THE DYNAMIC DUO Raazia & Marzia

beauty

Meet the smashing duo doing wonders in the world of makeup with their unique techniques and sedulous efforts in further illuminating the beauty of a human face. Where the one puts charm, the other puts grace to create a breathtaking final look.

To have a thoughtful insight into their work and learn some useful tips from their personal experiences in the field, we had a one on one session with this powerful duo…

You! How did your career begin in the world of beauty?

Raazia & Marzia: We started around 3 years ago. Initially, it was just doing makeup for friends until one of my friends actually got us our very first client. That point onwards we began our journey; made our Instagram and Facebook page and to our surprise, we got more clients.

You! What are the latest makeup trends?

R & M: Brides are all about natural glow this season. Bare makeup looks are more popular ever since Anushka Sharma's beautiful wedding looks have emerged, however, at the same time brides aren’t afraid to pull off a classic smokey eye - yet again thanks to Deepika.

You! What nail colours and nail art are dominant in 2020?

R & M: Well, rainbow nails are trending and it should be since a rainbow is such a happy colour but it’s not for bridals so metallics are definitely to try out if you’re looking for something different.

You! What makeup trends are totally over?

R & M: Cut creases have lost their fame days and nowadays it's all about the blended smooth eye shadow. Gold glitters have also somewhat been replaced with shimmers or mattes.

You! It is Quarantine-Shadi season too, what kind of looks are in among brides-to-be?

R & M: Quarantine weddings are definitely the trendsetters but in more ways than one. We believe a bride should always look grand in simplicity or with heavily embedded joras/jewels but the focus should always be the bride. The new decor trends sometimes take away the element of the wedding itself and it becomes more of a show for the audience. In the true essence of weddings, quarantine has set the mindset straight, which is ultimately the bride, the groom, and the family around them.

You! The must-have beauty product every woman should always bring in her purse is...

R & M: A setting spray and a setting powder.

You! What are your favourite makeup products?

R & M: We love revolution highlighters (such an underrated product), NARS all day luminous foundation, Huda Beauty liquid lipstick in bombshell, MAC Glosses, OFRA cosmetics blush in chameleon, Physicians Formula’s butter blush as a topper and many more…

You! What are your favourite brands in cosmetics?

R & M: OFRA, Inglot, Stilla, MAC, Natasha Denona, Huda Beauty, Nars, Revolution. The list goes on...

You! What three makeup items should no woman leave home without?
R & M: Lipstick, blush and blender/foundation brush.

You! What is the one common mistake that most brides do?

R & M: The common mistake that brides make is wearing red on a red jora. It's extremely unflattering and adds years to the bride.

You! Have you noticed any difference between Karachi and Lahori brides?

R & M: I think Karachi brides are more experimental in terms of their looks than the Lahori brides. There are a handful of good makeup artists available in Lahore and the brides aren’t willing to experiment with newer talent like the brides in Karachi.

You! What do you love the most about your job?

R & M: We’ve always been artistically inclined and monotony is not an artist's nature which is what we love about our job. Photographers, videographers, or the designers are instrumental to our creative process but are ever-changing and so there’s always an opportunity to create differently.

You! What are the biggest challenges makeup artists face?

R & M: Apart from perfecting your craft and the diversity it offers, being a makeup artist is a physically challenging job which is also high in involvement. So, to be mentally and physically fit to give in the right effort and time is just as important. Otherwise, you’ll have sore feet and hands or aching back; trust us - it’s coming from experience!

You! Do you think social media is a good tool to popularise your work?

R & M: Client satisfaction is of the utmost importance. There’s no tool better for marketing than a good word of mouth for your business. Good customer services retain and create a loyal customer. That’s what kept us in the business when we did not have enough finances for online promotions. Once we earned and retained enough earning, we invested into increasing our reach on Instagram and that is vital for being visible to potential clients. Our DMs were flooded so we knew we were headed in the right way! Instagram allows us to showcase our portfolio and get viewers. Many have a dull sense of the term ‘popularity’. It’s usually measured in the number of followers and likes but for us it’s in the ‘brand name’. The value it carries is truly how popular you are. So popularity for us is in quality and not quantity. But we think there’s no harm in having it all.

You! Any makeup tip you would like to share with your readers?

R & M: We have two tips for you all – blend well and follow us.

You! What are some of the colours a woman of regular Eastern skin tone should never try?

R & M: We love our warm-tan skin tones and we think we all can pull off any colour. Also makeup beautifully accentuates on such skin tones as well.

You! What message do you want to give to aspiring beauticians?

R & M: Passion, craft, and a reasonable business sense is all you need. Staying true to your authentic self and doing it beautifully because that’s just how it’s done in our job. 

Lastly, we would encourage girls to get education alongside pursuing dreams, particularly this one as it brings more respect and dignity to the profession which is unfairly looked down upon in our society. Last but not least don’t join this field just for money.

You! What are your future endeavours or plans?

R & M: We plan to open our own commercial studio and work alongside the biggest brands in the beauty industry be it Mac, Charlotte Tilbury or Pat McGrath to get to learn from the best around the world.