Bulawayo – A fun filled cosmetic affair it was at Rainbow Hotel this past Saturday at the 4th MAKEUP BY AMANDA workshop. The air was packed with anticipation and excitement, music was buzzing and the girly chatters of the ladies exclaiming over the cosmetics filled the air, the ladies simply could not wait for the workshop to start. The sight of the little mirrors at each seat further increased the hype as this meant actual participation in the activities of the day.
Amanda Mutangadura, the host and founder of the AM brand says she keeps having these workshops to bring women together, to provide a platform for women in business to market their organisations or brands to the public and to help ladies look and feel good.
In her words, “when you look good you feel good.”
She also encouraged other ladies to attend her workshops as it was an opportunity to learn new skills and know what is trending and a great way to network.
Among the many pearls of wisdom that Mutangadura shared as far as makeup is concerned, she also revealed that black African women should stay away from pink blush powder and that during the day ladies can choose brown on their eyeshadow palettes, applying the lightest shade of brown on the inner corners of the eye, then the darker shades on the outer eyelid, to achieve the smoky eye for day wear.
Mutangadura also emphasized on the importance of skincare. Her own personal routine comprises washing and cleansing her face every morning and evening and making sure it is always moisturised.
This sentiment was echoed by Lily Masuku, founder of Lilykay cosmetics, who was also one of the speakers of the day. Masuku spoke on the different skin types and advised ladies to never go to bed with makeup on so as to avoid pores clogging.
Her mantra was, “wash it off, don’t wipe it off.”
Sharing more on skincare and diet was a representative from Rati’s Beauty Parlour. This speaker recommended drinking at least eight glasses of water daily. She also touched on the importance of moisturizer and sunscreen.
“Our skin is not like a clothing brand where we wear different labels, so it’s important to use one brand, at least at a time. Skin care is very fragile and cannot be taken chances with, unlike makeup where you can use cosmetics from different brands,” she said.
This was not an all skin and cosmetic affair as Lorraine Maphala added real hair issues in the mix for the day.
Maphala, the owner and founder of the REAL HAIR BY LORRAINE STUDIO, emphasized the importance of knowing the different types of hair such as Remy, Virgin, and INDIAN Hair and encouraged the ladies to do so to because hair is expensive and so one needs to know what they are getting to avoid being taken for a ride by other vendors. She also addressed the receding hairline issue that resonated with a lot of ladies and even had a few hair products on display for the hairline, sensitive scalps and even ringworms.
Maphala also advised the women not sleep with a stocking (isokisi) wrapped on their head in the name of ‘protecting the hair’ but rather wear satin night caps to let the hair breathe. Maphala advised against DIYs on issues that include coloring hair but rather to engage professionals as they are more informed about the products used, especially seeing that harsh chemicals are used in this instance.
“The problem with DIY is that it will end up costing you more than you think you’re saving,” she said.
The day also saw eyebrow threading demonstrations by Praise from the MAKEUP BY PRAISE enterprise.
Threading is an ancient Indian method of removing hair using a thread. Hair takes longer to grow back.
This was the 4th Makeup workshop by Mutangadura since inception in 2014 and the 5th one is scheduled for early next year. Motivated by the people surrounding her and always wanting the best out of them, she specialises in transforming people in terms of grooming to be comfortable and confident of themselves. Mutangadura’s journey in the beauty industry began in 2010. She is a makeup artist, image consultant and Montessori teacher. She also holds other Grooming and Etiquette workshops.
