Nigerian actress Temi Otedola recalls how when she was 16, she was blogging about fashion and now she’s L’Oréal Paris’s new African Digital Brand Ambassador.
This is a historic partnership as Otedola will serve as the new digital ambassador for Africa and the first-ever Nigerian to represent the iconic brand.
Standing alongside fellow ambassadors such as Thuso Mbedu, Kendall Jenner, and Viola Davis, this collaboration marks a significant milestone in celebrating beauty in all its forms across the African continent.
This partnership signals the growth of the internet and how it has become a sustainable platform for job opportunities.
“It feels amazing, especially being someone who comes from a digital background and growing up with the internet and consuming all my media online. Even seeing Gen Z’s getting their news from TikTok, it’s amazing to see the emphasis that people are putting on the digital space.
“I feel like it’s also a community and space where people share things. To have this position especially representing Africa and the digital space is amazing because I feel like it’s also a way for people globally to share messages, content and beliefs. It's really exciting.
With the bloom of the internet, through various social media platforms, young people have been able to create sustainable employment for themselves.
“What I love about the online space is that you can create your brand; you can decide that you want to be a chef and you can use Instagram or TikTok to create a persona that can then lead you to a career that before you would have to go through traditional means to get, such as going to cooking school.
“Now people are creating their cooking shows on YouTube and they are seen as professional chefs. It kind of democratises a space where people can share their own opinions, create their platforms and all you need is your smartphone and it’s great seeing young people start their careers.”
Otedola has explored different avenues in the digital space, from blogging, creating content and even podcasting. Her podcast ‘How Far?’ with her fiancé, musician and entrepreneur Mr Eazi, which began during Covid, is in its third season.
The 28-year-old says that everything she does starts with a passion just to do it and then everything else follows. “People know when you are not being authentic with what you are making and they can see the reason you are doing something is because you are passionate about it.
“It takes consistency but when you do things and in your mind you are the only audience, that is the way to go about it.”
As the face of L’Oréal Paris Makeup, Otedola will lead the upcoming Infallible Makeup Range campaigns. Her unique style and the celebration of diverse beauty in Africa will be at the forefront of these campaigns.
Otedola loves that African women experiment when it comes to beauty and growing up, she was influenced by women such as her mother who were not afraid to try out new things. She’s always trying out different characters and experiencing beauty for what can be a “form of expression and a way to bond”.
“It’s a way to celebrate ourselves and whatever makes you feel good. Some days it’s a full face of makeup, some no makeup. Makeup is a way to give you extra confidence, sometimes.”
Otedola joins L'Oréal Paris Makeup alongside Mbedu, who remains the spokesperson for Sub-Saharan Africa. Mbedu’s enduring partnership with L'Oréal Paris continues to highlight her dedication to empowerment and beauty, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to representing the diverse and dynamic beauty of African women.
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