I Thought I Wanted To Be a Makeup Artist

Elegant makeup look by makeup artist Rebecca Nkatha (IG:@blended_by_becca) in 2021

‘2022 me’ finds it hard to believe that I once wanted to be a makeup artist or ran an in-person beginner’s makeup class some years back. I eventually got a personal makeup artist for a while in 2021 as I switched my focus to skincare during the pandemic. Right now I’m working on a new look and nice balance between skincare and makeup. Adventure is one of my core values so I’m open to everything NEW really (and that includes activities).

October 2022 a.k.a. birthday month at a farm in Naivasha (Kenya) for wine tasting

2018, a year after starting my first business found me exploring makeup beyond my usual gloss or lipstick, mascara, and eye liner. I remember my first BIG GIRL buy being eyebrow stencils from a beauty shop I can’t recall at Garden City Mall (in Nairobi), and foundation by Suzie Beauty, a Kenyan beauty brand previously fully-owned by the amazing Suzie Wokabi in 2017. I’ve since tried Mac, Black Opal, and Fenty Beauty. Nars is still on my wishlist though. I love how it glides onto the skin.

I extended my love for makeup to people around me including the current media planner at Meremeta Africa Beauty, Lisa by doing their makeup and before I knew it I was attending makeup masterclasses. I remember a masterclass I attended in Nairobi by a brand called e.l.f. where I was the only person that got a free palette through some random selection. How cool is that? ☺

Another key experience I had was meeting the international head makeup artist of Lancôme (an inclusive international French makeup brand), David Coranson-Beaudu, to get my makeup done in 2018. I was really into makeup at the time and wanted to give it a shot then see how I feel. I just wasn’t sure how to go about experimenting with it yet.

I remember having a chat with David while he was doing my makeup and getting advice that catapulted me to action forever. He said, “ Get some form of basic makeup education, hone in your talent and never look back.”

David, myself and his assistant from left to right at a famous store in the Nairobi CBD in 2018

David’s assistant prepping my eyebrows for the face beat

Day 1 of me committing to learning from different creators on YouTube in 2018 and doing my makeup daily so I could get good at it

A casual makeup look by me on Lisa (current Meremeta Africa Beauty media planner) a few weeks later

Once my makeup skills started showing signs of excellence I formed a small team comprising myself, our lead makeup artist, lead photographer, one other photographer, and a live model. I then enrolled them and a few other family friends to a beginner’s make up class which I called ‘The Meremeta Makeup 101 class” with 5 out of 6 of them having no prior experience with makeup.

2018 Meremeta Makeup 101 members Brenda, Ivy, Nadia (then live model), Najma (then lead photographer), Lisa (current Meremeta media planner), and Natasha

Look by Meremeta lead makeup artrist, Christina Nyamwaya, on Shishi, Meremeta photographer, in 2018

I wanted to find out if I was actually interested in and capable of being a makeup artist. One thing about me is I get bored fast so I needed to know if this was something I’d enjoy enough to stick out in the long run.

Lisa practicing her makeup skills with me perfecting mine at this point in 2018

The first makeup class felt like PURE labor, and it just didn’t get easier to make matters worse. On one hand, I realized that doing my makeup and that of people around me here and there for fun didn’t necessarily mean that I needed to be a makeup artist. I only enjoyed working with a few familiar faces. I also figured I wanted my brand to do more, solve more problems, and be more so I started dreaming and creating — and haven’t stopped since.

Check out the makeup-related project that followed called ‘The Album Cover Challenge’ and ‘The Rebirth Of My Brand’ for recent updates.