Joy Adenuga is a multi-award-winning makeup artist. The Nigerian born, London-based beauty expert and educator, has made a name for herself as a melanin specialist.

The beauty powerhouse has a  huge and loyal fanbase and has worked on global campaigns with leading brands such as Dark and Lovely, Organic Root Stimulator, Closeup, among others. She’s hosted masterclasses with brands such as Bobbi Brown, Tom Ford, Smartbox Cosmetics and others.

One of Joy’s passion is editorial makeup, a lot of beautiful pictures of models she’s worked with have been featured on leading magazines such as Vogue, Factice Magazine, Elements Magazine and FaceOn Magazine. She was one of the few hand-picked makeup artists to serve on the crew of Beyonce in Chime for Change 2013.

Joy also takes pleasure in transforming brides on their wedding day. She’s highly skilled and recognised on a global scale. She’s a two-time winner of the UK Bridal makeup artist of the year (2017, 2018), she made the UK’s Top 50 Wedding Makeup Artist for 2019. 

EARLY DAYS

Joy Adenuga, the Delta State-born makeup icon,  trained at the prestigious London School of Makeup, before this, she had already gained a BSC in Accountancy and worked as a manager in the Globacom Call Centre where she met her husband. The two are based in the UK with their kids.

Business Elites Africa spoke with this highly talented makeup artist making Nigeria and Africa proud internationally.

The Interview

Joy Adenuga spoke to us about what inspired her to become a makeup artist she said, “Applying makeup to different faces/skin, textures/tones and seeing the transformation no matter how subtle, became somewhat an obsession from the beginning.”

This speaks to her deep understanding of colour tones and credits why she’s famous as a skin tone expert.

Joy spoke of some fashion icons who she admires and considers role models. She mentioned Danessa Myricks — a self-taught and highly experienced makeup artist; she recently launched the Danessa Myricks University and runs a thriving eponymous makeup brand.

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