The beauty industry is currently one of the fast raising industries in Uganda, bringing together people who deal in Hair-styling, Manicure, makeup artists, tattooists, scrubs, among other professionals.
Watchdog Uganda linked up with Isaac Kyeyune, one of the stake holders in the beauty business who shared with us his journey and experience in the industry.
Kyeyune is a hairstylist at Headmaster Hair and Makeup Studio, an up-class salon located along Bukoto Street, Plot 19, just opposite Astiatic Sports. This salon is a one stop center for makeup, nail treatment, waxing, tattoo, massage, body scrub among other beauty needs.
Having spent the past 19 years in the industry, Kyeyune brands himself as a beautician by both profession and experience, for he has managed to master the art of beauty at his figure tips.
He narrates that he joined the beauty industry as a joke when he was still in secondary school. Little did he know that the industry would employ him fully sometime.
“I started this job when I was still in secondary school. By then, I used to cut my colleagues’ hair while at school. At that time I didn’t not think that this business will fully employ me but here I am,” Kyeyune said.
Despite having basic skills in the beauty industry, Kyeyune said that when he joined Higher Levels of learning, he pursued a course in Industrial Art because he was a big fan of drawing sketches, and had a dream of becoming an Art expert.
But after graduating, he realized that Art was just a passion but it wasn’t paying that much as he expected, and this is where the thought of going back to the beauty industry came in.
“I had my first child when I was in my senior six vacation. I got to a time when I needed a lot of money because my responsibilities were too much but the Art business wasn’t paying, this is when I went back to the hair business,” he recalls.
To become more professional and skillful, Kyeyune decided to go back to school to pursue a Beauty Course at Principle School of Beauty between 2003 and 2004, then he officially joined the professional beauty business.
And after his beauty course, he started working with his friends in small salon called Fyna Image Bukoto, around 2006-2008, he then joined Hairsay Lubowa where he worked for one and a half year before joining 5enses Salon and Spa in 2012.
He said that he then took a break from the hair business after a few years of working with 5enses Salon, till 2019 when he teamed up with friends to start up Headmaster Hair and Makeup Studio.
Quick Questions.
How do you see the beauty industry in five years from now?
ANS. It’s growing much bigger and better. For example, many people have tried to equip their salons with modern and world class equipment, which show the level of growth. Plus there are several beauty schools other than it was in the past, meaning that the level of professionalism is also increasing
Why is the beauty industry currently dominated by men more than women?
ANS. The Art factor. It’s in nature that men are more artistic than women and this makes them standout. Plus, most women feel comfortable to be worked on by male beauticians. And yet women are our frequent customers.
How much can a modern salon earn in a day?
ANS. Hahahah, I can’t answer that question…let’s just leave out things to do with money.
What advise can you give to upcoming beauticians and salons?
ANS. Never stop creating new stuff. People always need something unique and special, and if you have it, they will look for you. Secondly, know your clients, every salon can make profits be it an up class or local salon given that you know your target clients, this helps you to choose a perfect location that will make your clients comfortable, determining the equality of products to use among other stuff.
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