Upcoming Ole Miss senior Lovetta Oguhebe studies communication sciences and disorders, but her dream is to one day study makeup artistry in New York City. She can already see herself styling the looks of the stars of New York Fashion Week.
“Makeup is just something I love to do,” the 22 year old said. “I see it as an outlet for expressing myself.”
Oguhebe’s journey with makeup has humble beginnings. “Three years ago, I was recently married and it turned into an abusive relationship,” she said. “I would use makeup to cover the bruises. I began making makeup tutorials on Youtube as a way to find some self-confidence. As a result, I began to feel that I was so much more than what he was seeing me as. That gave me the gas I needed to truly find myself.”
And out of that newfound self-confidence, 2FaceBeautyMakeup was born. “I want women to feel empowered and to realize their self worth,” Oguhebe said. “Makeup should only be something that enhances what you already have. It should bring out your inner spunk. I want to be able to give women the confidence to be who they really are.” Oguhebe said the name of her brand comes from the two sides of every woman – the side that everyone sees on the outside and the “inner diva” who is confident in her own skin. “That’s the woman I want to bring out,” Oguhebe said. “The woman who is confident in who she is and is happy with herself.”
Oguhebe is completely self-taught in her craft. She got some much-needed practice by volunteering her services for free to students on campus. “I would basically go up to sorority houses and tell the girls there that I was an aspiring makeup artist, and ask them if I could help them get ready for any upcoming events,” Oguhebe said.
Her hard work paid off because she’s had opportunities to practice at the Eco-Fashion Gala in Oxford, and she’s done work in Atlanta; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; New York and Miami.
Everything was lining up for Oguhebe to achieve her dream when tragedy struck. In December 2014, Oguhebe got off a bus in Miami for a huge makeup gig, only to have her bag switched with some one else’s. “I never saw it again,” she said. “I lost everything.” The bag contained all of Oguhebe’s makeup, a Canon t4i camera and lighting equipment – more than $3,000 worth of merchandise. “That was a very depressing time for me,” she said. “That was my dream. Nobody really knows about my dream but me. I kept hoping something would work out.”
That’s when Oguhebe’s sister suggested she create a Go Fund Me account to raise the funds to replace her equipment. “She convinced me that this was a good idea,” Oguhebe said. “This was a chance for me to tell my story and explain that makeup really means a lot to me. I had a decent makeup kit that I’m having to rebuild. I also need a professional website to show my work and get me into school. I would love to be able to do some more shows, but I can’t right now.”
Oguhebe hopes that by sharing her story, people will see the self-esteem building potential of her brand. “I got into this in the first place because other people believed in me; I didn’t believe in myself at the time,” she said. “A friend of mine sent me some brushes and eye shadow to start with. It grew from there.”
For more information on Oguhebe and her brand, 2FaceBeautyMakeup, visit her Go Fund Me account here.
Beth Harmon is managing editor for HottyToddy.com. Email her at beth.harmon@hottytoddy.com.
