Moving away from the label, ‘ex-pageantry candidate,’ professional make-up artist Renee Chester-Thompson is working diligently to make a name for herself as a successful and strong entrepreneur.
Renee first attended South Ruimveldt Primary then graduated from School of the Nations. Her range of activities covers dancing, poetry, drama, track and field events, basketball, singing, playing the drums for church, modelling, debating, gardening, photography and painting.
She is an artistic and ambitious individual who is very proud of her achievements in poetry – her first love. She was awarded the second place winner for the AGWA prize for literature in 2003. She so far has four unpublished books of poems.
With a deep love for the arts, Renee accidentally stumbled upon an interest that quickly became her passion.
“Make-up found me. I didn’t plan on doing this as a career. I am now an authorized dealer for Black Opal beauty products. A make-up artist had used it on me and I fell in love with it because of how flawless it made me look. I wanted to know more about the brand because it was difficult to find them in Guyana. I met a Barbadian Hollywood make-up artist – also a product manager for the Black Opal brand in various countries – who taught me about skin care and how I can use the brand to get the look I want. I started her classes and came out as a top achiever. I really got interested in make-up and, after lengthy studies, I returned to Guyana to share what I know with others,” Renee, now a professional and certified make-up artist, recalled in an interview with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine.
When she returned to Guyana, Renee knew she wanted to start her own business. As founder of Bromeliad, located at 28 Queen Street, Kitty, Renee works with a packed schedule daily. Her clientele include professionals, brides, models and the average woman; all who want to look flawless.
The make-up artist pointed out that it irks her when people want to keep her in the limelight of her pageantry days. She stated that she is somewhat still into pageantry but behind the scenes as a make-up artist, and is now focused on promoting herself as a business professional.
“I did enjoy my days in pageantry but I am now looking to the future working with Black Opal which I have been an authorized dealer for some time. Now my work includes working with people who want to enhance their beauty. I love doing bridal work. I also like working with rhinestones but not many persons are open to wearing it, except if they have a special event that requires it. I keep researching and looking at ways to develop my work. I get inspiration from top international fashion magazines and developing my styles to that quality,” she mentioned.
The feedback, she said, is overwhelming, and such a response motivates her to continue her work and keep developing herself. Her clients always commend her work for her flawless techniques and have stayed faithful to her since she began her make-up business.
“Seeing my clients coming back to me regularly has reiterated to me that what I’m doing is quality work and is on par with international standards. I’m now focused on getting my work out there. I hope to start working with pageant candidates, firstly with Guyana and then branch out to other countries. I want to capture their beauty with my techniques and then work my way up to reach the Vogue magazine level,” she noted.
Eager to share her knowledge with others, Renee opened her make-up artistry school, Bromeliad, to train persons who share her passion to offer quality services in make-up. She disclosed that she is very strict with training her students on the correct techniques of make-up, especially on hygiene. Renee said if hygiene is lacking then this can cause serious irritations and skin allergies. Thankfully, Renee has never had such an experience with clients and continues to abide to rules of austere hygiene and sanitation.
“Hygiene is on the top of my list. Also proper skin care is important. Cleanse, tone and moisturize should be done in order to care for your skin. I work closely with skin care professionals to whom I refer people. My aim is to help people care for their skin and so if I see there’s something seriously wrong with your skin I won’t recommend you to cover it up with thick make-up just to sell my products. I’m seriously bent on providing quality service and will do so always,” she declared.
Next year, Renee plans to further her studies in make-up overseas so that she can achieve her goal of one day becoming an internationally renowned make-up artist.
For more information on Renee’s work, visit BROMELIAD.rnc on Facebook. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
