Enhancing women’s looks with hair extensions, make-up

While it is perfectly normal to be satisfied with one’s natural looks, the majority of women, myself included love to enhance their beauty. From the hair, face and nails, these are some of the major things that modern women are dedicating their time and resources on, to look more beautiful and also to stand out.

Of late the demand to look good and stand out has increased a dozen-fold. This is due to, among other things, exposure, Internet, social media and general advancement in the realisation that looking good is important especially for women.

Cecilia Magaleta, 26, is a self-taught beautician who plies her trade in Mpemba, Blantyre, where she operates her saloon Cee Looks but travels nationwide according to her clientelle’s demands.

“Cee Looks is a place where we take care of a woman’s every beauty need from hair to foot treatment, popularly known as pedicures. We also offer make-up for special occasions such as weddings, engagements, and graduations,” she said.

Magaleta said with the way the world is changing these days, the need to have special looks through make-up and hair treats are a must.

“Almost all women I know now need make-up services every now and then. And of course every woman’s hair is her crown and that is how I came up with my locally made hair pieces which when added to a woman’s real hair, bringsout the beauty in her.

“I started creating hair pieces for myself and when others demanded the same, I started selling them. My hair pieces are just added to women’s natural hair and that brings out their natural beauty,” she said.

Magaleta said many Malawian women do not believe that in Malawi, beauticians can come up with such products locally.

“The belief is that anything that stands out comes from outside, but I create my pieces right here in Malawi,” she said.

On make-up, Magaleta says many women make the mistake of thinking too much make-up is equal to being beautiful.

“Actually make-up is good yes, but not means we should be looking ‘fake’ everyday. Let us learn to take care of our skin and use the right products to have a healthy skin,” she said.

Magaleta said women who love make-up should make sure that they use safe products as some can be harmful.

“Women who love make-up are basically from middle class and high class,” she said.

One of Magaleta’s clients Alinafe Maloya, who hired her services during her wedding said make-up is important to every woman, especially during important occasions.

“I had my make-up and hair done by Cecilia during my wedding in September 2021. To be honest, she is a good beautician who can do her job very well,” she said.

Magaleta said currently beauticians are getting busier and busier because the need for their services is growing every day.

Reacting to concerns that sometimes make-up artists ‘change’ a person’s original look, Magaleta had this to say: “Less is more. I always go by what my clients want and sometimes I also advise them on what will best suit them. Make-up is meant to enhance a person’s looks and not to change them.”

Magaleta, who is also a graduate of Luanar, said the art of applying make-up and enhancing women’s looks is a global trend which Malawi cannot run away from.

On her part, another make-up enthusiast Rachel Kaliyeka who loves nail treatments, said women are embracing beauty enhancement treats, but sometimes make-up artists disappoint them.

“For example, sometimes these make-up artists do not advise us properly and we end up looking like a clowns. Nails must look smart and neat but at times you find a woman with nails looking like a witch,” she said.

Kaliyeka also weighed in on heavy make-up saying beauticians should contol their clients.

“On social media we see mocking comments because at times I think make-up artists do too much to make clients happy without telling them the truth that less is more,” she said.

On the topic, Magaleta agrees with Kaliyeka that indeed less is more.

Magaleta, who started her beauty business in 2015, plans to expand it and tend to other women’s needs beyond, make-up, nails and hair.