Interview with Bunmi (Avantgarde)

 

Q: Makeup and beauty- tell us how it all started Bunmi?

A: I got interested in the makeup and beauty industry from my university days when I won the Miss Olabisi Onabanjo 2008-2010. In the course of doing beauty pageant, we get camped for about two weeks where we will be groom for the event. Makeup artist like House of Tara along with other makeup artist and dancers like kaffy come to us to groom us. So, from there I started developing interest in the makeup industry. The beauty pageant really builds my interest because i also contested for Miss Ikenne, Miss Ogun, and Miss Nysc. After I finished with my education I told my mother I wanted to take up a career in beauty and makeup business. I applied for visa to travel and learn more abroad on makeup but the authorities of the country I wanted to go to denied me visa on the ground that I don’t have any certificate to back it up that I have ever studied anything on makeup. They advised me to learn locally and re-apply for visa. I decided to look inwards and that is when I opted for house of tara to go and learn makeup. I did that for few months, graduated and then re-apply for visa and I was given visa to travel and learn at London College of fashion. I decided not to go to uk but to uae so that I can have experience of both culture and both world. British lecturers taught us but then I wanted to have the experience of the Arabs.
Q: How did you come up with your name Avantgarde MakeUp Studio, Spa and Beauty House?

A: It is actually a French word. I came across the name Avantgarde when I was with house of tara while I was treating a course online and it means going beyond barrier and going beyond limit.

Q: How long have you been into makeup business?

A: Almost 3 years now.

Q: How has it been so far?

A: It has been great, though the better part of my first year was in Dubai but when I came back, it was challenging and apart from the known names like Bm pro and other popular makeup artist every other makeup artist wants to try to do the catch up and make a name so as to have a command in the sector.

Q: As a professional makeup artist, how do you know if someone wears a good makeup?

A: (Laugh) the eyebrow that is the first indication, honestly once you get the eyebrow right every other thing falls in place.

Q: What are the attributes of a good makeup artist?

A: A good makeup artist must be hungry for knowledge, you must always want to get better and there is nothing like I am good. Even the best of the makeup artist always try to learn more because new trends come up every time.

Q: What are your challenges?

A: Creating awareness. Like I said, we are many in the industry and the first thing I did after I registered my business name was to create awareness about myself.

Q: Any unpleasant experience with any client?

A: One of my Mom’s friends introduces a woman to me whose daughter was about to get married and they needed a makeup artist. The daughter of the woman spoke to me that her engagement was in kogi and the wedding will be in Lagos. So I was persuaded to accept some amount of money with the agreement that when it is time for her wedding I will be the one to take charge of the bridal makeup, so I accepted. I went to kogi state with the amount of money they gave to me; I did her makeup, her sister, her mother and her mother’s friend makeup with the joy that I will be given the main job for the bridal makeup in Lagos. When it was time for the wedding in Lagos, I was told they have gotten someone else. I was devastated. I had a conversation with the lady to remind her of her promise. She now told me not to worry but she will not pay me the initial agreed amount. I was still not happy but because I don’t want to lose the business I continued with her. She now told me to get a particular foundation which I went all out to get for her aside the ones I already have. You won’t believe it that at the last minute she said she was not interested again and that I should refund her money in full back to her account. She said she prefer to satisfy the new makeup artist who she believe was good for her. At first I taught it was a joke, I told her all the money I have spent to acquire all the materials for the makeup but she didn’t even want to hear; she insisted that she want her full payment back. She kept calling me, her husband and mother also called me until I returned the money. I really felt bad because I believe I was cheated but it is okay.

Q: What do you think stands you out and make your customers keep coming to you?

A: They see that consistency and zeal in me. For me, customer satisfaction is the key.

Q: What inspires you?

A: Knowing that I can’t afford to fail. I am scared of failure.

Q: There is this perception that light skin people should wear light makeup while dark skin people should wear loud makeup?

A: Well in this profession there are ethics of makeup. The first we must all know is that it does not follow like that. The rule of makeup is that if you have a loud high shadow, you must have a very cool lip color and if you have a loud lip color you must have a very cool high shadow. So people must get that right irrespective of your skin color. Although, some people just like to do their own thing.

Q: Any Mentor?

A: Bm Pro (Nigeria) and Bobbi Brown (Outside Nigeria).

Q: Are you fulfilled in this your career or if you have something better you will move on?

A: I am fulfilled but what I will also like to do is to go for my masters in law abroad. I am into a lot, so you can also call me a business woman (laugh) but really I am fulfilled as a makeup artist.

Q: How do you feel when a client is happy with your work?

A: I feel fulfilled- it makes me happy because you see, if a client pays you a million and complain of your work, it makes you sad but when I get compliment or smile from a client or get a text message or that phone call to appreciate my work; for me it goes a long way than the money. For me, when a client is happy with your job-the client brings another client to you.

Block B suite 129 Sura shopping complex Lagos Island
07067871517