Nigerian reality star and beauty entrepreneur Anita Natacha Akide, widely known as Symply Tacha, has added another milestone to her growing legacy.
She has broken two Guinness World Records in a single day by doing what she says she has always loved: making women feel beautiful.
On Oct. 11, 2025, in Lagos, the 29-year-old former Big Brother Naija housemate and MTV’s The Challenge competitor completed 82 full cosmetic makeovers in eight hours and 144 in 24 hours, smashing the previous global benchmark by more than 30.
It wasn’t just a record attempt. It was a spectacle.
A glass-walled makeup booth was set up so passersby could watch, cheer, and — in many cases — form a long line for a chance to have their face transformed by one of Nigeria’s most influential young women. Fans flooded the venue, some waiting for hours simply to sit in Tacha’s chair.
But behind the glamour was a brutal test of endurance.
A nine-hour storm tore through her setup, ripping branding off walls and knocking down monitors. Power outages hit multiple times, plunging the booth into darkness.
“My team turned on their phone flashlights and I kept going,” Tacha recalled. “It wasn’t just about makeup anymore — it was about proving that nothing could stop us.”
Through it all, her energy never faltered. She insisted each of the 144 models get a personalized full-face makeover — foundation, concealer, blush, two eyeshadows, mascara, lip liner and gloss, powder, and shaped brows. And every woman walked away glowing.
For Tacha, the drive to push through adversity comes from a lifelong passion.
“Makeup has always been my safe space,” she said. “As a child, I’d save up to buy mascara and lip gloss even though my mum didn’t approve. She’d throw them away, and I’d buy them again. That taught me persistence.”
Her record attempt, she explained, was about more than numbers. It was about representation and reclaiming the narrative around African creativity and ambition.
“I wanted to show that Nigerian women can achieve anything they put their minds to,” she said. “African women deserve global recognition.”
Her emotional reaction to receiving the official Guinness confirmation reflected that purpose. “I screamed, cried, hugged my sister and assistants. It felt like the whole of Nigeria was celebrating with me.”
Much of the internet did just that. Fans flooded her pages with messages of pride, gratitude, and awe. Many said the before-and-after photos told a story of confidence restored — that Tacha wasn’t simply applying makeup; she was lifting spirits.
Her project manager, Seun Oluyemi Anthony (popularly known as Otunba), and a team of organizers helped gather enough volunteers to make the attempt possible. But Tacha says the women themselves — the ones seated in her chair — kept her going.
“Every model became a new canvas, a new spark of motivation,” she said. “Every time fatigue set in, I reminded myself that I wasn’t just painting faces — I was painting a story of possibility.”
Now, she’s already contemplating the next challenge.
“This record belongs to every girl who has ever been doubted, every creative who has ever been told no,” she said. “Greatness has no geography. Africa’s creative power deserves to be seen.”
For the hundreds who watched it live, Symply Tacha didn’t just break records, she made history by making other women feel seen, celebrated, and beautiful.
