AMONG the top Make-Up Artists in Guyana, Romona Gajraj has a forte for bridal make-up. With just over a year in the makeup industry, Romona has matured as an artist, and has managed to fascinate women, especially brides, all across Guyana with her unique touches.

In such a short time-span, this beautiful personality, in her mid-twenties, discovered her profound appreciation for not just the art of make-up, but many other art-forms, especially photography.

Another creative outlet and passion of hers is dancing.

Romona had no intention of joining the make-up industry. As a teenager, she used to apply make-up for her dance performances, and had been practising to improve her makeup techniques thereafter. As she got better, she was encouraged by her close friends to pursue the art of make-up as a job; she said they believed in her abilities even when she didn’t.

“So, eventually, I decided to go for it; and as it turns out, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” said Gajraj in high spirits.

A Facebook page was then developed, titled “Makeup By Mona G”, in which she began displaying her work. Many who were impressed by her flawless work contacted her to apply their make-up.

After applying make-up for special events such as weddings and proms, Gajraj discovered her love for bridal make-up. “It’s my absolute favourite type of look to do, and I’ve had mostly bridal clients throughout the past year,” said a beaming Gajraj.

Gajraj feels that it is very rewarding, and is mostly a privilege to do a bride’s make-up. But aside from the bridal forte, plans are on the agenda for her to participate in exhibitions and trade shows to display her talent next year.

“My favourite thing about make-up would be the way it makes people feel. When a woman gets her make-up done, she looks and, more importantly, feels beautiful; and it boosts her self-esteem and makes her genuinely happy. When a woman feels beautiful and confident, she is invincible,” shared Gajraj.

Strangely enough, this make-up artist does not fetch make-up in her purse on a daily basis! She disclosed that she finds it a tad harassing to be “touching up” her make-up during the day. To avoid this, she usually takes all the necessary steps when applying hers as well as clients’ make-up, to ensure that it is extremely long-wearing.

She believes that her attention to detail is what sets her apart from other make-up artists, and she takes great pride in her work and can turn into quite the perfectionist when it comes to make-up. “Every brush stroke must be on point, and every eyebrow hair must be in place. I think my signature look would be something sophisticated yet pretty, flawless yet weightless, and subtle yet transforming,” acclaimed Gajraj.
Inspired by several make-up artists, like Jaclyn Hill and Mario Dedivanovic (Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist), Gajraj aims to one day have her own make-up and photography studio, since photography has found a way into her heart in aiding to show the world what she has to offer in the make-up arena.

She hopes to one day bring Guyana to the pinnacle of recognition in the make-up industry. And though her hopes and achievements are high, Romona has highlighted that she faces quite a challenge in acquiring the tools for her trade.

“The biggest challenge for me as a make-up artist would definitely be acquiring my make-up products and tools. Almost everything I use has to be bought online and shipped to Guyana. In addition to the already high cost of most make-up products, the added shipping costs are pretty steep, and can really leave a dent in one’s pocket,” she disclosed.

She nonetheless combats this challenge by ensuring the longevity of her brushes and sponges by cleaning and disinfecting them before using them on any client. While it is a tedious task, she notes, it is one of utmost importance, so it is never skipped.
Romona envisions, in the near future for the make-up industry in Guyana, more stores selling a multitude of quality make-up products at affordable prices.

“It would be wonderful if there could be an entire store (or stores) selling only make-up and beauty products, armed with knowledgeable and trained sales representatives to assist customers in finding products that are right for their needs,” she opined.

The quality of her work is imperative to the artist, and her brands of choice are not limited. Depending on the finish she requires, she utilizes a number of superior products. A rummage in her make-up kit would reveal that her favourite brands include Make-up Forever, Make-up Geek, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Smashbox, MAC, L’Oreal and Urban Decay.

As any excellent make-up artist would, Romona has noticed the common beauty mistakes women in Guyana may often make. Neglecting your skincare, she says, is regularly done, but it is the most important step in a beauty routine; because if you don’t start with a good base, nothing you put on top of it would look flattering.

She also mentions choosing the wrong shade of powder or foundation, leaving eyeshadow unblended, forgetting mascara, not using a lip-liner, and failing to remove all of your makeup before bedtime.

Romona advises women to never be afraid to experiment and try new things, as one may never know what they may end up liking.

“The most valuable piece of beauty advice I can give women would be to do what makes you feel beautiful. That’s the ultimate goal: to feel good about yourself”, she said.

It is not often one encounters a witty and charming entrepreneur like Gajraj, who is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in the field of Development Studies, and intends to have a career in the local public sector one day, to help to further develop this beautiful country of ours.

With a dash of smile, she noted that she would definitely continue contributing to the make-up industry.

By Shivanie Sugrim and Raveena Mangal