Sandra Afi Tshibaka, popularly known as Polkadot, has opened up about the challenges she faced while building her career in the makeup and beauty industry.
Polkadot, the CEO and founder of Polkadot Beauty Lounge, said her passion for makeup began at a very young age, although she never initially imagined it would become a career.
According to her, she would experiment with makeup as a child and later became the go-to person among friends whenever they needed help with eyeliner, foundation or eyeshadow.
“I think since I was 4-5 years old, I used to apply black liner on my lips and draw black liner on my eyes to make them pop,” she recalled.
After completing her education, Polkadot said difficulties in securing a suitable job pushed her to consider makeup more seriously.
With an educational background in accounting and information systems, she decided to undergo professional training to improve her makeup artistry skills and eventually pursue the industry.
However, she revealed that the early years of her career were financially challenging because she was relatively unknown and had to take on several free jobs to build her portfolio and reputation.
“For the first two years to three years, I can boldly say I wasn’t making any money; rather, I was spending,” she said.
Despite the financial difficulties, Polkadot remained committed to developing her skills and establishing herself within the competitive beauty industry.
With almost a decade of experience, she has since grown from doing makeup for friends to running Polkadot Beauty Lounge as a beauty entrepreneur.
She also emphasised the importance of understanding clients before selecting cosmetic products for them.
According to her, makeup artists must consider factors such as a client’s skin type, allergies and preferred makeup style before beginning an application.
She noted that clients have different skin types and reactions to products, making it important for makeup artists to understand their individual needs.
Polkadot further identified the transition from makeup artistry to beauty entrepreneurship as one of the major challenges facing professionals in the industry.
She argued that many makeup artists focus on their craft without paying enough attention to the business side, including accounting, costs, profits, team building and overall business growth.
To help address this challenge, she said her team is developing a makeup programme dubbed “Battles of the Brushes,” which will combine makeup artistry with entrepreneurial education.
The initiative, she explained, is intended to equip aspiring makeup artists with the business knowledge needed to become the next generation of beauty entrepreneurs in Africa.
Polkadot also encouraged young people interested in makeup to educate themselves, develop their skills and remain mentally and emotionally prepared for rejection.
She stressed the importance of authenticity, arguing that aspiring makeup artists need to develop a unique signature that distinguishes their work from others.
“Find that unique touch and stick to it,” she advised.
For Polkadot, the journey from experimenting with makeup as a child to building a beauty business demonstrates how passion, persistence and continuous learning can turn an interest into a career.
