Ayinla Chuba’s rare Beauty Studio

Microblading is Nagaland’s current beauty trend

    Vishü Rita Krocha There is a new kind of beauty studio that has emerged in recent years and is now fast becoming one of the hottest beauty trends in Nagaland. Ayinla Chuba, who discovered the art of Microblading in November 2016, eventually resulted in the opening of this rare beauty studio in Kohima. This has now been expanded to Dimapur in the form of a clinic, which she opened in collaboration with her dermatologist brother.   Microblading, she explains is “a form of tattoo artistry where pigment is implanted under your skin with a manual handheld tool. Tiny hair-like strokes are etched with the tool to mimic natural hair in your brows; it is not as deep as a regular tattoo. It will lighten with time and depending on your skin type and lifestyle, you will need a touch up every 4/6/12 months.”   Besides Microblading, the studio offers the service of eyelash extensions, which, she says, is also trending these days. In Dimapur, the Clinic offers different types of skin treatments such as rejuvenating, peeling, acne treatments, fillers, anti-pigmentation treatments, microblading brows, lash extension, tattoo and wart removal, etc.   Talking about the early days, Ayinla recalls that it was initially very difficult to get clients as microblading was new and nobody had done it before. “So, I requested my mom and sister-in-law to do it,” she recollects. Following pictures of the experience on Instagram (Brows_n_lashes), her studio was packed with women, both young and old.   Ayinla Chuba loved makeup as a child, and eventually having pursued this, considers the art as challenging, fun and she absolutely loves her job. “I am hooked- just as my clients are! It is overwhelming to see my clients’ reaction after the procedure, and I get paid for doing what I love. Doing something I am passionate about helps makes me feel more productive. Most importantly, I am now in control of my time and not something controlling my time. I breathe and live Brows and Lashes – it is a ‘beautiful’ obsession. Really!” she confesses.   In the near future, she wants to get herself trained as an aesthetician and assist her brother. She also feels that the beauty industry is booming in Nagaland both for men and women and firmly believes that “if one feels good from outside it just changes how you are from inside and how you look at the world.”   Few years from now, Ayinla Chuba also hopes to train people who are interested in Semi-Permanent Makeup as their profession while pointing out that “our people are very talented and government jobs are not the only option for Nagas anymore.”   “They just have to be guided well. I believe all schools in Nagaland should have career counseling at least ones a year,” she adds.   Hard work, for her has paid off even as she has expanded her business in Arunachal Pradesh and is further looking to carry forward the venture to cities like Delhi and Bangalore. “But no matter what I plan to do, it's all up to God. Whatever I have achieved is because of His blessings.” “Your value, your worth, and your beauty rating is not given to you by men or other people, but your value and worth are given to you by God Himself,” she quotes.