THE NAME Eryca Freemantle may not ring a bell this side of the Atlantic, but in beauty circles abroad, it sure does, as she’s one of the most sought-after make-up artists in the United Kingdom and further afield.

Eryca Freemantle

Now she has her sights firmly set on Nigeria, where she hopes to bring her vast experience and knowledge to bear on the nation’s beauty as well as its movie industry.

Said Eryca, who was in Lagos recently: I am the only make-up artist in the UK who has an accredited and certified make-up training centre. I want to take the [Nollywood] movie industry to the next level. My mission is not only to revolutionalise the beauty industry in Nigeria, but more importantly, to train make-up artists at a superior level for Nollywood.

The CEO of Fact and Facts, a cosmetology school she founded in London back in 2003, Eryca said each time she watches Nollywood films, she has this unexplained urge to improve the industry.

Whenever I am privileged to watch Nollywood movies, I feel that my skill is needed to boost the industry. The finishing of the films in terms of costuming is not all that fantastic; Im here to bring my skill and experience to bear in Nollywood and the make-up industry at large, she explained.

A former model, Eryca, whos also an industry intelligence consultant, was recently appointed by the multinational firm, Sleek Make-up International, as its official make-up specialist and consultant for the UK, Nigeria, South Africa and East African territories.

A major car accident more than 25 years ago left Eryca, now 45, with hair loss, visible scarring to the right side of her face and a near amputated leg left. Accepting she could no longer pursue a career in modeling, she decided to become a make-up artist instead, and learnt about corrective make-up techniques and applications to camouflage facial blemishes and scarring.

She has since taught make-up artistry for over 20 years, and her extensive make-up portfolio of advertorial, editorial and exhibition work has been featured in a variety of publications, including British Vogue, Elle, Essence, The Face, I-D, Best magazine, Ms London and numerous other fashion magazines.

The creator of innovative make-up artistry that has seen her continually being commissioned by the BBC, ITV, Toni & Guy, Wella, Island Records, EMI and Kodak, Eryca’s work also includes feature films, catwalk shows, photographic shoots for fashion spreads, TV commercials, music videos and most genres within the media spectrum.

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