Most people are already have their favorite make-up brands – Mac, Fenty Beauty, Zara and so on. What those people might not know is that they are some homegrown Nigerian make-up brands that make top notch stuff that are just as good, if not better than those brands. (Yes, I said it).
Besides, shouldn’t we all be proud that some people in this country are crazy enough to invest in building up indigenous make-up brands to compete with the already established Western ones? I’d say yes to that, even if the products don’t tap like that.
That said, here is a list of some of them, if you’d like to check them out:
- Nuban Beauty: Created by Stella Ndekile, a Lagos-based Medical Laboratory Scientist and part-time makeup artist and celebrity makeup artist Jane Ogu from Flawless Faces by Jane, Nuban Beauty was launched in May 2017. The brand is centered around affordability and the products are created with the African woman’s skin in mind. According to Stella, Nuban Beauty was born from my great passion for makeup & beauty and the need to provide high quality makeup products with international standard for the African makeup lovers.
- Zaron: You might know this one because the brand has been around since 2011 when it first started selling cosmetics and hair products. Originally conceived in Leeds, UK by founder and CEO Oke Maduewesi, It is arguably Nigeria’s most global makeup brand, if there is any such thing. Today, Zaron products are sold via over 1,000 distributors through franchises established in over 30 different locations both in Nigeria and across Africa.
- Kuddy Cosmetics: Kuddy is arguably the oldest cosmetics trading company in Nigeria – the OG plug. Starting off in 1986 as a small shop in the middle of Lagos Island where Kudirat Fashola, a retired oil executive, would sell cosmetic products she bought on trips to Macy’s in New York, USA, Kuddy Cosmetics now has locations all over the country. The brand also offers a wide range of products and is also the largest distributor of the Blk Opl (formerly Black Opal) brand in Nigeria.
- House of Tara: Originally started as Tara Durotoye’s pet project as an undergraduate, House of Tara first cut its teeth as a pioneer in the bridal makeup space. After launching the first bridal directory in Nigeria in 1999, Tara opened her first makeup studio and Nigeria’s first make up school. As at 2014, House of Tara already had 16 stores across the country and is easily one of the most popular Nigerian makeup brands.
All these brands represent the passion and innovation of unique Nigerians changing the narrative around entrepreneurship and the beauty industry. They may not be the biggest brands you’ve ever heard of, but they are 100% Nigerian and that we are proud of. Let me know what other Nigerian cosmetic brands you know (and I don’t) in the comments below or drop a mention on social!
