Let’s
take a trip down memory lane, not too far back; the time period of discussion
is 2020. There was a worldwide outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020, a pandemic
that brought most of the world to its knees and changed the course of events we
considered normal. One that hastened digitalization like no coup or government
could attempt to. Its effects still linger, like the bitter taste after eating
pineapple. A trying period for families, schools, higher institutions, and
businesses. How did you spend the year 2020? Where were you, and how did the
pandemic affect where you were headed?

2020
for me was a blur; not that I don’t have a recollection of the events that took
place then, but that a lot happened, consecutively, so fast that I could hardly
keep up. For starters, I was in a higher institution, and we started that
particular semester like all others, with very few lecturers coming to class
the first few weeks. By the first month of school, whispers were already
circulating about the deadly Coronavirus, with alarming news about it on social
media. It still felt unreal to me at that time. I was busy with tests and
preparation for exams. I was also optimistic that the pandemic would just
lightly brush through Nigeria like Ebola did. Not until sometime in April 2020,
when the first lockdown was announced by the government and all higher
education institutions were mandated to close. Unilorin, being Unilorin, took
hasty measures and quickly fixed exams, after which all students were dismissed
and the school supposedly closed for just 2 weeks. With false hope and no
knowledge of the future, I packed light, leaving most of my belongings and food
in the hostel, and traveled home.

That
was exactly when everything started getting twisted: the lockdown got extended,
cases became rampant in the country, and ASUU decided to go on strike. In
short, it looked like I was going to stay home for a long time like every other
Nigerian student, so came the epiphany that we had to acquire some skills. The
world was definitely going to suffer from the aftermath of the pandemic, and
everyone needed to be equipped if we were to survive a grieving and healing
world. I delved into everything head-first; I took a safety course and
registered for several Coursera courses. I had friends who started to learn how
to bake and do makeup on YouTube. This is not supposed to be depressing;
forgive me, I got carried away.

Anyway,
come closer; I am here to share a lucrative venture you can start. " all
those friends I told you about who ventured into makeup after watching videos
on YouTube put in more effort and time and are now making big money. One of
them even gets booked by prominent people and gets to travel to different parts
of Nigeria, all expenses paid by air, for makeup sessions. Chai, if I knew then
what I know now, at least the money I spend to get makeup done for occasions
will be saved. I am not a party person; I attend only the occasions I must and
get makeup done for only 1 out of every 3 occasions I attend. I recently moved
from the north to the west here, and I must say there’s no tribe that throws a
party quite like the Yorubas. There is an Owambe every weekend, and I know a
couple of ladies that are regulars at Owambes. So, for my Owambe ladies, read
on for tips on how to save some of that money you spend on makeup every
weekend.

Say
what you will, but makeup is an art; it expresses creativity and is a means to
polish your look. It can even be therapeutic. People are different, and there
are some who dislike makeup on themselves, on others, or even both. Those
people are few, though. I believe that no matter your aversion to makeup, you
must at least come across a look on someone that will make you admire and
appreciate makeup.

<b>Products
and tools needed for makeup</b>

Like anything you might
want to venture into in life, you need to be prepared. For makeup, you need
certain products and tools, which I will list below, explaining their functions
in an easy way.

1)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Face primer: there is a face primer for you, regardless of
your skin type. It is used to smoothen the skin and keep makeup fresh all day.

2)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Foundation: this can be a tricky product to get as a lot of
consideration is needed to get the right shade, tone, and coverage required. As
the name implies, it is used as a base on which all other products will be
applied.

3)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Concealer: this is a must-have for anyone with any form of
discoloration, acne, or dark circles. It comes in either full coverage or sheer
coverage, and your choice should be based on how much you are aiming to
conceal.

4)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Blush can be used by everyone, regardless of skin tone. It
is used to achieve that natural flush, so choose the color wisely, making sure
it is not too bright and just right for your complexion.

5)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Highlighter comes in different forms. It is used to
accentuate the bone structure of your face by attracting light to give it that
innate glow.

6)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bronzer: this gives the face a healthy look by adding
warmth and dimension to the face.

7)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Setting spray or powder performs a similar function as the
primer, keeping your makeup in place.

8)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Eyeshadow: this is applied on the eyelid and is used to attract
attention to the eyes. It comes in single colors or in pallets.

9)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mascara is used to enhance both the upper and lower
eyelashes by thickening, lengthening, and/or darkening them.

10)&nbsp;&nbsp; Eyeliner is usually applied around the contours of the eyes
and is used to define the eyes.

11)&nbsp;&nbsp; Eyebrow pencil or gel is used to make the brows look
thicker or style the brows in a visually pleasing manner.

12)&nbsp;&nbsp; Lip gloss is used to give the lips a shiny, lustrous
finish. It can be colored.

13)&nbsp;&nbsp; Lipstick is often made of wax and oil. It is used to give
the lips color and texture.

14)&nbsp;&nbsp; Brushes: There are different brushes you need to apply your
makeup. There is the face brush, blush brush, highlighter brush, powder brush,
eyeshadow brush, beauty blender, and powder puff.

15)&nbsp;&nbsp; Makeup case: this is simple in any form you want and is
used to store your makeup items.

Step one: moisturize
your face. This is a compulsory step in makeup that cannot be overlooked, as it
helps to protect the face. Stay hydrated by using a suitable moisturizer and
sunscreen during the day.

Step two: apply your
face primer. This is important as it helps to keep your makeup even and in
place, especially on warm days. To be applied sparsely, either directly on the
face or using the fingertips.

Step three: apply your
foundation with your finger, a makeup sponge, or a foundation brush, depending
on the type of foundation you are using.

Step four is to conceal
where you need to. Just like foundation, you can apply it using your tool of
choice, but unlike foundation, a little concealer goes a long way.

Step five: after all the
matting on the face, you can color your face using the bronzer. Using your
bronzer brush, tap off the excess and apply it to your forehead, then sweep
under your cheekbones and continue towards the hairline, then downwards to the
aw.

Step six: use the blush
on the apples of your cheeks before highlighting wherever you would like
attention to be on your face. The cheekbones and clavicles are the high points
of the face.

Step seven, eyeshadow,
comes next in any color of your choice. If you want to layer, then the shade
closest to your skin tone should act as a base.

Step eight: Next, you
define your eyes with eyeliner and use mascara to accentuate your eyelashes. At
this point, you can swipe on your false lashes if you wish to add that to your
look.

Step nine: now to the
lips. Apply lip liner to contour your lips, or if you choose, use lipstick only
or a lip gloss. Using a lip liner together with the lipstick will make the
lipstick last longer and look more in place.

Step ten: Apply your
setting powder or spray to keep all your hard work looking the same and
flawless all day.

Now you have the
blueprint for doing makeup step by step. The important thing in makeup is to
visualize how you want to look and use only the products you need to achieve
that look. The steps listed above are basic steps to give you a beginner-level
full makeup look. For more support, use the visual aid of videos and practice.
So off you go, look your best, slay so well that you leave your mark at every
owambe.

Discover a fantastic blueprint for self-makeup or a guide to a career as a makeup artist in just 10 steps along with all the products you need to achieve this

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