It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Masarrat Misbah or Masarrat Baji, as she is fondly referred to, is a name to reckon with when it comes to beauty salons in Pakistan. I remember Depilex, a good twenty years ago, as the first professional salon in Lahore. There were others, of course, but the hygienic conditions and standard of services and the overall feel of Depilex was different. And better. I remember going to Depilex for skin polishes and spots of electrolysis (neither of which I would recommend to anyone these days) and even an occasional hair trim. The many branches of Depilex were superior. What elevated MM, beyond all of this, was Smile Again, her initiative to help, cure and rehabilitate acid-burn victims.
Khushbakht Shujaat and Masarrat Misbah
So when MM launched Masarrat Misbah Makeup, I was interested. It’s an OPP (opening price point) product and has none of the flash and luxury that many of us are used to in a beauty product but I predict it’ll serve the masses very well. The makeup, made in Turkey, is “certified halal†which means that it contains animal fat from only halal animals (no pig fat) and it contains no alcohol. That will raise its mass appeal even further. It also reduces the makeup’s shelf life (because the minimization of preservatives means the product will expire rapidly) but at this price that seems a good bargain.
Masarrat Mibah with Sultana Siddiqui and Bushra Ansari
The product range is quite comprehensive: an array of liquid foundations, blush-ons, eye shadows, lipsticks, liquid liner and mascara. The only thing missing, MM said herself, was “pencils†which she will be adding to the range soon.
Fia and Zhalay
“I’ve kissed so many people and even had lunch and this lipstick still hasn’t come off,†a sprightly model said at the launch in Karachi.
Maheen Khan & Maria Wasti
– Photographs by Movie Shoovy and Aeisha Saleem
