Do you know that any services specifically made for ladies sell more? Makeup business is one of the feminine-related businesses that thrive in Nigeria and around the world.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of setting up a makeup business in Nigeria. I will also outline the necessary equipment you need to put in place to get started and the cost of equipment.
Today, the beauty industry is thriving because every lady wants to look good and exceptionally unique in their artistry look. They want to look gorgeous and keep head-turning.
One of the ways of tantalizing their look is through makeup, so how exactly can you set up this business and start getting customers?
Things to consider:
- Business registration
- Makeup tools
- Location of shop
- Marketing strategy
- Association registration
- Follow the trend
Let’s put this straight…
You can start a makeup business with as low as N50,000 while you operate remotely. However, this guide is for someone who wants to set up a professional and standard makeup business.
In our earlier guide, we shared a guide on how to set up a barbing salon in Nigeria. Before we get our hands on the makeup tools you need to get this done, below are some of the things you need to consider:
Business registration
Someone who starting off as a makeup artist to gain some financial freedom may go on with her business with registration.
But for someone who wants to win big contracts needs to register as a legal entity with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigeria’s agency is saddled with the responsibility of registering businesses.
Gone are the days when you need the services of an agent or lawyer to get this done, today, you handle the registration of your makeup business at the comfort of your home.
Head straight to the CAC portal, set up an account, and begin your registration, within a month (depending on the number of applications on CAC table), your digital certificate should be ready. Less than N20,000 will get this done.
If you are afraid of messing things up, you commission an expert to handle the registration for you. Less than N30, 000 will be enough if your registration falls under an enterprise.
Make-up Tools
You need tools to work. Makeup artistry is beyond adding just powder and eye pencil. It has gone beyond that.
When buying your tools and makeup accessories, it is very important to go avoid adulterated products.
Using any products that continually affect the skin of your customer can keep them away. You don’t want to continue to lose customers.
The satisfaction of one customer could bring in more customers for you. This is very important.
Location
From our market research, the makeup businesses thrive better in an area dominated by young female folks.
Not just that, if you want to have a continuous flow of customers, sitting at your shop at a nearby campus will be an added advantage.
The location of your business determines the cost of your rent, in areas like Lekki, Ikeja GRA, Ikoyi, you could pay as much N500,000 and above as shop rent.
In contrast, in some areas in Osogbo, Osun State capital, you could find get N30,000/per year shop. So, your location goes a long way.
Setback:
The setback of renting a shop near poly or university campus is that your business will also be affected high institutions goes on strike.
However, makeup is one of the businesses that allow to be mobile and to operate from anywhere with your makeup box.
Marketing:
Social media has simplified marketing. Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Twitter come in handy in promoting your makeups to get more clients.
There are hundreds of makeup artists in Nigeria and around the world who only depend on social media marketing, you too can leverage on the power of social media.
Effectively use YouTube, TikTok to upload video clips of your makeup section, video marketing is next deal for business promotion.
Search engine loves video, use it.
You could organise a makeup workshop in your locality at a giveup price, most times, attendees of an event become your unofficial marketer, they bring in more clients for you.
Target Market
- Female folks
- Female students
- Female artiste
- Event attendees
Equipment for makeup business
- Shades of lipsticks
- Bronzers
- Eye shadow palettes
- Brush Set
- Powder palettes
- Eyeshadow primer
- Blush
- Concealer palette
- Make up box trolley
- Contour palette
- Lip Brush
- Blush Brush
- Eye Shadow Brush
- Stippling Brush
- Kabuki Brush
- Eye Shadow Crease Brush
- Powder Brush
- Tapered Foundation Brush
- Contour Brush
- Silicone Blender
- Brow Brush
- Angled Eye Shadow Brush
- Fan Brush
- Eyeliner Brush
- Lip Liner Brush
- Beauty Blender
- Set of Lashes
- Foldable Makeup Chair
- Lash glue
- Face wipes
- Mascara
- Towel
- Lip Pencils
- Foundation
- Concealer
- Lip gloss
- Lip stick
- Eye shadow
- Mascara
- Glitters /Pigments
- Setting powder
- Eye pencils
- Setting spray
- Makeup Bag
- Cape
- Mascara wand
- Ring Light
- Wall hung wash hand basin
What are they used for?
Make-up box trolley: To keep your accessories neat and in one compartment, you need a trolley makeup box to protect your products and keep them safe from spilling, leaking or damage.
Mascara: At a time, mascara was the most popular makeup tool you can find in the bag of a fashionable lady, it seems the invention of natural eyelashes is eroding its dominance in the artistry world.
Mascara makes the lashes look great as sexy.
Mascara Wand: Also called spoolie, it is used to apply mascara to your upper and lower lash lines.
Stippling Brush: Have you seen a well made up lady with that flawless and airbrushed look, stippling brush in used to achieve this
Lip Brush: This is used to add lip liner after the main gloss application.
Blush Brush: To achieve a fresh-faced and youthful rosiness, this where the usefulness of the blush brush comes in handy
Lash glue: For holding the eye lashes
Tapered Foundation Brush: This brush is usually flat and with a gentle taper. It is best used for liquid foundation and other liquid products.
Contour Brush: This brush is used to achieve defined cheekbones and facial structure.
Eyeliner Brush: Do you want to achieve a fuller lash line? Do have an eyeliner brush in your makeup box.
Face wipes: this used for wiping off dirt and makeup
Eye Shadow Crease Brush: This is one of the most popular brushes you can find in the makeup box which is used to create the illusion of depth and adding dramatic contrast to your base lid color.
Powder Brush: It is used to gently dust loose powder products across the face.
Cape: This is used to cover the client’s body when working on your client
Ring Light: Do you want your client’s face to have that photographic beauty? You need ring light for that purpose.
Foldable Makeup Chair: This most important when you are working outdoor or you win a contract as a makeup artist for a movie shoot.
Eye Shadow Brush: This used to apply swaths of general color to your client’s eyelids which makes her look prettier
Angled Eye Shadow Brush: For contouring eye makeup.
Fan Brush: In case, a slight makeup mistake is made, the fan brush comes in handy to brush away such mistakes, and blend out dark lines.
Kabuki Brush: It used to apply loose powder or body shimmer in order to add some shimmer to the face.
Lip Liner Brush: For applying lipstick and gloss
Silicone Blender: This is used to seamlessly apply foundation and blend products.
Brow Brush: This sometimes comes in doubled-sized, it is used for taming and styling your brows.
Beauty Blender: It’s used to applying wet and dry foundation.
Cost of Setting Up A Professional Makeup Business in Nigeria
| Makeup Equipment | Price (N) |
| Make up box trolley | 47,000 |
| Company registration (CAC) | 20,000 |
| Concealer palette | 2,000 |
| Face wipes | 800 |
| Makeup Bag | 20,000 |
| Lash glue | 1,000 per tube |
| Eyeshadow primer | 2,500 |
| Ring Light | 10,000 |
| Mascara | 1,000 |
| Setting powder | 4,000 |
| Blush | 1,900 |
| Shades of lipsticks | 3,000 (per park) |
| Bronzers | 2,500 |
| Set of Lashes | 2,000 |
| Eye shadow palettes | 5,000 |
| Contour palette | 2,000 |
| Glitters /Pigments | 3,000 |
| Powder palettes | 9,000 |
| Foldable Makeup Chair | 42,000 |
| Setting spray | 2,500 |
| Brush Set | 8,000 |
| Cape | 2,000 |
| Eye, Brow, and Lip Pencils | 2,500 |
| Miscellaneous | 30,000 |
| Rent (shop) | 84,000 per year |
| Generator | 82,000 |
| Furniture | 170,00 |
| Interior design | 70,000 |
| TOTAL | 629,000 |
Key take away:
- You can start a makeup business with less than N50,000 if you want to operate a mobile makeup artist
- You will need close to a million naira to set up a standard makeup studio and as a registered business.
- Your budget and purpose of setup will a major determinant in your budget
- The business thrives in a female-dominated area
- Don’t buy substandard makeup products. Customer satisfaction should be your watchword.
Featured image credit: makeupandbeauty.com