Vunene Mabasa, the founder of Passionfruit named as Makeupby_passionfruit on social media platforms is a 23 year old Lady from one the villages in Limpopo called Chavani under Elim, she's Currently located in Pretoria.
She's a self-made makeup artist who was inspired by friends and family to start makeup artistry as a business. She's always been curious about arts and crafts from childhood and used to play with her mom's makeup when she was in primary and high school back in those days.
Passionfruit was established on the 25 September 2017. Within this period, Passionfruit has managed to work with almost all possible beauty events as a service provider, such as; Weddings, 21st Birthday Parties, Lobolas, Photoshoots, Graduations, Male Makeup, Fashion Shows, Creative Makeup etc.
Ladies also get lessons offered by Passionfruit, from basics to a full face-beat. Vunene believes that although she studied Computer Systems Engineering as a career it won't stop her from building Passionfruit to be a successful business because it's what she's passionate about and she wants it to be fruitful!
How is the response from Family and Friends now that Passionfruit Makeup is up and running after they motivated you to start it from seeing your potential?
My family as a whole and friends have been giving a lot of support and love to a point where most of them started to say I chose a wrong career because technology and makeup don’t collide hahaha ?. The love is amazing, to see my parents being that proud of me, is very uplifting and I actually motivated most of the ladies around to learn and do makeup properly. All this gives me so much motivation to keep pushing and strive to do better and become something great.
What are the challenges and the good moments have you encountered when running Passionfruit Makeup?
Challenges encountered are mostly concerned with my clients cancelling hours before event and bad time management, but all in all it's because this job requires us as makeup artists to work with people while they're not perfect. There are lots of good moments but the best moments are when my clients look at the mirror for the first time after I did their makeup, that moment right there makes up for all that time taken to do all that detailed work just to receive the same amount of energy expected. It feeds my soul in a way; it's that deep to me.
How do you balance your profession and Passionfruit Makeup?
Actually for me I focus on my profession, the only time I do makeup is when I need to refresh or think or see something creative to do and besides, most clients need me before working hours and weekends.
Where do you see Passionfruit Makeup in the near future?
I have so much planned; I wanna raise a crew that'll help me with out calls. I mostly wanna see Passionfruit being a bigger business working with other beauticians apart from makeup artistry.
"Maleupby_Passionfruit"... What is the Motive behind this name?
One evening seated thinking what I could name my business, something unique but with a meaning. Coincidentally it just became an exotic fruit, Ha-ha
It came to me as Passion for makeup and it's fruitfulness
There are so many people who wish to be like you in the Makeup Industry... how would you motivate them or give them wise words?
I'd tell them that the bridge between you and that business being successful is FEAR. The only thing to do is to start and everything else will take care of itself. If you want something, don't let the “what ifs” stop you, passion will push you to make that business a success. Be ready to prove yourself and work hard to impress your clients because it's all about them at the end and when you impress them, they'll help spread the word for you.
As One of The Good Make up Artists in Chavani, Would You say You Run Chavani or there's other Make-up artists that intimidate you?
I don't even look at other makeup artists as competition or threat, but sisters and brothers of the same family. As for Chavani I don't know any other makeup artist I think am the only one.
Follow Makeupby_Passionfruit on:
Instagram: @makeupby_passionfruit
Facebook: Makeupby_passionfruit
Twitter and snapchat: @neena_may
Shout Outs
Shout to all the black ladies and gentlemen out there on their feet and also to those who are supporting black businesses, bless up!
