BY KENYA NEWS AGENCY
Sandwiched between bustling eateries and late-night dispensing chemists lining the busy Gakere Road in downtown Nyeri town is Uthaka Spot Beauty Shop.
The parlour has an elegant aura of taste befitting our fast-paced society, perhaps attested by the various shades of clients who frequent this place. Here, everyone is a guest, as long as the service you need is on offer.
Even men who wish to get a sheen back on their faces to beat back the ravages of advancing age are welcome for a face scrub. Mark Wachira is one of five cosmeticians who work here. He identifies himself as a jack of all trades.
Wachira can do facial makeup, perform nail art, offer massage services, and also conduct therapy sessions.
“I never trained anywhere to get here. What I am doing now grew out of sheer passion, largely prompted by the lessons I learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic. My parents had implored me to take a different profession. Unfortunately, that was not what I wanted to do with my life,” he said.
Prior to his current engagement, Wachira had worked briefly as a hotelier at his cousin’s eatery in Thika town.
It was while waiting tables at the restaurant that he developed an interest in the beauty industry, where he could have personal contact with his clients.
“When I was growing up, I loved doing my mother’s hair and nails. She had beautiful black hair and anytime I felt someone had messed up her hair I got infuriated,” Wachira said.
“One day my mother broached a discussion of the issue by asking why I didn’t take up cosmetology. However, my father wanted me to undertake a course either in engineering and architecture or join the military. Finally, I decided to heed my mother's advice,’’ he said.
Emerging social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube played a central role in pushing Wachira to take to the beauty industry.
He could watch short video clips on make-up and in the process learnt the ropes of the trade and eventually managed to get himself hired.
Today, he still employs the social media platform to hone his skills in this trade, once regarded as something alien role to the male gender.
Apart from sprucing up the faces and limbs of those who wish to have good looks, Wachira also views his work as an opportunity to relieve the burdens of his clients.
“By interacting with various clients helps me get a glimpse into their other lives. People do go through a lot in life and you therefore need a human heart to confront their emotions,” he said.
His routine entails working from very early in the morning till late depending on the work at hand.
The parlour operates from Monday to Saturday and can extend to Sunday in the case there are bookings for the day.
Wachira said his wages are pegged on commission, to pitch customers, he posts his services either on Instagram or Facebook social media platforms.
Grace Wang’ombe who is one of his popular clients said she settled on the beautician after he did a notable manicure on her young daughter.
“Wachira is a respectful young man who knows what he wants. When I first came here, he was not the one who did my nails. I only shifted to him after my daughter recommended him to me. Today I can honestly say I am elated at the services I am getting from him,’’ she said.
Wachira said he hopes to run his own modern spa, currently, he is content with working under the roof of someone else as he bids his time before becoming self-employed.
But just like any other enterprise, challenges are never too far away. He said issues that come up in his day-to-day activities include clients who make amorous advances to him, this is attributed to the perceived notion that beauticians are often poorly paid people who only opt for the profession due to lack of a better job to do.
“I would advise young men who want to venture into the beauty profession to have patience, let clients know about your services. Every day is a learning day so have the perspective to gain something plus the client can teach you something. Finally, know how to set your boundaries between your clients and your professional work,” Wachira said.