Makeup is such a cutthroat industry, I stumbled upon a number of makeup studios as I climbed up the stairs of King’s Gate Mall, located on Muyenga Road. Just a handful of these overzealous beauty entrepreneurs turn into success stories. One notable success story is Saida Abdallah of Saida Beauty. The Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards winning makeup artist became every beauty entrepreneurs’ envy after she landed Zari as her client after only a few months in the business.
The Hijabista has since grown into a household star in the industry attracting every celebrity client you know. I had a chat with her on whether the ‘Saida Beauty’ brand is an overnight success and how she’s managed to make it happen.
How did you get into this beauty business?
I guess it was passion from day one. I am an IT specialist by training, but whenever we’d have weddings at home, I’d ask my siblings, why they weren’t wearing any eyeliner. I’d then offer to do their makeup, tiny tiny things like that. My big sisters kept telling me, “Saida, why don’t you do makeup as a career?” I was scared, I didn’t know how it would turn out, I was scared of the reception but they kept pushing me. So one day I just woke up, quit my job and started out.
Woow! That was pretty brave. What were you doing?
I was working at Riham, doing data entry. I was earning 400 thousand, you know, a desk job.
So, are you do this full time?
Yes, I do it full time.
This is very creative industry. How did you turn that passion into a skill?
I used to watch a lot of You Tube videos, and then go and do this, try that. I also travelled to Tanzania for a month, and picked up a little inspiration from there. I then opened up my page on Instagram, and asked my sister, “what should I call this?”
“Of course Saida Beauty! Use your name,” she advised. So I’d post my pictures all the time, and people would say, “Oh she’s light skinned. Does she know how to work on dark skin?” So it was a bit of a challenge but then, we are here now – 2 years later.
Starting out is usually hard, how easy or hard was it for you to start?
It was hard, but one thing I’ve learnt – I was so scared of doing it but when you’re scared, that’s when you should go all in and do it. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, because I was so scared, I didn’t know if I could make it. But in one year, I was up and running, the second year they gave me my award (points to ASFAS award on her wall), so I know if something scares you, just go ahead and do it.
Does the increasing number of Makeup Artists scare you a bit, how do you deal with the competition, especially on this building?
It actually doesn’t intimidate me, I believe there’s enough room for all of us, and we are all unique in our own way. When you go somewhere someone can look at you and know you have been to Saida, know if you’ve been to Mona or anywhere else. There are all different skills, so there’s room for us all.
Has the business journey been smooth throughout? Any challenges?
There have been a few challenges but I have to say I’m thankful, for where I am now.
Who’s is your favourite face to work on?
Ah, that’s a complicated question, I have so many clients whose faces I enjoy working on. Everyone is different, with unique features but of course there are some faces I like working on. People like Bettinah, Zari, those are faces I’m used to doing.
Thank you for bringing Zari up, How did you convince her to work with you?
In 2017 during my first few weeks in the business, Access Films (Harunah Ssebagala – Zari’s official photographer) was shooting my sister’s wedding and I struck up a conversation with him. I said it as a joke, I was like, “I’d love to work on Zari, if there’s any chance, even for free.” Honestly I was just trying, I didn’t even think there was any possibility for it to happen.
He was like “Oh sis, Zari does her own makeup when she comes to Uganda.” Obviously I just brushed it off and moved on.
Very many months later, I was seated at home, so sick (at the time I was doing my work mobile), then I receive a call from Harunah who asked. “Hey sis how are you?” I told him I was down with the flu. “Do you have your makeup kit with you? Zari needs you now at her house.” Oh my God… somehow the flu vanished for a minute, I organised myself, grabbed a boda boda and off I went to Munyonyo to Zari’s house. I did her makeup and she loved it. That was it.
What has been your experience working with her?
Rewarding! She’s a great client with so much loyalty.
What has been your most memorable moment in the business so far ?
Miss Uganda 2018 I literally broke the internet. The look I gave Zari that day was a real breakthrough for me. I had been working with her for a while, but the reviews I got from that event were and still are overwhelming. I had also done her makeup during her media tour that whole week. It is then that people started asking about me, reaching out and following on social media. When she came back and called me for miss Uganda, that was it for me.
Then there is a photo shoot I did for international Women’s day, the picture of Bettina and Natasha Sinayobye was a big thing for me too. It trended all over the world! It made dark skinned women feel more comfortable to work with me. Also the 2018 ASFA’s, when I got the award, that’s when people got to see the face behind the ‘Saida Beauty’ brand. Before that, I preferred to hide behind my work.
Have you had any unforgettable nasty client experiences you can’t help sharing?
Ahhh which one can I tell you because they are many (pauses). There’re clients that don’t pay. You know you can create a relationship with your clients, you make them comfortable but still someone won’t open up to tell you they’re out of cash or something. They’ll come and do makeup then go like “oh I’ll send you mobile money” and then they take you around like they’re sending now, they say they’ve sent then pretend it has gone to the wrong number. Such funny excuses. I’ve met many of those.
Another time some two girls came here, I did their makeup, and then after that, they handed me 50 thousand (each). I told them “hey I charge 100 thousand,” they tried to pretend like we had negotiated a different price over the phone. They later offered to pay up the balance via mobile money something they obviously didn’t do.
The thing is I love my job, and I give it my all; I don’t like a client sitting down on that chair and leave when they aren’t content with my service. So, when someone doesn’t pay I really feel cheated.
Let’s talk products, what are your favourite brands?
I love Fenty Beauty and Huda Beauty. But those are high end products, I use them on brides. I use drugstore brands on clients that do ‘walk ins’. This is because they are more affordable. Yes, they are just as effective. My favourite drugstore brand is L’Oreal. It works perfectly on the dark melanin rich skin. I charge 100 thousand for ‘walk ins’.
What is your definition of beauty?
I believe everyone is beautiful in their own way, us makeup artists we just enhance your beauty. According to me, confidence is beauty.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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