In the vibrant heart of Nigeria, a woman rose, gracefully, boldly, carving her own lane where none existed.

A woman whose name has become synonymous with strength, purpose, and an unshakable belief in possibility. 

Tara Fela-Durotoye did not just start a business.

She answered a divine calling.

One that would go on to inspire generations, transform an industry, and awaken the dreams of thousands of women who saw themselves in her story.

Tara’s journey began with a vision that was far bigger than herself.

At a time when there were no roadmaps for a career in beauty, she dared to dream differently.

She looked at Nigeria’s beauty industry and didn’t just see what was missing, she saw what could be.

And so, with grace in her heart and fire in her belly, she built House of Tara International, the first indigenous makeup brand on the continent.

A brand birthed not just from product, but from purpose.

It started with her, one woman, one dream.

Today, that dream stands tall with 26 branches, 14 makeup schools, and 2 franchises.

Under her leadership, House of Tara emerged as one of Jobberman’s Best 100 Companies to Work For in Nigeria in 2017, and continues to hold the place of pride as the number one indigenous makeup brand for Nigerian women.

This isn’t just about makeup, it’s about a movement.

A statement that African women deserve beauty made for them, by them.

But Tara didn’t stop there.

She turned her success into a stepping stone for others.

Through the Tara Beauty Entrepreneur initiative, she opened the doors wide for tens of thousands of women to build their own businesses, rewrite their stories, and find their own voice.

Her courage became their catalyst.

Her mentorship, their mirror.

And in every young woman she’s helped, there’s a little piece of Tara, bold, beautiful, unbreakable.

She has been recognized not just for what she built, but for what she ignited.

In 2019, she received the National Recognition Award for Social Impact and Job Creation from the Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and Senate President Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan.

And that was just one of many.

Her name has echoed through the halls of Forbes, which listed her among the 20 Young Power Women in Africa in 2013.

And in 2020, she stood among Africa’s 50 most powerful women, because power isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s a woman who lifts others as she climbs.

She has received several national and international awards for her contribution to the industry and her unrelenting role in entrepreneurship and empowerment.

She was honored as the Most Outstanding Business Woman of the Year 2018 by the African Economy Builders Awards in Abidjan.

That same year, she was named African Makeup Icon by the Ghana Makeup Awards, and received the Leadership Award for Entrepreneurship from the Harvard Business School Association of Nigeria.

In 2019, she was celebrated with the Award of Excellence for Social Impact and Job Creation, a national recognition from the heart of the country she loves so dearly.

Her excellence doesn’t just live in the beauty aisle. It spans the world’s greatest institutions.

She is an alumna of Lagos Business School Chief Executive Programme, INSEAD Abu Dhabi, Yale University, The Stanford SEED Transformation Programme, and the Harvard Kennedy School where she completed the Global Leadership and Public Policy in the 21st Century.

She is also a proud member of the France/Nigeria Investment Club, birthed by the French President Emmanuel Macron himself in 2018.

Tara’s wisdom has earned her a seat at decision-making tables, serving on the boards of Bridge International Academies, So Fresh Neighborhood, and the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC) in New York.

Her impact spans borders with humility, and as an associate member of WIMBIZ, she shares her knowledge freely.

And the world took notice. The World Economic Forum named her a Young Global Leader in 2013.

The Choiseul Institute of France counted her among the Top 100 Young African Business Leaders under 40 in 2014.

Still, with all her accolades, what truly makes Tara extraordinary is her heart.

She’s a gardener, of ideas, people, and dreams.

She delights in new cultures, meeting people, and in her quiet moments, she is a devoted wife to Fela Durotoye and a proud mother of three sons.

Tara Fela-Durotoye is not just building a beauty empire. She’s building a legacy of courage, compassion, and infinite possibility.