Make-up artist challenges stereotypes

DESPITE the dominance of women and gender stereotypes in the makeup industry, Sasha Magosha has not been dissuaded from pursuing a career as a male makeup artist.

Magosha says his mother was the first person to believe sex has nothing to do with one’s abilities.

Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Magosha said: “My mother recognised my talent in drawing. She then encouraged me to learn make-up on her face and bought my first make-up kit,” he said.

Magosha, who now works at Space Images, a company offering music video shoots for artistes, said he offers his make-up services to the artistes and has so far worked with popular artistes such as Anita Jaxson, Enzo Ishall and Shashl.

Although Magosha is immersed with the make-up business, he said he is only doing it to raise money to pursue another passion.

“Makeup is rewarding and I can get money from it to earn a living, but it is not what I really want to do. I need the money to finance music which is my passion. I have performed on stage with Trevor Dongo a couple of times,” Magosha said.

Magosha, however, voiced concern over the limitations imposed by gender stereotypes that men or women are incapable of doing certain tasks.

“It is unbelievable for some people to accept me as a makeup artist because of my sex. I have had people who have asked me if I am homosexual because I do make-up, but I am not gay. There are some women especially elderly, who have refused to have their faces touched by a man applying make-up as if it’s a taboo,” he said, noting that those who do not mind a man doing their make-up have expressed satisfaction with his abilities.

Magosha hopes that one day make-up artists be treated the same regardless of their sex.

He added: “Some people still hold the opinion that certain things are exclusively performed by a particular gender and they have established boundaries that men or women are not allowed to cross. There are some people who do not take me serious when I say I am a makeup artist, they think I would be joking until I show them the work I have done.”