For the young brides, there is magic in her hands as she gives them the best look on their big day. But it has not been an easy decision for 28-year-old Masrat Rafiq, to open a makeup academy cum studio in Kashmir.
A resident of Srinagar’s Lal Bazar locality, Masrat grew up in Delhi and Mumbai and pursued her education from the childhood in the metropolitan cities as her family associated with the business of Kashmir arts mostly stayed out of Kashmir.
In Delhi, Masrat pursued her higher education in interior designing and makeup artistry but she did not keep herself restricted to a specific work and kept on exploring her creativity.
“I have worked with various professional models, photographers to publication houses and even got a chance to work with production houses,” she says. “I have my specialisation in natural makeup look, evening/party makeup, Gothic makeup, Pakistani bridal makeover, Arabic makeup, Airbrush makeup, but now I want to use all these skills in Kashmir.”
Since childhood, Masrat loved drawing and playing with colours.
“I loved drawing and sketching from childhood. I wanted to do different things and choose a different career where I could show my art and creativity. I topped in graduation which I pursued in interior designing,” says Masrat, a mother of a 4-year-old daughter.
In Delhi and Mumbai metropolitan cities, Masrat used to freelance as an interior designer as well as a makeup artist where she earned handsomely from celebrity makeup and interior designing. But in 2017, she decided to settle back in her home and start her dream project of makeup academy in Kashmir.
“When I came here and started researching for things, there were shutdowns and curfews for more than a week. Things seemed difficult but I decided to go ahead despite the stress,” she says.
In less than a year’s time, Masrat’s work is speaking for her and she is winning the hearts of young Kashmiri girls.
“People did not know me here but now I am slowly getting good responses as people see my work. I used to earn well outside but in Kashmir, which is my hometown, the work is more satisfying. I want to introduce things that I learned outside,” she says.
Lately, makeup artistry in Kashmir is gaining momentum due to the huge wedding market. Like all other things, the would-be brides have started spending hefty sums on makeup. There are more than a dozen makeup artists who have emerged from the past few years and have made a flourishing market.
But Masrat’s is the first ever makeup academy in Kashmir where the first batch of girls will kick start from this month.
Like Masrat, a generation of young women is breaking barriers in Valley and carving space for themselves in the limited business industry.
A large number of young and educated women are exploring business opportunities and have started to venture into the industry by opening state-of-the-art saloons, boutiques and cafés.
The generation of these women entrepreneurs are also creating a separate economy in which young women are finding employment opportunities.
In Masrat’s professional training academy, ‘Masrat Makeover Academy and Studio’ it offers a certificate course in self-makeup, bridal makeup, photo shoot makeup and party makeup.
Located in Srinagar’s Khanyar, Masrat has setup a full-fledged makeup classroom cum studio with all the modern facilities.
“The classes are set to begin from this week with an intake capacity of 40 girls. The idea is to provide the course at the doorsteps for girls in Kashmir. The course has all the modern infrastructure,” she says.
“My course is designed for all women whoever is passionate with reasonable fee. It is not just a business but also to inspire other women and also to make these girls financially independent,” she says.
