She applied makeup on the 2016 presidential candidates

Among many African men, wearing makeup is a no-go area. The public opinion on a man who wears makeup often does not pay attention to his facial appearance but associates him with feminine traits. During the first and the second live Presidential TV debates in January and February 2016, one of the distinctive features to all of them was their neat grooming. Behind the well putout look each one of them presented was a touch of makeup that had been applied behind the scenes.

This was the first high profile gig for Jamila Nansereko, a 29-year-old makeup-artist. “President (Yoweri) Museveni’s aides forbade me from touching his body. The rest of the candidates, though, accepted to be made up, which made them look more youthful and fresh.”

The election had eight candidates who included Museveni, Dr Abed Bwanika, Hon Amama Mbabazi, Dr Kiiza Besigye, Eng Joesph Mabirizi, Faith Maureen Kyalya, Prof Venasius Baryamureeba, and Gen Benon Biraro. The candidates had all been on the campaign trail, following a grueling schedule.

“The purpose of the makeup was to prevent them from appearing on camera with sweaty and glittering faces. I did not expect such a job would come my way, but social media exposed me. I always post my work on Facebook and that is where Nexus, the US-based company that was in charge of the filming and photography of these presidential debates, discovered me.”

Nansereko is a self-taught makeup artist working with Face Studios in Bugolobi.
During the five-minute break in the debates, Nansereko touched-up the makeup of the seven candidates. “I washed their faces using sponges, dried them up with towels and applied oil control cream to get them ready for the camera again.”

Her journey
Long before the presidential debates, Nansereko had been working on other high profile personalities, some of whom include, Justice Julia Sebutinde; Nabagereka Sylvia Nagginda, Buganda’s queen; Jennifer Musisi, the executive director of Kampala City Council Authority; and some cabinet ministers. Internationally, in 2014, she worked on Patra, a Jamaican music sensation popularly known as Queen of the Park, when she came to Uganda to shoot a video with Bobi Wine.
“Makeup makes a person look good, and it is important to look good,” Nansereko says, adding, “Before you think of makeup, however, you should take care of your skin. This means you should wash it, scrub it, and once in a while, steam it.”
At first glance, Nansereko presents a humble demeanor rather than the sophisticated character you would expect of someone who has interacted with high profile people.

For her primary education, she attended Kyaggwe Road Primary School and for her secondary education, Nansereko attended Kawempe-Mbogo Muslim Secondary School. After Senior Six in 2005, she failed to join university, and instead joined Multitech Business School for a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) course. However, she failed to pay the tuition and dropped out.
“I joined Kimext, a photography and videography company, which shot documentaries and videos for local music artists. I worked as a personal assistant to the managing director and my role involved coordinating artists whenever there was a video shoot as well as managing the finances. During the shoot, I held the lights, reflectors and cameras. I was the only woman in the shooting crew so I provided support to female members of the casts by dressing them and applying their makeup.”
With time, Nansereko’s passion for applying makeup developed. It soon became a side job when she bought makeup and graduated to applying it on female artists whenever they had photo and video shoots. The first artiste she worked on was Rebecca Nanziri who later became a presenter on Bukedde TV. Among the artists she has worked on are Ali Naira, Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine, David Lutalo, Mun G, Leila Kayondo, Spice Diana, and Desire Luzinda. Nansereko credits Luzinda with providing the platform for her to move to the next level of her career.
“One day in 2014, while Desire was at The Face Studio, just before her photo shoot, she called me to come and do her makeup. As I applied her makeup, Flavia Luwero, the proprietor of The Face Studio watched me work. Three days later, she asked Desire to link me to her. When I met Flavia, she offered me a job at the Studio as a makeup artist. Today, I work at the Studio three days a week.”

Dream job
The makeup artist dreams of working on Rebecca Kadaga, the Speaker of Parliament. “I admire her sense of fashion and style but she needs to touch it up with the right makeup.”
In the future, Nansereko’s dream is to open her own makeup studio in a high-end place, such as, a five-star hotel. This, she believes, will give her leeway to offer makeup services to hotel staff, in an industry where image is everything. Besides, in a swanky hotel, she can attract more high-class clientele who feel uncomfortable having their makeup done downtown.

The proceeds
In the makeup business, what ever money you make must be ploughed back in the business to build the capital base. “There are dry weekends when I do not make any money at all,” Nansereko says, adding, “However, I get more money when I travel upcountry or out of the country. Recently, I travelled to Dubai with an artist, Shifa Musisi, and I earned Shs3million from that trip”
Nansereko draws her inspiration from her mother who raised her single-handedly.

How she got the presidential gig

“The purpose of the makeup was to stop them from appearing on camera with sweaty and glittering faces. I did not expect such a job would come my way, but social media exposed me. I always post my work on Facebook and that is where Nexus, the US-based company that was in charge of the filming and photography of the presidential debates, discovered me.” Nansereko is a self-taught professional makeup artist working with Face Studios in Bugolobi.