Make-up artist with an alter ego that is calling out for acceptance

Make up artist. PHOTO | FOTOSEARCH

What you need to know:

  • The Dennis I meet over a dawa is unworried, self-deprecating and gives tight hugs.
  • My mum died before she saw me modelling as a professional on a runway.

Dennis Karuri is like a two-way mirror. He lets you see through him on one side, on the other side he’s a mirror for society to see itself.

Dennis, 24, is a fulltime make-up artist who dabbles as a model. He is professionally trained.

The Dennis I meet over a dawa is unworried, self-deprecating and gives tight hugs.

Then there’s his alter ego. She’s the one you see in the picture. I haven’t met her. She holds the mirror for society to see itself. For our culture to acknowledge gender identity and accept the sexual orientation of individuals.

This is Dennis’ story:

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I bought my first make-up kit when I was in my third year at JKUAT. I took it home to Ruai. I have four sisters, the kit took them aback. I remember them asking, “This is what you’ve decided to do?” My dad shook his head, he said this is not what men do – that make-up is not a job for a man.

CLIENT GIGS

I owe a lot to my friend Sarah. She tagged me along to her client gigs when I was starting out in 2015, when I knew very little about make-up. And she let me use her kit on own clients, before I’d invested in my own.

She was also the first person who told me to try my hand at modelling. Sarah, if you’re reading this, thank you.

I don’t have a name for my alter ego but she bursts forth when I’m wearing a full face of make-up and a wig. She’s nothing like me. She’s deliberately cold, intimidating and fiercely feminine. She’s not approachable.

People can’t imagine I spent my first year in JKUAT digging our campus shamba and growing a special variety of pumpkins.

My hands still have calluses from the jembe. Here, let me show you. I did a degree in agribusiness. We didn’t dig again, though – the next three years were about plant production, processing and marketing. I use the marketing skills a lot in my business now.

MODELLING

My mum died before she saw me modelling as a professional on a runway. She died in October 2014, when I was in my second year. I lost hope. Doing make-up gave me back hope and started me on a path to happiness.

I used to apply mascara when I was in high school, started in Form Three. I wore it on Saturdays, during entertainment. It wasn’t really mascara – it was the granite powder from a pencil mixed with Vaseline. I had a proper mascara wand, though, that’s what I’d apply with. The other boys did not notice it.

I was usually late to class while in campus. It is probably because I spent a lot of time choosing what I’ll wear. One outfit I particularly recall were these very tight, very beige pants I’d ripped with a razor blade, ha-ha. I’d paired it with a rainbow-coloured shirt. Those are the days my face had an ashy look from the baby powder on my face, ha-ha.

My personality expresses itself in my make-up style – I like fabulous and flamboyant. Over the top. Extra. Especially for the eyes and cheekbones. I could also go for a chill vibe. My clients reach out to me because they believe in my technical skills as an artist and like my style.

I wear make-up on the days I feel like it. Today I didn’t feel like wearing any.

BRAVE MAN

There’s a difference between ‘who I am’ and ‘what I am’. Who I am is a man – a fabulous, brave man – who has a preference for a gender that isn’t female. I didn’t choose to be who I am. What I am is a make-up artist and model. I chose to be an artist. I can choose to be anything else.

January 1, 2018 is the first time I put up a photo on my Instagram while wearing a full face of make-up. It was liberating, started a little revolution. Interestingly, I didn’t get any negative comments.

The message I communicate in such posts is that I’m not less of a person because of my identity. I’m not a bad person, either. I also want other people like me to stand up and do what makes them happy. I think I influenced my little brother to become a model.

You can see more photos of my work on my Instagram page, @_denniskaruri

CREATIVE

I want a different Kenya, a Kenya where there is no discrimination against people like me. I was recently contracted to be the model on a creative project. The stylist showed my portfolio to the photographer and the photographer said he does not want to be associated with a dude who wears make-up. I was kicked off the project.

I’m still grieving my mum. I thought about her a few days ago and cried myself to sleep. A friend I was having wine with began to compare me to my sister, highlighting my flaws. I missed my mum in that moment because she accepted me long before I realised what was going on.