Sephora Buyoya, a beauty enthusiast, discovered lash extensions in 2019. She was selling hair extensions at the time and saw someone doing lashes extensions online. Buyoya was used to wearing false lashes before a ceremony and removing them afterwards; however, when she discovered that there are now lash extensions that can be worn for more than three weeks, she became intrigued. “In 2019. I came across someone doing it online, and I immediately began looking for information about it; however, when I got into it, it was not like, I know people need this. It was more like, I want to introduce this to people” Buyoya narrates Buyoya went on to explain how difficult her first year in business was, especially because she was introducing something new and unusual at the time. And it was really hard to convince most people here to do lashes, because most Rwandans prefer natural looks, so you can imagine convincing people to put something that will be there for quite some time, Buyoya added. ALSO READ: Makeup artist Kenneth Keith stumbled into the craft and fell in love After learning more about the business and how to do it, the next challenge was getting the material, which was also another challenge as she had to order them outside the country, which takes between two weeks and a month to arrive in Kigali. Rodina Fanhat, who started the eyelashes business four years ago and has been doing lashes shares the same struggle with how to get them in Kigali; she orders hers in Dubai and it takes about 20 days to arrive in Kigali. ALSO READ: Tanzania rules out banning use of artificial nails, eyelashes: minister Going to put lashes extensions was 25000 rwf in 2019, because people in this business were doing it online, where they posted their content on Instagram and people would make appointments and find you at home or wherever you were, which is still the case for some people right now, but as time passed, the price increased as more people learned about it and became interested in doing them. As of now, the price of lashes extensions ranges between 45 000 rwf and 60 000rwf depending on the type of extensions desired. The types of extensions include classic, which looks natural, hybrid, 3D,4D,5D,6D, and cat eyes, which is a new type of extension lashes. When you have lashes extensions on, they can last from three weeks to a month depending on how you care for them. Beauty experts recommend getting a retouch after two weeks, which costs around 20 000rwf depending on your lashes. When Rodina started her business, she was only making Rwf3 million per year in lashes extensions, but now she can make up to Rwf15 to Rwf20 million, a year, while Buyoya shared that she started making Rwf4 million and now she makes more than Rwf7 million in a year. However, they also mentioned that months are not the same, there are months of work and months without clients. ALSO READ: 22-year-old on starting local makeup brand Eugene Horimbere, a customs agent, discusses how the market has grown because the number of people coming to declare it has increased since it began. He adds that, As business customs I can say that the market of eyelashes has been growing but I haven’t seen one container coming in with only lash extensions it always comes in with wigs, make up and jewelry. Queen Uwonkunda, who does her lashes regularly, believes it saves you from doing any additional make-up because you already look good, and it also boosts your confidence. The same way as a lady you prepare money for your hair, that’s the same way I have to prepare money for the lash extensions as well Uwonkunda added.
