- Title: NIGERIA: Nigerian makeup business mogul plans to expand beyond the country.
- Date: 27th May 2014
- Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF TARA MAKEUP STUDIO/CLIENT WALKING IN SIGN READING "HOUSE OF TARA" PICTURE OF A MODEL VARIOUS OF CUSTOMER SHOPPING FOR LIPSTICK COMPACT POWDERS ON DISPLAY VARIOUS OF CUSTOMER LOOKING AT EYESHADOW (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOMISI OJO, CUSTOMER, SAYING: "On my wedding day I looked lighter than I am, my face was lighter than my neck and it looked very funny, that's to me and that is because they don't have my shade. I have tried various products, blah blah, but trying Tara and seeing that the first time I actually heard, that was a few weeks ago, I heard it's because your skin has a red undertone, and I was like -- Oh, really, that's why makeup never suits me, but now it suits me," TARA FOUNDATION VARIOUS OF LIPSTICKS ON DISPLAY VARIOUS OF TARA DUROTOYE TALKING TO COLLEAGUE (SOUNDBITE) (English) TARA DUROTOYE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HOUSE OF TARA, SAYING: "We know so much about the US, we know so much about the British Kingdom, we know so much about the American civilization. How much does the world know about Africa? We have to find different ways that the world has to understand that Africa is not only about poor people who are... yes, because there is a lot of war, yes, there is a lot of poverty but also apart from that poverty, we need to have a fuller range... the stories need to cut across, and for us, what role is House Of Tara playing to build themselves, to build a global brand, yet still be African." EXTERIOR OF HOUSE OF TARA MAKEUP SCHOOL/CAR DRIVING OUT SIGN READING: "HOUSE OF TARA, MAKEUP SCHOOL, MAKEUP STUDIO" VARIOUS OF STUDENTS DURING MAKEUP CLASS SESSION VARIOUS OF MAKEUP PRODUCTS ON A DESK (SOUNDBITE) (English) OLUWATOMISI OLUWOLE, STUDENT AT HOUSE OF TARA, SAYING: "I love the way makeup transforms people after it's been done properly, so it's being in me to learn how to do that to people and make people feel happy after I have done a good job on them." VARIOUS OF A MODEL PUTTING ON MAKEUP (SOUNDBITE) (English) TARA DUROTOYE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, HOUSE OF TARA, SAYING: "For us it's the impact we are making that is most rewarding. The jobs... there are many people who are looking for jobs today and the beauty industry has given an opportunity for young people who are very excited about beauty, and you know Nigerians are very fashionable and love beauty. We have given many people the opportunity to start up something as a business, to be business owners, to start up their own businesses and to make money from it but also to be financially independent and many them have had to employ one or two people as well and I think that gives greater joy, for us." VARIOUS OF TARA BEAUTY PRODUCTS ON DISPLAY
- Embargoed: 11th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA2TAJ45WAK4HQLCZSI4ZDQM8IC
- Story Text: What began as a hobby for a young entrepreneur 16 years ago has grown to become a makeup enterprise that is fast expanding in Nigeria and with plans to go regional.
House of Tara International develops a variety of makeup products designed for African skin and provides a home grown alternative to expensive imported brands with a price tag ranging between 2.5 to 36 US dollars.
"On my wedding day I looked lighter than I am, my face was lighter than my neck and it looked very funny, that's to me and that is because they don't have my shade. I have tried various products, blah blah, but trying Tara and seeing that the first time I actually heard, that was a few weeks ago, I heard it's because your skin has a red undertone, and I was like -- Oh, really, that's why makeup never suits me, but now it suits me," said Tomisi Ojo, a customer.
Tara Fela Durotoye started out making door to door sales and providing bridal makeup services.
She says she later realised that many of the products available in the market did not give her the perfect mix for her growing clientele and most didn't blend well with African skin tones.
A trained lawyer and certified makeup artist, Durotoye decided to create her own product line.
"We know so much about the US, we know so much about the British Kingdom, we know so much about the American civilization. How much does the world know about Africa? We have to find different ways that the world has to understand that Africa is not only about poor people who are... yes, because there is a lot of war, yes, there is a lot of poverty but also apart from that poverty, we need to have a fuller range... the stories need to cut across, and for us, what role is House Of Tara playing to build themselves, to build a global brand, yet still be African," said Durotoye.
Nigeria's 2013 GDP was rebased to replace South Africa as the continent's biggest economy.
The size of the middle class has also expanded, though it is still tiny, and with it consumption patterns have changed in favor of capital goods like cars and luxury goods like make up.
House of Tara also runs a makeup school where students can enroll in a two week training programme.
Over 1,500 students have graduated from the school so far and many have gone on to start their own businesses, while some have become beauty bloggers. A number also work for international cosmetic brands, which like many western companies are keen to invest in the oil rich frontier economy.
Tara's success story has been an inspiration to many young people.
"I love the way makeup transforms people after it's been done properly, so it's being in me to learn how to do that to people and make people feel happy after I have done a good job on them," said Oluwatomisi Oluwole, a student at the school.
Tara has 80 fulltime employees and over 3000 independent sales representatives across the country.
"For us it's the impact we are making that is most rewarding. The jobs... there are many people who are looking for jobs today and the beauty industry has given an opportunity for young people who are very excited about beauty, and you know Nigerians are very fashionable and love beauty. We have given many people the opportunity to start up something as a business, to be business owners, to start up their own businesses and to make money from it but also to be financially independent and many them have had to employ one or two people as well and I think that gives greater joy, for us," she says.
Durotoye made the Forbes' list of 20 Young Power Women in Africa, 2013 and was also nominated as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.
House of Tara International currently has 14 branches in the country and plans to expand to 32 branches by the end of 2014. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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