Beyond the Mirror A beauty empire built from a verandah studio – Devina Deonarine tells her story

Oprah Winfrey once said, “Being different is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, because it frees you from the pressure of fitting into expectations that were never meant for you.” For Devina Deonarine, owner of OmnificMe, being different was something deeply embedded in her from an early age, as she always sought to chart not one path, but many. This mindset, she says, has helped shape the person she has become today. To understand this, one only needs to look at how she has expanded her pursuits, turning modest beginnings into a growing entrepreneurial journey. She has since established her own state-of-the-art beauty brand, OmnificMe, where she provides professional makeup artistry services under her own name – standing out in the field in her own distinctive style. However, her journey did not begin on a picture-perfect evening with a beautiful sunset, as often portrayed in movies where everything seems effortless and serene. Instead, her story has been shaped by years of toil along less comfortable and unconventional paths. Employed with the Ministry of Education, she serves as a Graduate Senior Mistress. Teaching has always been her first choice, and even after 20 years in the profession, she has maintained a long-standing dream of enhancing women’s beauty through makeup artistry.

One can only imagine the level of commitment and effort required to balance a demanding career in education with the pursuit of higher academic qualifications, while simultaneously building an entrepreneurial path. To fully understand her journey, one must rewind to the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools were closed and she found herself at home with more time on her hands. It was during this period that her long-standing passion for creativity began to take shape more seriously. Deonarine has always enjoyed creating – whether through makeup artistry or crafting various items – and gradually began exploring makeup as a business. This led her to experiment with content creation, record videos and practise her skills until she eventually took a bold step forward. Within just a few months, she transformed a tiny corner of her home – what she called her “verandah studio” (because it was just big enough for ambition and a mirror) – into the birthplace of OmnificMe Beauty Bar, operating from her residence in Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. She spoke to this publication, reflecting on the many pieces of her journey that now form what many see as a bigger picture of success.
“I came from a poor family and was still struggling as a teacher to make ends meet. So, I did it to earn extra income, as well as out of passion. To get resources and money, I asked around – family and friends, those close to me. They would help me buy products from the US and things like that. But one of the main things I did was, resell clothes I no longer needed,” she explained.

Support from family and friends played a key role in getting started, including assistance with sourcing products from abroad. “I moved from the verandah upstairs and created a small space downstairs. It was about 10 (ft) by 10 (ft), or even less, and I operated there for about three years. But I have now upgraded to a much larger space – over 20 feet – with what many describe as luxury finishes,” she said.
Many young girls looking at her journey may wonder how they can start something similar without capital. As such, she offered advice for those hoping to build similar entrepreneurial paths. “Well, I would say invest wisely. That’s one way I see it. I would not just buy things, because others are using them or because they seem necessary. As long as you master your craft and know what you are doing, you do not need a lot of products. So, one way I save is by buying wisely – only what I need and using it efficiently,” she explained.
“Another thing that also helped me save is not lowering my price for anyone – family or friends. Because if you keep doing that, saying this is my friend or my family and giving discounts or not charging at all, you are taking away from your business. So, I had to stand firm in my business,” she added.
She further explained that when she started out, she only had a handful of products – about two or three foundations and a few lipsticks, just enough to fill a small basket. That was her starting point, and it remained that way for about a year. “Midway through, as I began saving, investing in the right products, and building my clientele, I had maybe a drawer full – a small vanity of products, which was satisfactory. But right now, I have what you could call an entire studio,” she said.
She related that she now operates from a fully stocked studio with more than 20, and possibly up to 40, different foundation shades, along with a wide range of lipsticks, brushes and other makeup products. She noted that it has evolved into what she describes as a full studio collection, featuring mostly luxury brands. Deonarine is normally booked way in advance. She noted that as the years have passed and her expertise has grown, she is now setting her sights on training women in makeup application this summer, as she continues to guide and inspire the upcoming generation. She explained that her goal is to make use of the time and opportunities she has now, so that she can continue to influence others positively and share her skills before later stages of life limit what she is able to do.
“I just did not stick with teaching alone, and I always say you have to focus on the artistry. You can’t just focus on the money – you have to do it for the love of it and ensure that when you are finished, you are satisfied with what you do,” the Berbice make-up queen stated.