Cess Maingi after a make-up session during the launch of the MIMI Shop at Green House early this month. Photo/Charles Kamau
What you need to know:
The biggest headache for African women still is finding the right foundation for their skin type and condition to avoid breakouts, reactions and of course looking “plastic”.
Kenyan women’s make-up is foundation with a touch of lip gloss, lipstick, eyeliner or eye shadow, but even with these simple product choices, they are eager to buy the right make-up as well as learn how to use them effectively.
“Make-up today is lighter and more natural-looking. It is also made to match all skin tones unlike before. With the wide range of products and tonnes of information available, women appreciate the power of make-up in enhancing their best natural features,” says Sonnie Kay, a make-up artist.
These women, between the ages of 20-40, are independent, with disposable income and one of their top concerns is to look stunning at all times.
They are attending make-up classes run by local make-up artists like Muthoni Njoba as well as Sonnie Kay or turning to the Internet, particularly YouTube, for make-up tutorials like Bellesa Africa – run by Kangai Mwiti, marketing manager and lead make-up artist of Lintons Beauty World and SuzieBeauty.
“We still have to educate customers on how to apply make-up correctly, and adding some more videos on our YouTube channel to tutor them as well as increasing our training sessions with individuals, professionals and our sales staff,” says Suzie Wokabi of Suzie Beauty.
The women are taught and not merely shown the steps of applying make-up. Most of the viewers’ of these YouTube videos now see the vast possibilities in make-up that they believed did not exist especially when it comes to matching their skin shades to the make-up products available.
The biggest headache for African women still is finding the right foundation for their skin type and condition to avoid breakouts, reactions and of course looking “plastic” due to the wrong shade choice.
Safe products
This is also one of the reasons why Suzie launched her make-up company three years ago. She says Kenyan women were looking for affordable colour that matches their skin tones. They also want to make sure that the products are safe.
One of the Suzie Beauty top sellers is the Zamba lipstick that Lupita Nyong’o wore to her interview on the Queen Latifah Show.
“I would say the favourites are lip glosses or latest trends of lipsticks because one can easily test the shades that suit them and they are super easy to apply yet they make such a huge difference,” says Sonnie.
With so many beauty products in the market, many women are not sure how to find make-up that suits them. Unlike stores in Europe and the US where you can get a beauty expert to experiment until you find what works for you, in Kenya, we didn’t have this luxury.
When buying make-up, make sure you buy from reputable stores and, if possible, have an application test done under natural lighting to ensure the product matches your skin tone. This also minimises the chances of buying counterfeit products.
One of the ways to ensure the product is genuine is by looking at the price and place where one buys it. If, for example, you know Mac powder costs about Sh5,000, ask yourself why anyone would be selling it for Sh,1200. Counterfeit and cheap make-up products most of the time end up doing more harm than good to the skin.
Skin regimen
“It is important to follow a good skin care regimen. Even the best make-up in the world can’t make up for neglected skin, so take care of the skin using proper skin regimens such as facials, staying hydrated, getting good sleep and using moisturisers with built-in sunscreen,” says Sonnie.
She adds that when it comes to applying make-up, less is more. A major mistake to avoid is trying to draw attention to every part of the face. Dressing up the lips, eyes, cheeks, and other parts of the face with too much make-up will leave you looking like a clown.
