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Some of you may know Popoola as the author of Brittle Paper’s wedding story series titled Memoirs of a Lagos Wedding Planner. 

The Nigerian novelist and writing coach was recently featured in a Lancôme beauty campaign called “My Shade, My Power.” This places her in the fine company of African female novelists like Chibundu Onuzo, Chimamanda Adichie, and Taiye Selasi who have partnered with beauty and skin care brand names.

To learn more about the campaign and Popoola’s involvement, read the statement issued by Popoola’s publicist:

Lancôme’s campaign, launched on February 22nd, has been making headlines for its unique concept of doing away with Photoshop enhanced photography, and presenting the chosen women in their natural, beautiful skin. Created to promote the company’s Teint Idole Ultrawear Foundation, the photographs reveal the natural skin tone and texture of the selected candidates, aged 18 to 75, with wrinkles, blemishes and other imperfections included. Each woman represents one skin tone, with Tolulope’s shade as No 14.

‘My Shade, My Power’ represents a break away from the all too powerful trend of glossy images that have come to dominate magazines, TV and social media. While they ward the idea of true womanhood, the chosen campaigners, from fields as diverse as sports, music, law, fashion, education, film-making and literature, reveal their source of power and strength, while never bothering to hide their imperfections.

Tolulope fits the Lancôme campaign perfectly well, with her achievements in writing, publishing, coaching and as the founder of Accomplish Press. Leaving her job as an accountant behind in 2008, she went on to author her first novel ‘Nothing Comes Close’, which was named one of the best books of 2012 by the Africa Book Club. She subsequently authored two flash fiction collections, ‘Fertile Imagination’ and ‘Looking for Something’. To continue inspiring and helping other writers, Tolulope has founded Accomplish Press, an innovative, author focused company, which offers coaching, self-publishing packages, creative writing courses and consulting services for aspiring authors.

As a beauty with brains, Tolulope derives inspiration from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the celebrated Nigerian author, who imbibed in her the belief that writers can be pretty and powerful. Tolulope is now open to participating in other campaigns and endorsements to carry forward her mission in the publishing industry.