To give you a glimpse into the world of beauty, the articulate, positive and confident Lerato Ngwenya chats about her career in cosmetology while she pampers me with a nail treatment. Ngwenya had braced the cold weather travelling from Rabie Ridge, on her birthday, to meet up for the interview-cum-housecall in Naturena. 

Ngwenya has always known she wanted to beauty. After failing her matric, she had a heart-to-heart talk with her mom on what to do next. When she told her mom she wanted to study beauty, her ever supportive mom encouraged her to go for it. Ngwenya enrolled for Cosmetology at Central Johannesburg, completed her Diploma, and also rewrote and passed her matric. She’s currently working in retail as a beauty consultant while offering her beauty services as a side-hustle. This is how our chat went:

What are the perks of working in the retail industry as a Beauty Consultant? 

You get your basic salary and a commission when we’ve made target. We’re the highest paid retailers as beauty consultants. 

What don’t you like about the retail industry?

The long hours. 

What’s one of the challenges in your side-hustle?

People complaining when they have to pay, especially for face beats. 

What personality traits does one need to have to make it in the beauty industry?

You need to be talkative, caring and be a people’s person.

Can you give us any beauty tips?

Try eating nutrient-dense foods and avoid too much dairy, spicy and greasy food, because everything you eat will show on the outside. There’s no way you can buy expensive products without fixing things from inside. So, detox is also important, and so is hydrating. We have to be disciplined but because we’re human, once in a while you may feed your cravings.   

Is a career in beauty lucrative? 

Yes. It’s about how much work you put in. You can work in retail and have a side-hustle, like I do. You can also go into business fulltime. Working on a cruise ship is another interesting option.