There are two types of relationships possible with makeup: either you love it and revel in the colours, or you hate using it, feeling completely out of depth and inept holding tubes of paint and miniature brushes. Most women have a complicated relationship with makeup; there’s a little bit of can’t live with or without sentiment that most users can relate to and whether you’re great at it or terrible with application, as a woman it’s hard to live a life devoid of tiny jars and tubs that promise to make you prettier.

Therefore, when women come across a brand/line or product that makes application easy and also acts as an instant self-esteem boost, more often than not, that brand or product will become a holy grail. From the best liner brushes/pencils to the easiest application mascara, magazines and digital spaces are full of products that claim instant beauty without any fuss but very few deliver.

When you first order from Poppy Colour Co, a Lahore based water-colour and eye-makeup brand, the bright, iridescent shades can seem a little daunting. There’s a sky meets the sea blue called Pluto, a burnished red called Gallifrey and Rigel, a dark, navy shade with a streak of violet, among others, that immediately catch the eye. However, when once you receive the package (which comes with a hand-painted illustration bearing your name) and swatch on the colours, all trepidation disappears.

The eye-shadows are super pigmented, best applied with your fingertips and malleable enough to create shape without the need of a brush. They’re also extremely versatile, given that their base is coconut oil and beeswax you can use them on your cheeks or your lips.

We spoke to Maleeha Waqar, the mastermind behind these wonderful, whimsical shades to understand how the brand was birthed and what the future for Poppy Colour Co looks like.

Waqar begins by explaining that she has a background in science and a Master’s degree in neuroscience from the land down under, Australia. Waqar would’ve been well on her way towards a doctorate degree if the pandemic hadn’t waylaid the world and all her plans. With time on her hands and a passion for art, Waqar went out in search of watercolors and found the local market to be woefully understocked and overpriced.

Some sleuthing online linked Waqar to international stockists that dealt with pigments and the intrepid scientist wondered how difficult it would be to create her own watercolors using high-quality pigments that she’d ordered from abroad. More online research revealed the method of mulling pigments with a binding agent to produce the watercolors and she was on her way to cooking up her first batch.

Obviously the process yielded results after batches of trial and error while Waqar figured out the formula that worked best. It is also important to mention that she had the pigments tested for toxicity through chemist connections and was informed that the pigments she was working with were non-toxic and safe for use, even though by this point Waqar’s only ambition was to create watercolors that were beautiful, unique and joyous to work with.

Once Waqar debuted the paints online via an Instagram based store, her inbox was flooded with queries regarding her products’ usability as make-up. Despite having checked the pigments for toxicity, Waqar wasn’t certain whether the binder she had used was safe for application on the skin. However, being a makeup buff herself, she was intrigued and wanted to explore how the colours would translate as wearable pigments. It was back to the drawing board, or rather the chemistry set, to figure out a safe formula.

Waqar first mixed her eyeshadows with organic coconut oil but found the consistency to be lacking and the colour bled. More research revealed that countless beauty brands (organic/vegan lines) tend to use beeswax as an additional binding agent, as opposed to the silicone dimethicone, an organic compound found in countless makeup products we use and is also a regular ingredient in hair conditioners. With the combination of coconut oil that allowed easy application and beeswax that gives the product hold, Waqar was ready to debut her new collection of eyeshadows.

The line is a resounding success. While the beauty market is chockfull and digital spaces oversaturated with products that are being marketed through various innovative methods, Waqar just had to rely on the uniqueness of her product to hook a discerning clientele. Her brand and reach have grown exponentially and Poppy Colour continues to thrive online.

Waqar has been exploring other products that she can add to her list of magical, colour-shifting pigments – a highlighter that we got exclusive access to is on the cards, along with more shades that she intends on introducing. Waqar is also interested in seeing how her products fares from summer to winter and whether the formulation might require further tweaking, though our estimate as long time users of countless brands is that the product will survive just fine.

When asked about the future, Waqar stated that while her heart still belonged to science and she wanted to pursue her idea of a doctorate when global conditions normalize, the woman with shimmering shades replied that she has no intention of abandoning her shades, though logistics and working out how to operate a business remotely will come later.

We’re sticking around to see what Poppy Colour Co produces next.