By Akola Thompson

FROM CHILDHOOD, in the small village of Matthew’s Ridge, Region one Vincent Shelto dreamed of becoming a makeup artist (MUA), as his admiration for the profession was great.Now 21 years old and living in Georgetown, Vincent stated that it was not until he entered his 20th year did he begin to experiment with makeup on his family and friends.

Before long, Vincent was a part of the competitive world of young make up artists with a desire to both solidify his own dreams and to make persons “look and feel beautiful both inside and out.”

Vincent has since received tremendous positive feedback regarding his work from followers, friends and clients alike. Despite the lure of make-up artistry he said, the business could often be a taxing and economically disappointing one, as he knows of many skilled artist who struggle to secure a well paying job and many who are often challenged with having to acquire a large amount of funds to start up their small-scale makeup business.

He opined that both the public and private sectors could do more as it relates to business startups to assists individuals aspiring to entrepreneurship.

New MUA’s he said often make the mistake of diving too quickly, in that they are often not very familiar with the quality of varying products and so, they tend to learn by trial and error. Additionally, beginners tend to break under the criticism they receive from society and individuals who are considered as professional MUAs.

He advised those new to the business to do in depth research as it relates to products they use and to try to not be influenced by the criticisms of others and to have confidence in their abilities.

Vincent related that as an MUA who has been continuously criticized, he believes it is important for one to have ‘thick skin.’
“There is a lot of stigma attached to being a male MUA, so while I do get a lot of positive feedback from satisfied clients and impressed onlookers, I also receive a lot of negative feedback due to the fact that I choose to wear makeup and that has been one of the major challenges I have had to deal with.”

A quick glance at Vincent’s Facebook page, which has more than 6,000 followers, would reveal high praises relating to his work and distasteful comments relating to him and his love of wearing makeup.

Instead of harboring the negativity and being burdened by it, Vincent said, he chose to use it as a stepping-stone to not only better himself, but also his profession, as both the negative and positive remarks have opened new doors filled with opportunities for him.

“My followers are always excited to see what’s coming next and I try to continuously market my work whether or not it is worn by me. Fitting in with the crowd may be best at times but it isn’t always what’s best. It is okay to be unique, to be you.”

Many Guyanese, he said, possess a “stagnant way of thinking- which prevents us all from embracing changes.” Individuals, he believes, can be sensitized as it relates to the fact that changing societies have caused ‘gender roles’ to become “obsolete.” Through the help of workshops aimed at educating persons on the changing norms and expectations of today’s society he hopes that one day a man can wear makeup and not have a significant part of society try to ridicule and denounce him for it.

“Labor ministries can also do more as it relates to training workers to handle sensitive issues such as assuming roles and career choices based on gender. Everyone can be the person they dream to be and work diligently towards that while leaving gender behind.”