By Grant Moyo
“I always wanted to fly either as a pilot or flight crew. I was also deeply intrigued by the evolution in the beauty and fashion industry when I was growing up discovering many things I liked as a young lady,” says Amanda Lindelwa Dube, a flight attendant by profession, who turned her love for beauty and fashion into a vocation.
Boosted by the positive feedback she would get from her friends each time she styled them and did their make-up for fun, Dube took the bold decision to establish her beauty and wardrobe styling company, Opulent Allure.
Born in a family of two girls, Dube attended Mckeurtan Primary School and St. Columbus High School in Bulawayo. Upon graduating from high school, she moved to South Africa to further her studies. In 2017 Dube graduated with a Flight crew license for class/type Boeing 737-200, dangerous goods, wet ditching, live fire fighting, AvMed, safety and emergency procedures Certificate from EPT Aviation Training in Johannesburg.
Having partnered with Dlodlo Princess Couture as a brand ambassador, the flight attendant-cum-makeup artist is also an alumnus of the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs and an emerging digital content creator.
“I was raised by a single parent, who believed in the value of education and was very supportive of my dreams,” Dube said.
“Honestly, how I became a make-up artist is quite an interesting story. After I graduated from flight school I spent a while job hunting.
“It was during this phase that I remarkably tapped into my desire for make-up and style until somebody suggested that I take it seriously as a way of making a living. This is how my business started.”
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Opulent Allure was established in 2018 and offers make-up and wardrobe styling services for individuals, weddings and events. Actuated by beauty, Dube said she always looks forward to enhancing clients’ natural appearances with make-up as well as coordinating their outfits through her wardrobe styling prowess.
By suggesting as well as experimenting new looks she identifies what best suits her clients, consequently fulfilling their needs. The Bulawayo-born flight attendant-cum-makeup artist believes that there is no person in this world without amazing facial and body features. She is of the notion that the difference in people’s skin colour all bring out the uniqueness in human beings.
“Whenever I’m with a client doing their make-up, I remind them that they are beautiful the way they are,” said Dube.
“Using make-up is just enhancing what they already have. It helps them light up and bring out what they possess. While at it, I make sure that the base (skin) is well prepared.
“Taking good care of the skin on a daily basis is equally important. One has to make sure their skin is moisturised with the right moisturiser that suits their skin type.
“For instance, dry skin needs a hydrating moisturiser, so it is essential to apply a primer so that everything else that follows, thus the foundation and concealer, sits well on the skin.”
Apart from make-up, she enjoys styling clients’ wardrobes for photo shoots, as well as corporate and private events.
“I also create digital ‘Look Books’ for clients intending to have signature looks and eager to try out new styles that suit them,” said Dube.
Glad to have featured in a GQ South Africa magazine review of trendsetters seen at the 2019 edition of the Victoria Falls Carnival, and working in association with Paperbag Africa in April this year as a make-up artist for British-Zimbabwean Hollywood actress Tanyaradzwa Fear, Dube aims to partner with some of the continent’s leading brands to deliver unique and bespoke creative experiences through curating and content creation, while exhibiting her personal style.
“My approach to brand partnerships is driven by insights of being involved in the Zimbabwean and African creative spaces,” she said.
“Content creation is something I also enjoy doing and it helps in building my brand.
“Online, I’m slowly but surely finding means of creating great content especially on YouTube and Instagram.
“Whenever I get time from my busy schedule, I dress up, do my own make-up and create gripping content for my target audience. No doubt, the internet is playing a huge role in my career.
“First of all my business works best when people see what I do. This requires pictures and videos to be posted on social media. It is also a great way to interact with new clients and it helps me to be innovative and aware of the latest and future trends in line with my work.”
While convincing clients what make-up and dress code best suits them can be a daunting task, Dube has over the years learned the art of good communication skills, which is vastly assisting her to fully explore her artistry.
With a style that is clean, minimalist, classy and appeals to young modern women, Dube continues to translate what needs to be done in the best possible way.
- Follow Grant Moyo on Twitter: @TotemGrant
