Staying at home and observing social distancing is a new normal since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. The new phenomenon is also bringing different behavioural and social changes.
The saloons and hairdressers are no longer in business. Similarly, the women, stuck at home, have nowhere to go to take care of their hair, skin and beauty needs. There are manifold tutorials and guidelines available online for women on how to take care of themselves while staying at home.
Professional beauticians and makeup artists in Qatar are coming up with their own online pages and even YouTube channels providing essential information on new products and techniques regarding how to take care of personal beauty needs at home.
Teddy Nalweyiso, a 26-year-old Ugandan expatriate, has fast found her feet in Qatar while working with Sephora, one of the most well-known beauty brands in Doha. She embodies the passion and perseverance that is required to pursue one’s dream – making it big as a makeup artist.
Describing herself, Teddy said: “If I decide to get something, I work really hard to achieve it. One of the reasons for who I am today and I am extremely proud of it. I am a graduate in procurement and supply chain management from Uganda. However, I have always been yearning to have a career in the makeup industry.”
Explaining what it has taken her to be a makeup artist, Teddy said: “I never gave up on myself. In the beginning, I did not have the best of application tools and products. But, I never stopped learning and researching. Initially I had a lot of troubles with finances. I used to have big ideas but I lacked resources to put them to reality.
“After I got done from the university, I thought I should go abroad for a career. I went to Dubai in 2015 and eventually joined Qatar Airways in 2015. After serving Qatar Airways for 18 months, I joined Sephora Beauty Studio.”
When asked what makeup means to her, she said: “Makeup is an art that can bring out the inner beauty. With this fusion, we can enhance natural beauty. I can transform people with it. It can help you become a better version of yourself –enhancing one’s beauty.”
Like many other beauticians and makeup artists, Teddy is also locked up at her house owning to the unprecedented health crisis. She is however utilising her time to improve upon her work and create content for her YouTube channel. “Well, I used this opportunity to create more content of different looks on my YouTube channel (Teddy Nalweyiso) as well as my instagram page (@beautybyteddy) with the help of my husband, who is good with editing. So for me, this period of uncertainty has been very productive.”
When asked if her company is also running online services for the clients, Teddy said: “My company is not running any online services for our beloved customers here in Qatar but I promise we have a lot more in stock and amazing new products once we open again am sure they will love it.”
Teddy also wants women staying at home to use this time productively and start taking care of their skin and beauty. “Since so many women are usually caught up with work, kids and family, this is the time they have to deeply take care of their skin by following the right skin care – cleansing, toner, eye cream, serum and moisturiser. By the time the situation is back to normal, they will be having baby skin. For the hair, it would be great to use hair masks for deep treatment and then wear just the basic makeup for home – foundation, powder, blush, eyebrows, mascara and neutral lipstick colours. We have to be attentive to our beauty needs despite the fact that we stay at home. There is plenty of time for women, especially the working women, to take care of themselves and improve their skin health.”
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