You are welcome to Stars Connect Network, a Subsidiary of Jetheights Services. Stars Connect network is a programme that brings together entrepreneurs, business owners, inspirational speakers, pastors, and leaders in the society, upcoming artistes, NGOs, people giving back to the society and the world at large. We conduct interview sessions to find out everything we can about their journey to stardom, we hope to bring together stars who can be of benefit to one another and who can synergize with Jetheights in other to impact the community. Once again you are welcome to Stars Connect.
It is great to have you on stars connect. Could you please introduce yourself to the stars connect community?
Ajoke: My name is Omolara Ajoke Kadri. Ajoke Ologe came out of my name. Its part of my name and it gave birth to Ajoke Ologe my brand name.
Who is Ajoke Kadri?
Ajoke: Ajoke Kadri is down to heart, friendly, a goal-getter, a business woman, a mother, a wife, she’s everything good in one package.
What does Ajoke Ologe mean?
Ajoke: Ajoke Ologe, like the Ologe implies, it’s all about beauty.
What are you into?
Ajoke: we are into make-up, the art of gele tying; we make hair natural and permed; we are also into skin care; all natural. Ose dudu (black soap) your skin care routine; your hair routine, we help preventing your hair loss and all of that. So, we are beauty.
Kadri Omolara Ajoke, M.D Ajoke Ologe with Olusayo Afolabi
Tell us about your background.
Ajoke: I went to Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School, Maryland, Lagos. I went to Olabisi Onabanjo University for my Bsc. in Political Science. While I was waiting for my National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), I had to visit my sister in the United Kingdom. I just make up another decision, why don’t I just learn while I’m around then she just hooked me up with one of her friends who taught me in the U.K.
How long have you been in the business?
Ajoke: I will say officially, I did my training in 2010. I started almost immediately.
What do you love most about make-up?
Ajoke: About make-up, for me it’s to enhance your beauty. I am for when you come out and radiate and glow. It’s just like when you wake up in the morning and you’re with your bath robe, you can’t be inviting as when you have your bath, put on your cloth, those clothe enhances your beauty.
If you weren’t a make-up artist, what else would you do?
Ajoke: I will still be in the beauty business. Maybe my salon will still be running, my hair cream, my body cream and my body soap would still be running. I’m still going to be in the beauty business.
How did the beauty idea started?
Ajoke: It started a long time ago because my mummy had a Saloon. So, I grew up loving the art of hair making. I always have to use my big mummy’s hair to do ‘didi’ (weaving). I started doing didi as far back as when I was 6,7,8 years. Sometimes she will use it to punish me by asking me to do her hair. That was how it started. The love for it has been way back.
Ajoke Ologe at Stars Connect Studio
What are the challenges make-up artist have to face?
Ajoke: Funds! We have issues of funds. We have the issue of location. Sometimes, people think Ibadan is cheap. You always want to update your Instagram, you always want to update your Facebook pages with jobs but when there are no jobs for you, you don’t just sit down and look. You have to have your photo shoots regularly and if you have to have a photo shoot, you need a photographer and it doesn’t come for free.
What skills are important for a successful career in make-up?
Ajoke: For a successful career in make-up, you have to be in the know; you have to learn about networking, branding and you need to know what you are doing. There is a difference when you have passion for it like you really want to know this thing. If you just go there to learn, you may not know the in-depth, but if you have a passion, you really want to know why they use everything, by then, you will know the root. You have to know the dos and don’ts of make-up. You will know ingredients not to put you into trouble. Watch out for what to buy. Like my friends used to say ‘’expensive make-up doesn’t mean it’s safe, cheap make up as well don’t mean it’s safe’’. You have a lot to learn to be a “boss”. You just have to go to the back door and read carefully.
If a customer asks for a style that you are sure would not suit them, how do you convince the customer to go otherwise?
Ajoke: Yeah! There are some people that are easy to maneuver. Like when you just tell them ha! ha! Trust me, I know what will fit you, they will give in to you. But there are some people who will be held bent that this is what I want.
How do you prepare dry and oily skin for foundation make-up application?
Ajoke: All these things you would learn when you come for training. You have to be able to identify a body that is dry without the person saying it. You have a lot of people that don’t even know whether they have a dry or oily skin. So you have to be able to identify them immediately you see them. For oily face, you use more of mates products, the foundation have to be mates, the primal and all that should be more of water. Mates for oily face are putting powder on oily skin. And for the dry skin, using mate’s foundation will make it crack more. It’s just like pouring sand on a desert. It won’t save it from dryness. So you need to use more minerals foundation. The primal has to have water for hydration and so on.
Ajoke Ologe with Mr. Ayo Alex Alao, M.D Jetheights Services
What motivates you?
Ajoke: God is just on my side. Because you can be motivated and if God is not on your side you will remain stagnant. Somehow, I’m just hungry to move forward, I’m hungry to be named part of the top natural saloon. It’s an hunger. It’s in me. Everyday, I just want to do something different. I want to stand out. I’m just always hungry to move forward and get better.
Who is your role model?
Ajoke: I don’t have one… smiles. We have a lot of make-up artiste that inspires us to do better. I don’t want to start mentioning names. Because if I give out one, I will still be feeling bad if I leave here. I have a lot of them that inspires me to do better.
As a make-up artist, what is the worst decision you ever made and what lesson did you learn from it?
Ajoke: The worst decision I think I ever made was record keeping. Starting off as a make-up in Nigeria after my training in the UK, I didn’t do my homework well that when I go for jobs I won’t follow up with the photographer to collect my jobs. Sometimes, I will just use my phone to snap. I was not aware of Instagram and what it could do to my business in terms of branding and networking. I just do my work and leave. I was only having referees from families and friends. So I didn’t have issues until one day someone called from the U.K and told me that one of her friends want to get married and want me to do her sister’s face, mother’s face, 10 bridal maids and the maid of honour. I was thinking I’m going to buy a car and the next thing she said was please send me your Instagram page. I was like Instagram page? What does she want to use that for? Haven’t you seen my job before? Tell her I’m good. She said no! I was like are you for real? Am I going to lose this job because of Instagram? I lost the job and it taught me to always keep records, always update, always be in the know, what’s in, what’s out, and what’s everywhere.
What is your greatest achievement so far?
Ajoke: I’ve not achieved that greatest. There are so many things I’ve achieved. Maybe because I’m achieving it step by step that’s why I’m still fighting for it. I’ve not gotten to where I wanted but I’ve achieved.
How much does it cost to contract you?
Ajoke: Smiles, you have to see me in camera for that. It depends. It actually depends because you have a form that you’ll fill when you want to book us. This would give insight of what you want exactly. It’s what you want that will determine how much you’ll pay for it. We have to sign an agreement and other paper works. That you need to do because we want you to tell us everything you want from us. We have to sign an agreement and other paper works. That’s all you need to do because we want from us.
Ajoke Ologe and Mr. Ayo Alex Alao with Jetheights Staff
What are your plans for the future?
Ajoke: My plans for the future are so big. I want to have make-up products in my name and I want them to be natural because as well because I’m all about being natural. I want I want more of natural ingredient not chemicals. It should be herbs, roots and naturals.
What is your advice for young aspiring make-up artist reading this interview?
Ajoke: My advice for whoever wants to come into make-up business is to actually seek after those who are well trained not those who watch the video somewhere and jump into the business. Go to a proper make-up school and learn. When you are learning, take your time, don’t rush it. Don’t say one month is ok for me. I advise my students to serve under their boss to get the knowledge of the business. And in all, put everything in God’s hands.
How do people contact you for job?
Ajoke: facebook: @ajokeologe
Instagram: @ajokeologe
Twitter: @ajokeologe
Snap chat: @ajokeologe
Office address: shop No 2, Metro hotel along Ring Road, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Phone No: 07053672560.
For more information about StarsConnect:
Phone No: 09050888890
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.jetheights.com
