BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE of the beholder. But many women, it seems, are becoming more and more infatuated with their overall image.
The Barbados Statistical Department showed that some of the biggest imports were human hair, wigs, false beards, eyebrows and eyelashes.
In total, the imports of these commodities were valued at $2 420 502 in 2013. Barbados also imported $837 907 in eye make-up in 2012 compared with the $838 643 spent 2013.
One person who knows about the impact of beauty is Anansa St Juste, a certified make-up artist since 2007. She is also a certified aesthetician.
Anansa started her own make-up business in 2011 after working at a high-end make-up store for some years.
“I make house calls and I also have a shop in Bridgetown. My list includes weddings, graduation, funerals, people going to parties, on dates, clubbing and even cruises.”
Anansa says she has seen an increase in clientele who are leaning towards not the full face make-up (although that is still a service) but more so brow-shaping, brow-arching, putting on false eyelashes and eyeshadow.
“Some are also coming in to get acne scars covered and looking for ways to fix their skin problems and some even want to use the make-up to cover tattoos for their job interviews.”
Anansa, who now sports sisterlocs, said that many of her clients who sport wigs are going back to their natural hair as they see how they can look beautiful naturally.
“I find that when I was working at a high-end make-up store I had to conform to their standard of beauty. I had to be at work in a full face of heavily done make-up and my hair either had to be in long or short silky weaves.
“I was uncomfortable. I felt like I was hiding my true self. My hair was short and natural and I wore wigs because I was embarrassed of my natural hair.”
Anansa said wearing weaves cost her hundreds of dollars: “It was like three to four bundles and they were like $200 a bundle. I left and when I opened my shop I went back to my natural hair.”
Anansa said many clients didn’t like it but it was to prove a point to herself and to others that she can be “natural and beautiful”.
She has now been an inspiration for other women who have told her it’s because of her that they have gone the natural route.
Anansa has a wide-ranging clientele and in her line of work beauty is not cheap.
“While I have clients who come to my shop to spend between $15 to $100 and I have clients who book me for photo shoots and personal events that pay me based on different factors, buying the products is expensive.”
A pet peeve for the mum of three is that because of the high cost of products some people don’t understand when she charges a certain amount.
“They want to tell you what your job is worth.”
The make-up artist said she makes sure her products are high-end because she wants to ensure customer satisfaction.
Anansa said being an artist is what she loves most about the job: “Every day a human face is like a canvas.”
Product
Price
Moisturiser
$101
Primer
$101
Foundation
$91
Powder
$91
Blush
$74
*Eyeshadow
$324
Brow filler
$35
Concealer
$67
Eyelashes
$10
Highlight & contour kit
$40
Mascara
$42
Eye primer
$46
Lipstick
$35
Lipgloss
$35
+Brush set for application
$185
Total
$1 277
*(Individual pots of six separate colours were used at $54 a pot)
+ (medium quality set)
