SHE is not just a girl from Soweto, Simangele Nhlabathi of Dobsonville is a professional make-up artist who has worked with prominent figures, including international stars. She describes herself as a positive person who loves her work.
“My siblings and I had the best upbringing. My parents were not rich therefore we didn’t have everything we wanted but they worked hard to ensure that we had everything we needed. Our home was filled with love, warmth and respect,” she says. The 27-year-old journalism dropout started working as a stylist assistant for Lindani Ndwandwa before enrolling at Face2Face Beauty School, where she is currently doing her third year, studying make-up and beauty.
“Before I became a make-up artist, I was working as a stylist assistant for Lindani Ndwandwa and I was also studying journalism part-time but unfortunately I couldn’t proceed with my studies because of financial problems, so I dropped out. “Anyway, when I was working at Lindani Styling we did lot of shows so that’s how I got exposed to make-up. I’d watch my mentors at Urban Brew Studios transform people daily and it always amazed me at how good they are, so Beverly Mushwana started teaching and mentoring me.
“I learnt so much and I even got an opportunity to work on the different shows. I then took myself to school to do a make-up course at Face2Face Beauty School,” she says.
Nhlabathi grew up in the entertainment industry, having being exposed by the late Kwaito singer and cousin Purity. Purity would always tag her along when she went for interviews at the SABC, Red Pepper or at Urban Brew Studios and that’s where she learnt so much about hard work, humbleness, patience and the pros and cons of the industry.
Although she is still a student, Nhlabathi freelances and has worked with celebrities such as the National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete, TV personality Dr Victor Ramathesele, gospel singer Benjamin Dube, music artist Cassper Nyovest, the late Hugh Masekela, Abigail Kubeka, Akin Omotoso and many more.
She has also worked on well known TV shows like YoTV, Live Amp, RGB, Dancing With the Stars, Uyangthanda Na, but her biggest highlight is the Bold and the Beautiful. “Even though I’ve worked on big shows, the highlight of my career was when I got an opportunity to do make-up for the cast of the Bold and the Beautiful. I couldn’t believe that growing up I use to watch them on TV, now I had a chance of doing their make-up. God is good,” she says. Working with people daily can be so challenging as some can be mean sometimes, however, Nhlabathi is never discouraged as she takes her job seriously and loves travelling to meet new people and enhance their beauty.
* Stay in touch with Nhlabathi via Instagram on @makeupbysima_soil.