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“If you look after it, Black don’t crack,” is one of Eryca
Freemantle’s pearls of wisdom. She should know. She’s not far away from her
fifties and, she has looked after herself remarkably well. “It’s all about what
you put in you get back and, it goes back to preparation and maintenance,” she
emphasises.

Eryca Freemantle is definitely an embodiment of preparation and
maintenance; as a result of a well-travelled revolutionary journey she started
in defiance of traumatising physical ‘disabilities’ and sustained by a
fastidious search for knowledge and the right answers.

Blessed with the right body-type as well as physique and
presence Eryca Freemantle worked as a successful model until she suffered a
horrific, life-changing car accident over 20 years ago. She was actually
pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. “My skin went through a radical
change,” she recalls. “I was left with over two hundred scars on my face, loss
of my hair and near amputation of my left leg. My beautiful even-toned face was
no longer so and, I was left with at least seven shades of black and I now call
my face the seven shades of black!”

She went through many years of trials and tribulations, was
given the wrong products to use on her face and; doctors gave her steroids,
telling her it would even-out her skin colour. She however found succour from
ancestral roots! “My mother and other female family members gave me some
traditional home remedies to help use and create my own skin care regime which
is based around shea butter.” She also used a lot of kitchen ingredients in
different formulas subject to the skin condition.

Her life became solution driven; literally and painstakingly
Eryca Freemantle has worked her way up again to success and fame this time as a
world-famous makeup artist. “I had to learn how to camouflage my uneven and, in
my eyes, fragmented face. So I went to the most prestigious makeup school in
London at the time, Complexions School of Makeup, where I passed with
distinctions. This gave me the impetus to go out with my new-found skills.”
After many years of her one-Black-woman-campaign, she was voted ‘The Best
Makeup Artist’ in 2009. With this rewarding accolade, she now has the support
of the United Kingdom Trade and Investments-UKTI, “to travel the world and
practise what I preach.”

Make-up guru

She has become a true makeup guru; into all types of makeup;
fashion, beauty, photography and film, but her speciality is corrective makeup
which she defines as “enhancing a woman’s wants and disguising her flaws.” She
herself is a living example of the wonders of corrective makeup. “My nose is
eight shades different from the rest of my face, so I use corrective makeup
techniques to create an even and acceptable appearance. I work with clients who
have burns, vitiligo, scars and bruises, battered and beaten wives.” She is
also a Para-medic corrective makeup specialist.

As an industry intelligence expert she believes people must be
aware of the difference between makeup and cosmetics! “Cosmetics consist of
skin care products and hair products whereas makeup is colour enhancement.
Cosmetics are products that penetrate into the skin and makeup sits on the
skin.” It is massive business. “The cosmetic industry globally is worth £370
billion!” she informs. “80 percent of the world consists of women of colour and
only twenty percent of women in the world use make-up. There is a huge market
to be captured. The number one selling makeup product in the world is mascara.”

Must women wear make-up? “Women have a choice,” she responds.
“If you are going to wear make-up do it properly, seek professional guidance.
Make-up is a woman’s friend and the sooner men accept that, the more
understanding they will have of their partners. In my case, make-up is my life.
Make-up is the future, but my belief is: less is best. Make-up should enhance a
woman’s natural beautiful features regardless of her skin colour. Western
society has helped the black woman lose her identity.”

Fighting back

How are modern black women fighting back, especially as they
are swamped and tantalised by western products that alter skin tones? “By being
a bald-headed dark-skinned confident black woman who can be a role model,” she
asserts, adding that, “your makeup should reflect your image, like Grace Jones,
Michelle Obama and Evelyn Oputu who are natural-looking women.”

Eryca Freemantle claims that there are over fifty shades of
black women that she has “personally counted.” They remain beauty victims of
western manufacturing companies who “will do only three shades of foundation,
light, medium and dark.” Why don’t black people manufacture theirs? “It boils
down to money and, black people are not allowed in with a voice,” she explains.
“That’s why I want to become one of the voices heard within the industry as I
have profound expertise and knowledge and, have felt the pain along the way in
my own personal journey.”

She is well aware of what she describes as Nigeria’s beauty
industry resources. “Nigeria is sitting on the resources the world wants;
including shea butter, petroleum and palm oil,” she declares. She is currently
in Nigeria on both a business exploratory search as well as putting finishing
touches towards the launch of the UKTI-endorsed Eryca Freemantle Unmasked Brand
in Nigeria in September 2010.

What is ‘Unmasked’ about? “I will be launching the Unmasked
Brand, starting with Nigeria. where my heart is. The Unmasked Brand is about
teaching and training women worldwide to become leading industry experts as
beauty makeup and well-being artists. All my courses are accredited and
recognised by various British Associations. ‘Unmasked’ also includes confidence
building and self-esteem seminars worldwide.”

Eryca is unhappy that Nigeria is renowned for coping makeup ranges and
selling illegally and she wants to help put a stop to this, “by speaking to
world-famous brands and using my expertise as a point of entry into Nigeria.”
She warns that, “Fake products cause major damage to the face and internal
organs, because of the chemicals that are overused to make them.” Another
aspect of ‘Unmasked’ relates to the use of colour. “It is about seeing colours
and appreciating them for what they are and, this comes from my own personal
journey. Not all colours suit everyone; from clothes to makeup. Understanding
of shades, tones and hues is the success of a well-groomed woman,” Eryca
Freemantle; a renowned voice and face of beauty makeup, wisely concludes.