She was just a little girl and has always
been a Daddy’s girl at home but this beauty queen has turned out to
become a sovereign in the make-up and facial spar business. Her ideas
and productivity are second to none and she has succeeded to open the
eyes of most Cameroonian ladies on how ‘you should look’ at every given
time through her ‘Bih-Youty Make-Up House’.
“Your face defines who you are at all times. A woman must take
care of her appearance, make up and expressions in order to stay
relevant in her community. Dull or shabby looks gets you nowhere but if
you look pretty, you can get the attention you’ve always needed”… Sandra Bih Ekukole.
Sandra Ekukole dazzling in Green!
Sandra Ekukole is a young woman with dreams, big dreams but she is also a human being and a highly educated person ready to learn as fast as she can. She holds a diploma in marketing and a degree in Mass Communication. She is beautiful no doubt about that but we never thought she was going to be this big thing in the Make-up world.
How did you begin?
I’ve always been good at drawing. Back in school, drawing maps and biology diagrams were always fun for me. But later on, I developed a strong interest in the fashion industry but precisely facial beauty and in 2011; I decided to do it full time. I used to do makeup for runway shows and beauty pageants in Buea, where I studied.
Where do you get inspiration?
I follow a few bloggers and I must say there are tons of them I admire. There is a lady in Nigeria called Dimmer, That Igbo Chick (her blog). I love her work. She does a very neat job, uses vibrant colors, yet classy. I also admire Banke Meshida Lawal‘s work. I proposed my services to brides (I have a soft spot for bridal makeup) and they fell for it. That was great!
Why Bridal?
Weddings are such special moments and I hate to see a bride worked up or stranded because she doesn’t like how she looks
I am happy each time I have to make a bride look and feel her best. When she looks into the mirror and is stunned at the lady she is seeing, she gets so happy and ends up giving me a hug, that makes my day! Awww!
Is Make Up your Full time job?
Yes!!!
How easy and difficult is your job?
Well, it easy because I love what I do, it comes to me naturally. The challenging part is sourcing products. Cameroon’s beauty sector is still growing so I find it hard to get the tools I need. It gets frustrating sometimes.
Sandra @ Work!
How lucrative is Make up business in Cameroon?
I would say it’s a promising field. Cameroonian ladies are starting to warm up to the idea of hiring a makeup artist (which was not common a few years ago) But right now, you have related fields in the industry which are fast rising, like the fashion industry as well as music. I’m really optimistic. I will love to be a part of the revolution and make Cameroonians know that everything is possible here. And that makeup isn’t only for the magazines, but they can have it done in their homes or during special events.
Ever turned down a job offer?
It’s not every project I work on. I have turned down a few in the past. When I work, I look at how crucial my service will be to my client, I have to rank my priorities in terms on who is going to view the end result and how much buzz it will generate and also what kind of buzz. If there is a music video project and the words in the song promote vices, I may not be eager to be associated with that kind of message. So in a few words, I act as the Holy Spirit leads.
Does money influence your efficiency?
Never! I always strive to deliver more than I’m being paid. Cordiality with my client is always key for me.
How do you feel when payment isn’t done after service?
I faced that a few times when I just started out, I felt let down mostly because I expect good relationships to be developed after every project but I took those as lessons and it enabled me revise my payment methods.
Best and Worst Make-Up jobs ever?
So far, I had my best experience with a bride I worked with in December 2012. We bonded from the first minute of her trial session and on her special day, working with her and her bridesmaids was stress-free, she and her husband loved the output on their pictures. It felt great that I contributed to their special day.
Worst job… I worked with a lady once and she was very undecided about what she wanted as part of her makeover. She spent a lot of time on the phone, going in and out of the bathroom. I finally finished and left her hotel room. She sent me a text later that day to say she didn’t like her makeup at all! You can imagine the look on my face as I read through. But I learnt that I can’t wow all my clients all the time. And it helped me know how to work with difficult people in the future
Why Bih-Youty?
I wanted to give the word ‘beauty’ a different twist, with reflection of my middle name which is ‘Bih’. That’s it! Bih-Youty stands for beauty and elegance inside-out. My work goes beyond lip-gloss and mascara. Sometimes I find that I have to counsel my clients and uplift their spirits. I find that makeup sometimes is an emotional need for women, so I aim at making them feel positive about themselves.
How do your urban looks reflect to your cultural back ground?
You’re right. I hail from the South-West region of Cameroon and spent many years in its beach town, Limbe. Sometimes I get inspired by the beauty of the shore, sunset and the palms. If I took a walk around there right after doing my makeup, the look will blend in just perfectly.
Bih-Youty Makes a Difference!
How connected is your educational background to your present career choice?
I gained a lot of interest in Marketing, while I was doing my BSc in Mass Communication. So I did a professional course in Marketing after that and it’s such a great asset to my makeup work. I am selling a service and need to communicate effectively with prospective clients. So Mass Communications and Marketing are the perfect combo for me. I am glad I made those choices.
Worst make up you won’t do for anyone
Any makeup routine which involves filling eyebrows with black pencil or red pencil, as well as lining the borders of the lips with black pencil, are a no no for me, lol
A word for the youths
Talent is good but always ask yourself what you want to achieve with it. Practice a lot, don’t wait to be perfect, just go for it and seek God’s guidance always because He gave you that ability for a specific purpose.
And she added…
A big thank you to all those who have supported and encouraged me so far. God bless you all!
Sandra Goes Dark!
And that’s how I had to let the pretty lady go back to work. It was hard to end this great conversation and as they say, “Good bye is the saddest word’ but it has to be said.
Find Sandra Ekukole on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sandra.ekukole
C.E.O of Bih-Youty, Sandra Ehukole
Bih-Youty Makes The Young out of Everyone
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