CREATING MAGIC!

hair & beauty

There are a handful of names in the Pakistani hair and beauty industry who have proved their mettle time and again. Their consistency in maintaining their position is quite evident by the number of loyal clients they have. 

One such example is of Peng’s Salon in Karachi which is not just providing good services to its clients, but it actually has a team of experts to cater to them. This week You! talks to Kainat Munir, Creative Makeup Director, Image Consultant and Franchisee of Peng’s Salon. Kainat is associated with the hair and beauty business for the past eight years and counting. “I started my career in the beauty industry in the USA. Before Peng’s, I was and still am running my business in children’s day care and have my own advertising company. Becoming a beautician was always on my cards and I worked my way towards it,” shares Kainat. This multi-talented artist juggles between three roles and keep up with it by organising things well and effective time management. “I always plan out my day ahead and I like to keep myself always occupied and busy,” she adds.

Read on and see what this multifaceted beautician has to say about makeup, hair and her favourite makeup tools...

You! How do you prepare different skin types before applying makeup?

Kainat Munir: I prepare them differently for a particular skin type. But some things remain the same which is start with a clean skin, moisturise the face well, apply some toner to boost hydration and then apply primer.

You! If a customer asked you what’s the most suitable foundation tone for them, how would you help?

KM: Best way to find your foundation is take some and dab it on your jawline - if you don’t have any makeup on - otherwise, dab it on your arm to check. This will give you the best idea about your undertone and tell you about your shade.

You! Imagine a customer asked you for a makeup style that was unsuitable for them. How do you handle it?

KM: I would suggest different options and they can choose easily. That would suit them better and they’ll feel confident in their own skin.

You! Imagine you make a mistake while you apply makeup to a customer. How do you handle it?

KM: Well, it depends on what mistake I have made. For instance, if the customer is not satisfied with their makeup, I redo the entire makeup according to their demand. I make sure they leave my chair happy and satisfied.

You! If you had to choose makeup according to lighting, how would you go about it?

KM: For bright harsh light, you keep the makeup minimal. Skip the harsh contour or full face coverage. For fluorescent lighting, go for more dewy makeup bright blush and bronzer to give colour to the face.

You! What fascinates you about this line of work?

KM: The thing that fascinates me is how different styles of makeup can bring out a person’s beauty.

You! Tell us about two season makeup trends you find interesting.

KM: I find summer and fall to be very fun and interesting. Summers is my favourite time personally for makeup because you don’t have to over moisturise the skin; skin is not dry and makeup doesn’t look flaky. Usually, dewy skin with bright lip colours would be my favourite. For winters, I prefer bold eyes always with my favourite nude lips.

You! How would you rate your knowledge of the colour wheel? How about skintones?

KM: I rate my knowledge of the colour wheel to be an 8/10 and skin tones would be around 9.

You! What cosmetic products do you use on a regular basis?

KM: I use Estee Lauder (foundation), Elizabeth Arden’s blush and Huda Beauty’s eye shadows.

You! When and how do you clean your makeup tools?

KM: I clean them frequently due to hygiene factors. I wash them thoroughly with any antibacterial liquid.

You! Tell us about a time you had a very stressful day at work and how did you handle it?

KM: I handle by staying calm and thinking about why I am doing what I am doing. This motivates me and keeps me going.

You! Recall a time you had to face a frustrated customer who wasn’t satisfied with the hair or makeup services you provided. How did you handle it?

KM: I remember having a customer who wasn’t satisfied so I gave her a good discount and a gift voucher to compensate.

You! What advice do you give to your clients?

KM: I give tips on how to apply makeup efficiently and how to do it properly without messing it up.