admin
Tawanda Matanhire : Lifestyle Reporter
Beauty therapy is known to be one of the most rewarding industries in many countries and its many faces which include facials, waxing, manicure, pedicure, anti-cellulite treatment and amongst others have been taken as professional tasks by many people. As a young girl Rumbidzai Chitepo grew up with a wish of becoming a beauty therapist which saw her engaging herself in activities to do with beauty.“I used to paint my nails with ink from pens at primary school,” Chitepo said.
“I have always wanted to be a beauty therapist and at school I used to do make up for models and music artistes at talent shows.
“I would offer my services for free and it helped me to improve and nurture the love for beauty industry.”
On holidays she would find her way to the salon to get her hair and nails done while she learnt some tricks and it wasn’t long until she completed her O-Levels and started renting a nail bar near the popular Copacabana bus terminus.
Realising her talent needed nurturing, Chitepo trained as a beauty specialist and for body treatments and at Elite School of Beauty in 2013 and further her education at a South African College where she did anti-cellulite treatments in 2014.
She also did Nail Technology in Germany.
She has engaged herself in other activities throughout her career so as to improve her skill.
She likes to surf through the internet to know what’s happening in the world of beauty and also be in line with the trending art in the industry.
“I am always on Google whenever I’m free just to check what’s happening in other countries,” Chitepo said.
“This has always helped me to improve as well as to be abreast with the latest products for my field as well as application of new methods to make it easier for me.”
Chitepo often goes to work on cruise ship on contract basis where she meets with people of different nationalities.
The mother of two said that she has visited North and South America, New Zealand, South Pacific, Hawaii, Australia and Germany amongst other countries.
She recently took travelling as one of her hobbies after travelling so much around the world.
Working on the cruise ship has been so rewarding for her because it has exposed her to the world.
She has travelled to many continents and has managed to associate with other beauty therapists from other countries to share ideas.
“I have been exposed to so many people from across the globe learning from them as teaching them what I have learnt,” she said.
While travelling to so many countries on cruise ship has been rewarding, it is not without its challenges.
“Working on cruise ship can be challenging at times because you go for nine months away from the family or land and it makes you homesick most of the times,” she said.
“The rooms on ship are so small and the air is managed with air conditioners and when they are not working it could be so hot and pose a health risk,” she added.
She also said that at times the ship can be at the same dock for days due to bad weather especially storms which can take days.
When she is on a break Chitepo works from a city beauty parlour where she says it’s more comfortable as compared to the cruise ship.
She is forced to occasionally go work from the cruise ship because it is more rewarding financially.
“I would prefer to work here in Zimbabwe but the clientele base is less compared to the ship which makes in more rewarding to work from there,” Chitepo said.
“The industry in Zimbabwe is still growing and need people to be educated so that they appreciate it.
“For example in Zimbabwe I get less male clients as compared to females, males believe that the beauty parlour is for ladies which is a wrong conception as there is so much they can also get from there.”
Her dream now is to open her own beauty parlour in Zimbabwe.
She said she is working tirelessly so that she manages to raise funds for her project.
“I am working extra hard so as to open my own beauty parlour in Zimbabwe where I can at least work safely and also train upcoming beauty therapists.
“While it is good to work from outside the country I feel it’s best to finally settle home with my profession while training people to appreciate the industry.
“I also plan to have my own range of beauty products rather than buying from other companies.”
Chitepo has had support from family which includes her husband John Mhuriro as well as friends who she commends for continually believing in her while helping her to achieve her goals.
“At times it’s so challenging to balance family and work but my husband and family have supported me and with them I see my dreams coming to pass.”
Online Reporter