There are makeup artists and then there is Paula Cherop! Exceptional, eye-catching, unorthodox, dramatic, extreme, Avant-Garde looks are her specialty and we’ve gotta say we are here for every minute of it. Forget red lips, smoky eyes, and winged eyeliner. This girl here is bringing serious heat to Eldoret’s makeup artistry sphere and her Christmas inspired looks are proof.
It’s Rare To Come Across Such Genius
So you can imagine my excitement when she granted me an interview. I’m always excited about my interviews but I was particularly ecstatic about this one.
I invited Cherop over and we talked over some wine about her work. Technically my friends and I drank most of the wine 😂 because she was busy creating some kickass Halloween-themed looks on us. But, oh well, we met, had a great time and talked about makeup. ( She’s so effortlessly stylish btw I felt like I needed to go back to my crib and dress up😂)
Fun fact, she’s self-taught. No formal training, no Vera Beauty College, just pure creativity begging to be expressed and express she did thanks to all the home alone time Rona brought with it. She was doing normal makeup before but Corona seeded her extreme makeup career which by the looks of it will be long-lived and successful.
Talking To Makeup Artist Extraordinaire ; Cherop
Steph: Introduce yourself kwa mafans (past, present, and future😅)
Cherop: My name is Paula Cherop, a 23year old and currently in my 4th year pursuing law at Moi University, Eldoret.
Steph: When did you first start playing around with makeup?
Cherop: In high school. I used to attempt to draw my eyebrows since I really had none but they looked really funny and sometimes I’d use ponds. That’s what initially lit the spark then after that I found myself wanting to do more.
Steph: How long does it take you to create a look?
Cherop: If it’s creative makeup it takes approximately three hours but if it’s the normal full-face makeup that takes an hour.
Steph: What pushed you to explore Avant Garde Makeup?
Cherop: Makeup is about experimenting so I just wanted to exhaust my creative juices
Steph: How much do you spend on makeup products?
Cherop: Makeup is really expensive and most of my money goes to makeup. I’d say the total value of all the products I use ranges between 30k to 40k. (yikes…🙃)
Steph: For someone completely new to makeup who’d like to give it a try but has a limited budget, what products would you recommend?
Cherop: For a beginner, you’ll need an eye pencil (Davis pencil really works magic) foundation, concealer, powder, and lipstick. I use brands like la girl products especially for my concealer, Maybelline and black opal foundations, and Huddah lipsticks. Oh, I use Mac pressing powder. That’s what I’ve found works for me.
Steph: Plug us. Where can a girl find really good makeup?
Cherop: In Eldy, Tayella beauty at 64 arcade, Mercy Organics at Mwangis Parlour, and online at Beauty Bar.
Steph: Who and what inspires you?
Cherop: I’m inspired by the things around me and how I feel. I express myself through my art and I just love the idea of creating, it’s truly satisfying. I also follow very talented makeup artists around the world who really inspire me. I feel like they push me to do more. My favorites on Instagram include Gabxxrielle, Mimles, Abby Robert’s, Drian Bautista, and Iamkaylabeauty.
Steph: Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Do you plan on turning this into a business or is it just a hobby for you?
Cherop:In future I really want to have a makeup academy where I teach people how to do creative makeup because I believe we’re all artists.Also just travelling around the world to do people’s makeup.
Steph: Are your brilliant services up for hire?
Cherop: Of course. People can hire my services for events, weddings, movies, photoshoots, baby showers, and all that. Please reach me at rotichpaula@gmail.com and on my Instagram at _cheropp.
Two bottles of wine down. Again the majority of which I drank with my friends, these were the results.
Please follow her on social media. She’s one of my favorite accounts to check out on Instagram because she combines beauty, everyday life, style, and humor. Thankfully, she’s Hella active and so every day I get a dose of the genius that is @_cheropp.
It won’t be long before she rises to the ranks of Ali Hicks, creating looks for the biggest beauty brands and painting on pop culture’s finest faces. When that happens, and it will happen I’ll brag about how I first introduced her to you all😂😅😉🤭.
Also, Cherop, when I’m the editor in chief of some big publication, you are doing my first magazine cover. That cheque is signed. May the new year bring you all the recognition and bookings you deserve.
Sidenote
To all my readers, thank you for being there, for reading, for sharing, for commenting all year long. Wakurugenzi Michael Karemi, Baba Hakeem shukran for the gig. Cynthia Muthama you are the best colleague a girl can have ma😍.
Let’s take over the streets in 2021.
Happy new year people♥️🎉🎊 Leaving you with an exhibition of more of Cherop’s work.
