if you don’t have Peace, no matter what you use on your face, it will not come out well.

Happily she takes you into her world and the things that make her tick. “I take a lot of water, to stay hydrated all the time. I also do my normal bedtime routine. I have my bath in the morning and night. Then I make sure that I take good fruits and vegetables as well “.

So, what gives Kasi that inner peace you ask? “Just looking at myself and seeing how beautiful I look is satisfying.” Her parents have also been a great source of inspiration and pillar of support.  “My dad is handsome and my mum is cute as well. But, truly I got the look from my mum. She is tall, light skinned, easy going and hardworking woman.”

Eating right, she informed has also helped to maintain a beautiful and healthy lifestyle.  “I love fruits and vegetables.  I avoid oils because I have oily skin. When you take too many oils, you get breakouts.”

Kasi also visits the gym regularly to keep fit. “I usually use the treadmill for about an hour.  I also visit the Spa but not all the time. Some of them may not know your skin type and just do what they want.  So, I go to spas where they know my skin type and the experience has been good.”

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In addition, Kasi has some homemade remedies that really work for her. “Sometimes, I use turmeric and does a turmeric face mask for myself with lemon, milk, refrigerate and use.”

For the queen, make looks good when the right makeup artists work on you.

“Before I use makeup artists I make sure that I have seen your work online by going to your gallery.  Some of the Makeup artists that I admire include Fabulous, Tara, Zikel and Banke Meshida. Even though I have not met Tara, I like her passion and creativity, she is awesome. She also produces cosmetics.”

Gorgeous in all ramifications of the word, she holds you spellbound with her smiles, sexy eyeballs and gesticulations. “In my wardrobe there are different outfits for different events. But I do more of shirts, Jean or trousers because I am a student. I like to wear wigs and braids when it comes to hairstyles. They always look good on me.”

She continued: “For accessories, I love my bracelets and chains but it also depends on the event. I love leather bags most but I have all kinds of bags in my closet.  I also love perfumes, no particular brand in mind as long as it smells nice and I like it”.

For relaxation, Kasi listens to all kinds of music. “I also love going to the cinemas when I am bored. And dancing in my closet”, she said and ended the conversation with infectious laughter.

QUEEN Onyemaechi is a model and Director of Anani Models.Its been an awesome journey and she is ready to tell anyone who cares to listen that life as a model is filled with memorable experiences.

She meets a lot of people and represents a variety of trendy ladies and brands. To do this effectively, Queen must look good and happily she takes you into her beauty routine and the things that make her tick.

You want to know the secret of looking good and she answers this way: “The golden rule is that I mind my business and I drink a lot of water”.

That really sounds interesting and again you probe further.

This time around you want to know how often she visits the Spa and how this work for her.

“I don’t visit the spa often, but when I do I notice the difference in my skin. My advice is to go to the Spa at least once a month. It is a wonderful experience and it just keeps you refreshed”, she informed.

Apart from the monthly routine, Queen sure knows how to pamper her skin in a variety of ways to retain the glow. “I treat, hydrate, and moisturise my skin regularly.  That works for me and I enjoy doing this as a routine”.

What about the things she eats. Are there things she avoids in her diet that also helps achieve her beauty goals?

Our good looking model replies with, “Nothing. There are no diet restrictions at all.

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I eat all, I just try to balance it by intermittent fasting”.

Queen certainly is bold and adventurous on the runway and in life generally. You wonder if there is anything that she wouldn’t do in the name of fashion and she replies this way: “I don’t know yet, fashion is constantly evolving so never say never!”

Happily, she goes on to talk about her favourite products and Make-up artiste. ” At the moment,  the ordinary hyaluronic acid and Niacinamide serum has been a life saver for me.”

She adds that: “I am a big fan of Flawless face by Jane, her skin work is top notch and I also love her consistency.”

Looking tall, cool and elegant always comes with some sacrifice too. Exercise routine? “Yes. Skipping is the ultimate for me”.

The woman’s hair is something you cannot ignore.  For many, it gives that first impression and so we all love to give the hair the attention it deserves.  For Queen her favourite hairdo rocks and that has helped to create more of the look she desires. “I like

Box braid! I can never go wrong with that”, she tells you happily.