Women we love: Mihlali Ndamase

Mihlali Ndamase: beauty influencer, digital entrepreneur, content curator, certified makeup artist, beauty Youtube guru and philanthropist

“I never used to celebrate life’s small victories. I’ve since realised there’s a better way of looking at It”

GQ: Where are you from and what are you currently working on? Mihlali Ndamase:

I was born in Kwazulunatal and moved to Joburg in 2015. I’m studying a BA in Strategic Brand Communications at Vega School in Cape Town.

GQ: How would you describe yourself? MN: Young, fun, determined, a perfectionist.

GQ: What are the most important aspects when cultivating a personal brand?

MN: Defining and understanding who your target audience is and how to make yourself more relatable to them, setting the tone for how you want your brand to be perceived, and taking the time to craft a pitch and communicate that throughout your platforms. It’s vital that you’re authentic and create quality content that encourages your audience to engage with you, network and attend events, and conduct yourself professionally.

GQ: What motivated you to start your own Youtube channel?

MN: The Youtubers I grew up watching – Aaliyah Jay, Nicole Guerriero and Nikkietutorials – inspired me to follow in their footsteps.

GQ: How have you grown, personally and professionally, since you started out?

MN: Personally, I’ve built a huge amount of confidence in myself and in my craft. I’ve invested in equipment that allows me to produce content that’s up-to-standard.

I’m always researching new techniques that I can apply to my content to improve it. Now I know the ins and outs of the business, I can choose which brands

I work with based on how the partnership will grow and benefit my brand, as opposed to affiliating with a big brand just because of the excitement of having been noticed.

GQ: What’s most important to you when you pursue brand partnerships?

MN: It has to be a brand I genuinely like. I only create content about products that I would spend money on myself. It wouldn’t be ethical of me to “sell” brands or products to my audience that

I know aren’t good quality. I wouldn’t want to lose my audience’s trust.

GQ: Your favourite collaboration so far?

MN: I love working with Revlon South Africa. When influencers are given creative freedom,

as they are by this brand, the result is an honest and successful collaboration. I was recently involved in a campaign for Revlon that I’m super excited to share with my supporters. Watch this space.

GQ: What does beauty mean to you? MN: Self-confidence, self-expression, selfacceptance and self-love.

GQ: And your favourite beauty trends?

MN: Glossy makeup, bold eyeliner and rainbowcoloured eyeshadow.

GQ: Your biggest beauty influencers? MN: Jaclyn Hill, Kylie Jenner and Jackie Aina.

GQ: How do you stay visible?

MN: I swear by the words ‘No one is you and that is your power.’ Fans follow influencers for different reasons such as personality and content. Don’t worry about whose grass is greener.

GQ: A typical day in your life?

MN: Every day is different. I attend events, photo shoots for campaigns and personal projects, and film and edit content. My schedule mustn’t be overwhelming because of my studies.

GQ: Tell us about the Siyasizana Foundation.

MN: It’s a non-profit organisation founded by Dineo Nono and me in 2017. We’ve worked closely with the Thusong Youth Centre in Alexandra, throwing annual Christmas parties for children, feeding them and supplying them with uniforms, clothes and blankets for the winter. We’ve also held drives to supply homes for abandoned babies with food and clothing, and collect sanitary pads for women.

We’re currently working on an event at which guest speakers will offer career advice to boys at a shelter in Joburg. We hope it

will lead to mentorship opportunities and inspire these young men to achieve something they can be proud of.

GQ: Do you believe you’ve achieved success?

MN: I never used to celebrate life’s small victories; I was always focussed on the outcome. I’ve since realised there’s a better way of looking at it: every milestone I’ve reached has been a small piece of the bigger picture. I’ve achieved a lot for my age, but there’s a lot more work to be done.