Temitope Onayemi is a resilient and passionate make-up artist redefining what it means to be a Nigerian creative in today’s film and beauty industry.
Temitope Onayemi’s name has become synonymous with transformative make-up on major film sets. Her journey is a testament to the power of artistic evolution, resilience, and unwavering passion. With a background in fine art and fashion design, her entry into the world of professional make-up was organic. A single birthday booking at 19 sparked what would become a lifelong pursuit of visual storytelling through make-up. Over time, brushes and palettes became her tools of expression, and the human face, her canvas.
Now a sought-after name in the Nigerian film and television industry, Temitope Onayemi has carved out a niche for herself by merging character-driven creativity with technical excellence. Her work on high-profile projects like “King of Boys” and “To Kill a Monkey” reflects not only a mastery of craft but a deep commitment to collaboration, culture, and timeless beauty.
In this edition of #MCNWorkLife, Temitope Onayemi opens up about the grit behind her glamorous make-up career and the strength it took to stand out in a saturated industry. She shares the soulful journey that brought her back home to Nigeria to create magic.
What made you choose makeup artistry as your career path?
From a young age, I’ve always loved art and artistic expression. My first love was fine art. I used to sketch people. Makeup wasn’t something I initially thought about, but I knew I was going to be in the artistic field.
At the time, I was about 19 when I got a call from someone I knew. It was her 18th birthday, and she hired me to do her makeup. That moment changed everything — expressing myself through makeup felt so natural, and over time, it became second nature.
Before becoming a makeup artist, what career path were you interested in?
That would be fashion design. I studied fashion design in Ireland at Dublin’s Institute of Design. During the process of my education, my mum got cancer, so it was very tough to see through. However, I’m so grateful to God that during that experience, I didn’t get lost in my emotions, and I was able to get my degree. I love that I have that. Fashion design is a passion that, at some point in my life, I will develop into a career.
What was it like working on a series like “To Kill a Monkey”?
Working on “To Kill a Monkey” was a wonderful experience. It was tough because working with a giant like Kemi Adetiba is exhilarating but also a lot of work. You have to create a story with the makeup. You have to get into each character’s story and work with the director’s vision.
We also had long hours; we could start work at 8:00 a.m. and still be on set much later in the night. In those moments, it’s important to love what you do. You have to be dedicated to what you do to be in a space like that. The cast and the crew also felt like a big family, so the hours didn’t feel as long. We were passionate about what we were doing, and we all equally believed in it.
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Breaking into TV makeup is no easy feat — how did you manage to get your foot in the door?
I came to Nigeria for the first time with my boyfriend, and at the time, he worked in a creative space. When I was in those spaces, I loved what I was seeing, and I felt like I could do it. I’ve always had this idea that I would return to Nigeria to work at some point in my life. So I quit my job in Ireland and I relocated to Nigeria with the intention of being a full-time make-up artist. Then, I met Sharon Ojong, who was working as a producer on Spice TV. We kicked it off, and she introduced me to her boss. I had an interview with them, and that’s how I started working on Spice TV and Sound City.
There, I met some directors who hired me to work in the music video industry. I started working with Unlimited LA on music videos. At one point, I had worked with Seyi Shay, Niniola and Clarence Peters. I can’t remember all the videos, but I definitely was working on so many video sets before I got into film. Eventually, all that work led me to jobs in the Nigerian film industry. I’m always grateful for that opportunity that kicked off my career in Nigeria.
Before you moved back to Nigeria, where did you work?
I was working full-time at Ted Baker, and I was working as a makeup artist on the side. I would take bridal and birthday clients when I wasn’t working.
What are the key traits that better prepared you for a successful career as a makeup artist?
I believe my stubbornness played a big role in shaping my resilience. I’ve always known myself and my career path. Something that helped me in my career was being very close to my mum and her allowing me to be me. I can’t stress it enough because I come from the generation where, as the firstborn daughter, you have to do things a certain way. People naturally expect a lot from me, and I am always grateful that she supported my lifestyle.
I remember back in my primary school in Ireland, I was the only black person in my year. That alone was challenging in itself. I’m just grateful because the little experiences I’ve had throughout life have prepared me for my career.
How do you approach creating different looks for characters and personalities on TV?
The first thing I do is study the characters. I immerse myself in the script. As the artist, you have to understand what the characters should look like. Their makeup should tell a story, and you can’t just slap on makeup; you need to convey emotion. Makeup is not necessarily one size fits all. You need to make the character as believable as possible and bring the director’s vision to life. As the production progresses, things might change. When we’re behind the scenes and you’re looking at the screen, you might decide that something else will work better. I always try to pay attention to the characters on set.
How do you approach teamwork on set?
Teamwork plays a big part in the flow of the set. Sometimes you might not align with your actor; they may have a different idea of what they want to look like. However, it’s your job to reach common ground with everyone on set, especially with the director. Working in sync on set is crucial because you’re together for weeks and sometimes months.
How do you work with complicated personalities on set?
My most challenging experiences with complicated personalities have been with industry veterans. They have very strong personalities, and I have learnt to manage my emotions. I’m very joyful and very playful, but when it comes to work, I have to be very firm. When I encounter difficult clients, I stay calm and speak to them professionally. I focus on what the character needs, stand my ground, and if it gets difficult, I meet with the director.
What does a typical workday on set look like?
You have sets where the directors keep time, and everyone is on the money. And then you have sets that are the opposite of that. Typically, the call times are always super early, depending on where we’re filming. We mostly start at 7 a.m. on a typical day. The night before, I usually read the script again. I go over the schedule for the day, and I look at what we’re doing. Then I align the makeup with the scenes for that day and communicate to my assistants. I assign different actors to different makeup artists on my team, while I might focus on the lead character for the day or handle the SFX work myself. Before the first scene, I go around and inspect and touch up everybody’s work.
It’s pretty intense, and you have to work on your feet well. You can’t slow down because time is money. Everything comes down to makeup and hair. You have to be able to think on your feet because the director could decide to make last-minute changes. You also need to be able to work fast. Typical glam makeup would take an hour or an hour and a half or even 3 hours for some clients. I’ve trained myself to work quickly on set, needing only 30 minutes, sometimes even less.
What are the five things in your makeup kit that you always need to have?
One is a paper towel. When I put paper towels on my budget, people always look at the fee for the price of paper towels and question why it’s so much. I always have to explain how important a paper towel is to a make-up artist. We use it for blotting makeup, wiping products and wiping brushes. I also need a mist and I need powder. I don’t need concealer as much. If I have foundation, I can make foundation into a concealer. When I started doing makeup, I only had a few things in my kit, and I had to make things work.
I remember the last work trip I took was to the Venice Film Festival a few weeks ago, our bags didn’t arrive, so we had nothing. And Venice didn’t have a range of diverse beauty products. When we went into the stores, I literally had to buy concealer because we couldn’t find the right shade of foundation. I also bought cream blusher, and I had liners in my bag, and that’s all we used to do the makeup. The fashion designer, the agent, everybody was just like, “Wow, how did you do that!” With makeup, you just need a few essential products. If you have a whole truck of makeup, that’s a plus. You’re lucky. The truth still remains that you wouldn’t use everything at once. I find myself throwing so much makeup away these days. Now I give them away, since I keep getting so many new products even before finishing the old ones.
What are your favourite makeup looks that you’ve worked on in the past?
I have to say “King of Boys”, because that was my biggest project and the biggest movie I had ever done. I felt so much happiness; it was a moment for me. And I am so grateful for that because it led to so many other big moments.
I also really believe in timeless makeup. You want to look at your work 5 to 10 years down the line, and it can be relevant in that time. That’s what I enjoy about what I do, there are so many looks I could refer back to that gladdens my heart. Timeless anything is key because trends will always fade. I remember the makeup I did for Chimamanda Adichie for a magazine — that look was everything. She had this beautiful afro hairstyle that made everything come together just right. One of my favourite looks was on my muse Osas Ighodaro. I love her so much. There was a shoot we did with Yumi, a fashion designer, creative director and stylist. That look was iconic. We created this amazing headpiece with hair. It was like a basket. That look remains timeless.
With such long hours on location, how do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?
I personally don’t believe in work-life balance. In primary school, I once heard that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. I believe in diving fully into your work and pouring your heart and soul into it. At the end of the day, the result is fulfilling. You feel a sense of pride and happiness. No matter how hard you are on yourself, when the result comes out, you can tell that you’ve done something you’re going to be proud of. I always say, “Do what you love, not because of money; the money will come because you love it.”
What are the beauty brands that you love and products you recommend?
I like Nuban Beauty, they’ve come a long way. I’ve used their concealers in the past, and I really enjoyed them, they were nicely pigmented.
I also love Fenty Beauty! I have a whole collection of Fenty Beauty. I’m a big supporter of Rihanna. I believe that makeup foundation should be second skin. When she said something similar, I felt so seen. I also have Makeup Forever in my kit. I think makeup forever should be in every pro’s kit.
Milk makeup is doing the damn thing and I’ll always have love for Lancome. Their products have had my back so many times, and that “24-hour makeup wear” is not a lie. Lancome will always be in my kit.
MAC will also always be in my kit. I love their mini concealer palettes. I don’t think I can live without MAC powders. It’s a classic that will always work.
I also love the Gucci bronzers. They’re amazing.
“What advice would you give to a Nigerian wanting to break into the makeup industry?
Know your craft, know yourself; knowing your worth is very important because we’re in an industry that can easily take advantage of someone who doesn’t. We’re also in a country where, when you’re useful, you can get lost in the sauce. People will use and abuse you. So, it’s essential to know yourself and know your worth. And I wish younger me knew this.
Networking is also important. Don’t be shy. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure makes you stronger, makes you better. I want to say that I did a lot of it by myself, but you know what? It’s all God. I also pray before I do anybody’s makeup till today. God is really important, especially at the start of your career and when walking a new path. Always know how you can contribute. Don’t look at what anybody else is doing. Focus on what you’re doing and always ask yourself. Ask yourself: How can I do this differently? How can I make it better? There are many makeup artists out there. There are many makeup artists teaching makeup, and the bridal makeup industry is very very saturated, so what are you bringing to the table?
As a makeup artist, you also have to ask yourself, “How do I stand out?” It’s so important to set a table for yourself and be confident. It might take 10 years, but it always works out.
How do you approach the financial aspects of working as a makeup artist in the industry?
I focused on building a community and a network for myself. In the beginning, it is so important to collaborate strategically. Don’t get lost in it, because sometimes collaboration does not translate to physical money. It doesn’t always translate to financial growth.
Do your part, and then people will find you. You’re going to get some jobs and you’re going to lose some. But if you have something to fall back on, it’s not going to be that painful, and you’re not going to feel like quitting. I always advise people not to be like me. I’m a hustler and a go-getter. I dive into things. And even at that, it took time. I had my day job at Sound City and Spice TV. While doing that, I was chasing what I really wanted to do before quitting. And now I’ve built a network. I’ve built a community.
When you’re talented, word of mouth goes far, but consistency is what changes your life. You can have all the talent in the world, and if you’re not consistent, you’re not really going to go so far. I know people who have the smartest minds, and that has not translated to money, and some of them are in their 40s. For me, I don’t have just one job, I have multiple streams of income. The fact is, before you get to the point where you can rely on makeup, it takes a while.
If you had to describe your journey in the makeup industry and your journey with makeup to someone else, what are the words that you would use?
It’s a roller coaster. There have been days when I doubted myself, and people doubted me to my face. I had to stick through it and stick by it because life has phases and everything comes in stages. I didn’t go from A to Z overnight. Quitting was not even an option because I loved what I was doing. I had to learn to move with discernment, to know when things were right for me.
