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Four distinct beauty brands have been developed in Pakistan, by four extraordinary women
Calvin Klein said it best when he said "The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural." Today, one has countless options of make-up brands and an equally gargantuan choice of choosing the right one. After all, it is the right choice of makeup that invokes confidence, makes one feel charismatic, while also helping turn-heads.
Luckily, some of Pakistan’s leading names in beauty have provided us with makeup options that are specifically designed with the Pakistani skin in mind while also keeping them at par with leading international brands in their allure and lustre. From Masarrat Misbah’s MM Makeup and Nabila’s recently released NO Makeup to Mehrbano Sethi’s Luscious Cosmetics and Atiqa Odho’s AO Cosmetics, these topnames in beauty in Pakistan are extraordinaire par excellence. So before you head on to the nearest beauty store, Instep provides you with an opportunity to read what these four leading women in beauty have to say about their products.
Atiqa Odho
AO: The "Atiqa Odho" colour cosmetics brand has been developed specifically for our Pakistani/Asian skin tone and has been constant in the past eleven years with its promise to deliver good quality products at affordable prices so that every woman may enjoy the art of makeup. Great products should be fun to use and not have a price tag that makes one feel too guilty to feel good.
Instep: Why is it important to have local make up brands?
AO: When I started my professional life as a makeup artist / stylist in the 1980’s, I constantly felt it was very important to have an indigenous makeup brand as Pakistan lacked the right sort of makeup items and needed more colour options, better quality ingredients, eye catching packaging and overall a brand that had an emotional connect with the end consumer. I also felt that as makeup is a woman’s product, women need to get more involved on the business side of makeup as the job opportunities are vast starting from brand owner all the way to store promoters as local brands capture market share.
Instep: What is your recommended product? What makes it special?
AO: Almost all the makeup items my brand has to offer have a loyal following as makeup buying is all based on choice and personal preference. Regular consumers tend to enjoy our AO lipsticks range a lot, which are very popular due to the variety of colours, application consistency, long lasting ability. We do not use any animal fat or alcohol in them which makes them Halal as well. Stylists and salon professionals love our ABO blush-ons, ACFP face powders and ASLE pigment shadows because of their colour range and smooth application international quality formulas.
Instep: Do you plan on expanding the brand?
AO: We are constantly introducing new products in our range as we are a custom made brand for the Pakistani woman and try to keep our brand exciting at all times for our loyal customers. My personal vision for the brand is to be able to reach every city of Pakistan so that it is easy for ladies to purchase our makeup. We are currently retailing in fourteen cities of Pakistan. This makes us at Odho Cosmetics very proud as a national celebrity brand should be available to women all over the country and not just the urban centers.
Instep: In three words, define your brand.
AO: Empowering, Beautiful, Affordable.
Nabila
Instep: With so many make up brands available, what makes your brand stand out?
N: The unique selling point of this product is that I have developed it with 30 years of hands on experience of this market. The pigments, colours and textures I have created for the NO makeup palette are a perfect solution to our unique skin issues. Someone sitting in Europe, USA or China won’t have the privilege to this information. Having said that, the ingredients and technology used are of top European standards, makingthisa deadly combination.
Instep: Why is it important to have local make up brands?
N: The only thing local about the NO Makeup face perfecting palette is me. It is made in Europe in one of the most reputable factories.
Instep: What is your recommended product? What makes it special?
N: The ‘NO Makeup’ The face perfecting palette is all the makeup one needs to look naturally flawless. It’s a must have for every image conscious woman, on the go.
Instep: Do you plan on expanding the brand?
N: I’m overwhelmed by the faith the users have in me. Of course I see myself as a growing retail brand.
Instep: In three words, define your brand.
N: Complete, quick, invisible
Mehrbano Sethi
Instep: With so many make up brands available, what makes your brand stand out?
MS: When I launched Luscious Cosmetics in 2007 there were virtually no beauty brands in the market with any kind of consistent or organized presence. At Luscious, our obsessive focus on quality, innovation and dynamic product range makes us stand out not only in a local context, but an international one as well. It was a brand born out of my own quest for formulas, textures and shades that suit Pakistani skin tones, our hot and humid climate, and trends, while still being in tune with the global beauty and fashion. Over the years, we have grown into first a regional brand across Asia, and now a global one with retailer partnerships in North America and the European Union. It appears that women of all ethnicities love the Luscious brand philosophy, quality and our products!
Instep: Why is it important to have local make up brands?
MS: In today’s day and age, real brands are "homegrown" or "authentic" as opposed to "local" because it is the age of the global market. Pakistani consumers now have unprecedented access to products from around the world, through e-commerce and social media,but they still choose brands that cater to them specially. Luscious Cosmetics is very proud to be a pioneer and leading player in Pakistan’s growing beauty industry, with a focus on the needs of the Pakistani girl and product affordability suited to our own market. We have maintained a quality and philosophy at par with the best global beauty brands, while adding our own regional flavor to the products and by collaborating with Pakistan’s top fashion designers and makeup artists.
Instep: What is your recommended product? What makes it special?
Instep: Do you plan on expanding the brand?
MS: Luscious Cosmetics is steadily expanding its range to encompass a wider range of beauty products like fragrance and skincare, and also steadily expanding into the international retail scene due to our compliance with strict EEC and FDA standards. We are the only South Asian brand to have garnered a global fan base at this scale.
Instep: In three words, define your brand.
MS: Celebrate your beauty!
Masarrat Misbah
Instep: With so many make up brands available, what makes your brand stand out?
MM: There have been many times as a makeup artist when I have come across products that are not suited for our skin tone, type or climate. I just felt like it’s time to have a product that is customised to the needs of a Pakistani woman and that when she applies MM Makeup, she knows that it was made especially for her.
MM Makeup has become a reality after two years of research, primarily focused on a colour range that has been adapted for the Pakistani and Asian skin tone, climate and complexion, with an emphasis on textures, colors, pigments and most importantly formulations for us. In addition, MM Makeup is also certified halal- which means there are no harmful chemicals in our products, follows ethical and cruelty free practices and most importantly makeup range that is plant based.
Instep: Why is it important to have local make up brands?
MM: I really felt that Pakistan women at large deserve a makeup brand that is suited to their skin type and lifestyles.To me personally, the biggest reason for launching MM Makeup is the fact that our entire colour range has been developed for the Asian skin tone, climate and complexion.
Instep: What is your recommended product? What makes it special?
MM: The MM Silk Foundation is made specifically for our climate and only requires a single drop to give full, long lasting coverage -keeping it melt proof.
Instep: Do you plan on expanding the brand?
MM: Of course - this is just a start!
Instep: In three words, define your brand.
MM: Pure, ethical, affordable.
