By: Lukmon Akintola
“Don’t you know that I am trying to look good for you? Is it not your pride when we get to the party and people tell you that your wife is beautiful?” This normally comes after the man has spent several hours waiting and praying that his wife finishes her make-up on time so they can head out.
It is common humour to say that men wait for their wives endlessly when going out for a function. She is usually in front of a mirror making up.
In the past, women needed minimal makeup to attend parties. Going to a function or even work required simple eye pencil strokes and powder, and she is ready to party.
If you thought they took their time then, maybe you should see how far make-up has come today.
Who stands in front of a mirror these days to makeup when attending an event when there are professional makeup services all around? They are called Face Beat experts and they are in high demand. Gone are the days of soft powder makeup and makeover, some ladies now spend pretty sums on making up. Abike, a journalist, says she had once spent more money on make-up to a particular event than what she spent on the clothes she wore to the event.
“It did not occur to me at first, it was not until I got home that I realised that I had spent so much on the make-up. The Ankara I wore to the friend’s birthday was just N4,000, but I did make-up of N6,000,” she says.
A regular make-up, or face-beat, as it is also called, for an occasion costs between N3,000 and N10,000, if you are patronising a regular studio. Going for a high end studio can set a lady back between N20,000 and N50,000. The cost however goes up depending on the kind of event the make-up is for. If it is a wedding, then, you will be charged a bridal fee.
An average bridal make-up starts from N100,000 and can go up to N250,000. But if you are a high roller and can afford the likes of House of Tara, your bridal train can get a million Naira make-up job done for them.
Some ladies now even have their own personal makeup artiste whom they consult before going out. And if you have deep pockets, you could patronise celebrity make-up studios. Depending on what services you are asking for, a make-up artiste can either simply do your face at home, at a studio or accompany you to the party where a touch-up is done occasionally to ensure that the face is at all times looking prim and proper.
From Senator Daisy Danjuma, Folorunso Alakija, Sade Okoya to Princess (Dr.) Toyin Kolade, Abbah Folawiyo, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, and several other socialites and business women, this is the way to go, as all of these women spend outrageous sums on looking beautiful.
Top Celebrity Make-up specialists include; Tara Durotoye of House of Tara, Abuja-based Fatima Mamza of Mamza Beauty, Banke Meshida of BM Pro, Joyce Jacob of Joyce Jacob Beauty, Iposh Look by Ifeoma Adefemi, Bimpe Onakoya of MUA and several other beauticians, take credit for the Face Beats you see on celebrities and socialites today.
So popular is Face Beat today that there are several compendium of creative make-up artistes and their jobs scattered online. The interesting thing is that Face Beat also transcends party birds, as corporate players have also joined the league.
Interestingly, the huge amount of money to be made out of the beauty industry has led to a multiplicity of makeup artistes, as a sizable number of young ladies also offer this service too.
So why is making up so expensive? A make-up artist explains; “Basically, what it takes to be a makeup artiste after training is a make-up kit, which varies in cost and sizes. Most make-up artistes in Nigeria aren’t well-trained, though they pay a minimum of N70,000 for the training. Then buying your products, you have to have foundation to match any complexion, that’s a minimum of N12,000 for eight tubes, and then, Mary Kay isn’t that good, so to do a good job, you have to buy Black Up which is N10,000 a bottle.
“There’s too much fake Iman on the market sold for N4500 per bottle. Then add in eyeshadows, a palette can be N8,500 and that is the crap Chinese stuff that irritates the skin. So you spend minimum of N25,000 for more Chinese stuff of slightly better quality.
“False lashes are N800 per packet, the good stuff which isn’t heavy on the eye. I have not even mentioned powders, blushes mascara, primers and skincare for all types of skins and complexions. Remember, all these products finish and expire, so they need replacement.
“That is not all. Then there is transport to the client’s house. If it is a wedding, you calculate first for trial and then for engagement and another day, white wedding, no matter how early or late the time. So that’s usually cab fare. Calculate N3000 per trip.
“You may say ‘oh well, why should I still pay so much as N200,000?’. You want to look your best in your pictures or do you want to look like your short-sighted sister did your makeup without her glasses? Why pay a photographer N150,000 when you look like a masquerade because you paid your make-up artiste just N40,000 for her wahala?”
Joyce Jacob of JJB explains why women spend hours in the beauty studio. According to her, “Skin care is very important to me because I believe flawless make-up is flawless skin. I don’t feel as though you could have serious skin conditions and pile on makeup to solve it. It is important to treat the problem, which is your skin, so fundamentally everyone woman and man should take care of their skin.”
Celebrated make-up artiste, Meshida Lawal explains the secret to her brand, emphasising what has seen women returning to her studio over the years.
According to her, “No matter how much our brand has grown, I cannot assume everyone wants to work with us, so even I still lobby to make-up for people who may not have worked with us or know us. I love to do make-up, so I cannot recline on my chair and expect things to come to me. There is so much to do, and the passion I have for the job makes me see a face and go after it, practically pleading to make it up. People see this passion, and this I believe, is part of what makes them come back.”
One of BM Pro’s major challenges has been getting their make-up product into the country. They manufacture abroad so usually when they run out products, the time they are able to restock is usually a bit of a stretch. The Forex rate is also another major challenge Meshida Lawal explained.
One truth that remains consistent is that charges of make-up artistes vary and their clientele are not really bothered as long as they are impressed with the eventual outcome.
Theodora of Doranne Beauty charges as much as N25,000 for hair and makeup. Some stylists like Veronica Odeka are said to have a unique standard, as she asks you to put them on a monthly retainer. She charged as much as N200,000 per month.
Yetunde Cocougovo justifies why women spend so much on Face Beat this way. “Well, in my own opinion, we women spend so much on makeup to look presentable and approachable, I can’t attend an occasion looking unkempt and untidy, I have to look good, look approachable and it’s not every time I make-up, it depends on the occasion, and the kind of make-up I do depends on the kind of place I’m going to.
“For example, I can’t go to work with a heavy make-up, heavy make-up applies to big events or parties like wedding ceremonies, cocktail parties, dinner parties etc. Sometimes, I just makeup for fun, just because I’m bored, I try to do something by making myself up and I later end up taking myself out, and making new friends. I’m not saying that when you make-up you meet people, but there’s a higher chance of you meeting people with your make-up on than going out with your bare face.”
Reacting to why women spend so much on make-up is actress Anita Joseph. She says there is nothing special about it. “As a woman, we love going the extra mile to add to our beauty. A little make-up won’t hurt anybody.”
On her path, actress Belinda Effah says, “It depends on the individual, people don’t mind spending depending on the calibre of the party. Also, the make-up needs to compliment the outfit. If you can spend as much money on an outfit, then you should be able to match it up with the make-up. Make-up stands you out; it gives a perfect finish to your outfit and causes heads to turn.”
Interestingly, more advanced methods of Face Beats are coming out, as light face-masks that are already made up are now emerging. All you have to do is get your makeup artiste to supply you with one, wear it and you are ready to party.
While this new type of Face Beat is still emerging, we can already see where the future of make-up is.
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