Make-up-Artist Setra Oselmo creates dazzling Christmas-inspired looks

Dec 25, 2018 News

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By Tiana Cole

Born and raised in the mining town of Linden, Setra O’Selmo, a make-up artist is making a name for herself in the industry, despite her condition.
This 30-year-old began her career in the beauty industry when she was on the brink of committing suicide some nine years ago. This is after thinking that all her dreams were shattered when she became involved in a vehicular accident two years prior, which has resulted in her being bound to a wheelchair.
The unfortunate accident had taken a toll on Setra’s life, but having accepted her condition, she is ready to live life without any regrets. Before that mishap, the striking beauty enjoyed dancing, baking, modelling and all sorts of sporting activities.
“I didn’t choose my profession… it chose me. I sustained a spinal cord injury in 2007 and make-up was the only thing that brought me a lot of joy, love, peace, motivation, innovation, challenges and most of all satisfaction. That was the birth of Setra O’Selmo.”
After the incident, Setra said that she thought it was the end. She could not bear to look herself in the mirror anymore. She confessed, “I thought I was ugly, worthless, unimportant, unloved and a waste of being a woman.”
She recounted that growing up, she always had a love for make-up, but because of her cultural background, she was kept away from it.
According to her, she secretly kept neutral toned lip-gloss, face powder and mascara in her possession. “One day , I glimpsed at myself in the mirror after years and I decided to apply make-up on my face. After that, I regained my confidence, because I realized that I was still so beautiful,” Setra reflected.
After regaining her self-esteem, Setra recalled that she saw an advertisement on the television about cosmetology courses, and from thereon, her career blossomed. While undertaking the classes, Setra said that she realized that doing make-up was her passion over the other areas in cosmetology.
This year, she decided to do something adventurous by creating a few of her inspirational makeup creations.

1) Gingerbread man:
Setra said this look represents the road to Christmas festivities, all the candies and foods. It took her four hours to complete the look using strictly eye shadows, eye liners and glitters.
She stated that creating the gingerbread man look required a lot of patience to get it perfect.
History: A gingerbread man is a biscuit or cookie made of gingerbread, usually in the shape of a stylized human, although other shapes, especially seasonal themes (Christmas, Halloween, Easter, etc.) and characters, are common.
The first documented instance of figure-shaped gingerbread biscuits was at the court of Elizabeth I of England. She had the gingerbread figures made and presented it in the likeness of some of her important guests.

2) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer:
Rudolph the red nose reindeer was of her favourite holiday stories growing up. “There are a lot of positive messages coming out of this particular character. His big red nose was his strength and his weakness. To me, it’s just the way I viewed myself when I was new to spinal cord injury.”
She added that, at the end of it all, his difference helped out his community in more ways than he expected. “Everyone is special in their own way and can do some extraordinary things,” Oselmo noted
History :Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, popularly known as “Santa’s ninth reindeer”, is a fabled reindeer created by Robert Lewis May. Rudolph is usually depicted as the lead reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve, though he is a young buck who has only adolescent antlers and a glowing red nose. Though he receives scrutiny for it, the luminosity of his nose is so great that it illuminates the team’s path through harsh winter weather.

3) Christmas lights:
This looks represent all the lights, clothing and glitter during the holiday season. Everything sparkly is the ideal representation of the season. Oselmo strictly used make-up, liquid liners and glitter to craft this look which took her three hours to complete.
History: Christmas lights (also known as fairy lights) are used for decoration in celebration of Christmas, often on display throughout the Christmas season including Advent and Christmastide. The custom goes back to when Christmas trees were decorated with candles, which symbolized Christ being the light of the world. These were brought by Christians into their homes in early modern Germany.

4) The Grinch:
This is considered one of the most delicate works she has done during her make-up career. “I love the Grinch because he’s miserable, green and funny and he’s got a big heart.” To perfect this look, Oselmo had to use strictly eye-shadow, eyeliner glitter and contact lenses. This look took seven hours to complete.
History: The Grinch first appeared in the May 1955 issue of Redbook in a 32-line poem called “The Hoobub and the Grinch,” but made his book debut in the 1957 story How the Grinch Stole Christmas, written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. In 1966, the story was adapted into an animated television featurette of the same name, and included the song “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”. In 1977, Seuss responded to the fan request for more Grinch tales by writing Halloween Is Grinch Night, which serves as a prequel to the 1966 film. The Grinch’s story was adapted in animated form in 2018 by Illumination Entertainment, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character.

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