The makeup entrepreneur graduated from the Lagos State University with a degree in Law and proceeded to establish the House of Tara International.
Having started her career in beauty and makeup at 20 from her living room, Tara launched Nigeria’s first ever bridal directory in 1999.
In 2004, she established the country’s first make-up school and also launched the Tara product line, comprising a range of professional toolkits and a wide range of make-up products. Her brand is a premier in the makeup beauty business in Nigeria and is also internationally recognised.
Tara’s product line includes Orekelewa Beauty range, Inspired Perfume and the H.I.P Beauty range. As of today, House of Tara franchises is spread across Nigeria and is emerging in other West African countries such as Benin, Ghana and Senegal.
Over the years, the beautician’s efforts and excellence have been recognised and rewarded with several awards. To start with, in 2006, she received a Fashion and Style Award, the Pioneer Award for Beauty, recognising her role in bringing professionalism and recognition into the make-up industry. In the same year, she also received an Award for Excellence in the Beauty Sector courtesy of City People Magazine Awards.
Tara Fela-Durotoye has been listed as one of the 20 Young Power Women in Africa in the prestigious Forbes Magazine and has also received the 1st Lady Award for Women Empowerment. The New York Forum Africa, Bloomberg, France 24, Reuters, and CNN’s African Voices are some of the international platforms who have featured a profile of Tara.
In 2007, She was awarded the Africa SMME Award and the Entrepreneur award in South Africa, and again in 2013.
Still, in 2007, she received The Future Awards as the Young Person of the Year. In January 2008, she was recognised with the Wedding Planner Honorary Award for mentoring other make artists in the industry.
In early 2014, Tara Fela-Durotoye, the founder and CEO of House of Tara, bagged one of her greatest achievements so far. Her company was named by L’Oréal as a strategic distributor for Nigeria of leading international cosmetics brand Maybelline – marking another milestone in its ongoing success story.
Lauded as a pioneer in the beauty and makeup industry in Nigeria, House of Tara was credited with launching the country’s first makeup studio, establishing the first makeup school in West Africa, and creating a full makeup product line entirely dedicated to African women.
The entrepreneur was the brain behind the first-ever gathering of makeup professionals in Nigeria: the Makeup in Nigeria Conference (MINC) which held in 2014.
House of Tara was the official makeup brand for Arise Africa, which landed the beauty house a feature in British Vogue.
From a small venture in the late 90s, the company had grown into a sophisticated organization with a broad array of products and services, a multi-channel distribution network, professional makeup schools, and high-touch customer service.
Tara is married with three sons to Fela Durotoye, an inspirational speaker, a business strategist and corporate activator, chief executive officer of Visible Impact. He made his intention to run for Presidency on February 22, 2018, under the political party Alliance for new Nigeria.
These are some of the things that make us proud to proclaim Tara Durotoye as our this week’s Woman Crush Wednesday. Congratulations Mrs Tara Fela-Durotoye. Thank you for inspiring many young dreams. Through your hard work and example, many youths can look up to you and say: ‘yes, it’s doable. I know someone who has already done it.’ You rock.
Read our article on 10 profitable businesses you can start with as little as N50,000.00 in Nigeria.
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