WHEN make-up artist and hair stylist Jackie Mgido was growing up, she was not comfortable in her own skin and dark complexion.
NONHLANHLA SIBANDA OWN CORRESPONDENT
Mgido and a friend would wear heavy make-up to change their looks although her parents forbade her saying it was an unnecessary distraction from her educational pursuits.
“My parents were the typical African parents and art was out of the question,” Mgido said.
“I remember my mum was mortified to see my friend and l trying to make ourselves look lighter and have pointy noses because we did not like our dark complexions. This is how I discovered that make-up could make you love yourself,” she said.
Now an internationally acclaimed make-up artist and hairstylist with a wide range of experience working with Hollywood celebrities, Mgido said she now wanted to change the face of Africa and put Zimbabwean artists on the map through her popularity and talent by teaching about beauty make-up and special effects.
“I see myself changing the face of Africa and really putting our talented Zimbabwean artists on the map through popularity of my talent in teaching about beauty make-up and special effects. The make-up is designed to teach anyone to become a make-up artist and create jobs and for them to have a career.”
Born in Harare on November 10 1973, Mgido has six sisters and two brothers. She did primary school in Bulawayo and secondary at Evelyn High School in the city.
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The 41-year-old is married and has a seven-year-old daughter. She moved to Hollywood, California, US, in 1995 with faith that she would achieve her goal of being a make-up artist.
It was, however, not that easy and she resorted to have several odd jobs, including as a maid and waitress, to raise enough money to enroll in cosmetology school.
She enrolled in a prestigious make-up school in Hollywood and did a master’s programme in beauty and special effects.
After graduating, she continued to sharpen her skills as a make-up and hairstylist and began to land some of Hollywood’s elite as her clients.
Her professionalism saw her working with celebrities such as Jane Lynch, Sylvester Stallone, Neo, Maya, Snoop Dog, Cuba Gooding Junior, Rena Russo, Johnny Gill, Russell Brand, Wiz Kalifa, Far East Movement and Randy Jackson, among others.
She is now the proud owner and creator of Vault Cosmetics and Vault Academy Make-up School in Harare.
Mgido will be in Bulawayo to launch cosmetic products Vault at clothing store Truworths on January 31 where former Big Brother Africa: The Chase housemate Dillish Matthews from Namibia would be in attendance.
Matthews has her line of lipstick and lip gloss in the Vault cosmetics range.
