Style is more than an aesthetic. It’s a tool every woman should embrace on their rise to the top. Your style is a representation of your identity, personality, abilities, and ambition. Every TRES Girl knows that it’s the core of her self-expression, and as she and her style evolve, she wants to redefine her story. Own her story. Style her story.
TRESemmé has partnered with some of South Africa’s boldest, most ambitious women to honour their role as trail blazers and industry game changers.
In this four-part series with TRESemmé called Style Your Story, GLAMOUR will profile these women and learn how style has played a role in their journeys. Whether they’re self-made moguls, legal fashionistas, style gurus, or all-around trailblazers, they epitomise the spirit of the TRES Girl – and they’re helping South Africans to Style Their Stories.
THE SELF-MADE MOGULS
Kay Ngonyama
As a salon owner and beauty influencer, style has always been at the centre of Kay Ngonyama’s world. She believes a person’s look – and hairstyle – is the core of their confidence.
“It’s about the effort and effect. Your look can say so much to the people around you, and help you show up as the best version of yourself,” she says.
When she first began her career as a make-up artist – occasionally posting tutorials on Instagram – it was the barrage of “How-to” questions she received that made her realise the value of her expertise. This love of sharing knowledge helped her develop her social media persona (Kay Yarms) and ultimately helped her discover herself.
“Having a platform to tell my own story has helped me figure out who I am: a storyteller, an artist, and a lover of helping people treat themselves,” she says.
Having recently started her own bespoke hair and make-up studio, the Saxx Beauty Salon, Kay has learnt the value of accepting other people’s help to reach her ambitions. TRESemme has partnered with Saxx Beauty as part of its ongoing commitment to support the South African salon industry and its stylists. To date, TRESemme has reached over 1,000 stylists and 200 salons through its Styling Training and Salon Partnership Programmes.
“I was a one-woman-show for 6 years, but when you’re running a business and people rely on you, you can’t do it all by yourself. Build a team you trust and treat them – and your business – with respect, and they’ll respect you back,” she says.
Rabia Ghoor
Rabia Ghoor refuses to be labelled. She’s not an influencer. She’s not just the founder of a successful beauty line. But she will humbly accept her success as a product developer, entrepreneur, and 2022 GLAMOUR Women of the Year Next-Gen award winner.
She started her make-up line at age 14, and in less than a decade, her business has transformed into a widely known brand that is helping other young South Africans develop their own style.
“Even something as simple as skincare can be the gateway to self-care and even more importantly, self-reflection. Not a lot of South African women have the time and capacity for this, but it’s vital to helping define ourselves,” she says.
Rabia’s embracing her style niche – soft, distinct, and accessible – and wants to use her company, swiitchbeauty, to show others that anyone can start their own business.
“I know it’s a cliché, but I always tell young people to just start. The older you get, the higher the stakes, so if you see a gap in the market, go for it, even if you’re in your teens. Even if it’s not an immediate success, you can recover. The odds are in your favour. And don’t forget the power of learning. ‘Self-taught’ has taken on a whole new meaning in the age of the internet, just find the right resources and you can train yourself in anything.”
Leah De Góis
COVID pandemic may have put a lot of careers on hold, but Leah De Góis wasn’t going to let an extended lockdown stop her from building her brand.
“I’d just graduated, there were no job opportunities, so I just leaned into social media. It began with sharing my favourite outfits, but I realised I could do so much more,” she says.
Using her strong sense of artistry (hair; make up and beyond ), love of people, and passion for public speaking, Leah is using as many platforms as possible to express the importance of finding one’s authentic self – and to show the power of influencers of all sizes.
“Micro-influencers genuinely care about their audiences, have the time to interact with them, and are trusted for their honesty – especially when it comes to product reviews,” she says. Her advice to other young influencers? Always post consistently and don’t be too self-conscious, especially around your first efforts. “I used to look at my old posts and just say ‘ew’, but that’s not the right attitude. Your early work is a great indication of how much you’ve grown, and you should always value it,” she says.
“Just put it out there, you could go viral overnight!”
