Much like Pakistan’s novice wellness industry, local makeup brands are gaining momentum. These new formulations have been especially concocted to suit skin tones, provide value for money, while boasting quality ingredients and packaging.

While the exchange rate has helped, local brands are now competing with their international counterparts, matching it pigment for pigment. Consumer demand has resulted in existing textile and retail brands branching out into beauty, as well as make room for new ones to enter the beauty market.

Local in focus: 5 fragrance brands on our radar

Here is a selection of some products readily available:

ZERO Makeup

Beauty and hair maven Nabila Maqsood has launched a series of unisex products under her label, ZERO Makeup, with a focus on minimalist beauty.

Beginning with the popular Face Perfecting Palette, launched a few years ago, the brand has since grown to include a Blurring Pen for both men and women, a foundation line and eyeliner/mascara duo.

The Instagram page, boasting nearly 200,000 followers, often feature makeup masterclasses by Nabila herself, for those looking to further understand how to use the products.

The product line ranges from Rs2,900-8,900.

Zhoosh Makeup

Begun in 2016 by a fashion consultant, Rabia Umair Abid, the brand has since grown to offer cream and liquid lipsticks, cream blushes, eyelashes and more.

The brand, boasting over 100,000 Instagram followers, became more popular during Covid, as it began offering dupes for Huda Beauty and Kylie Cosmetics with its long-lasting lip formulas.

The product line ranges from Rs450-4,950.

Local in focus: 5 skincare brands on our radar

Sapphire Beauty

Massarat Makeup

This veteran beauty maven was one of the pioneers of launching a makeup line in Pakistan, while aiming to be a true Halal-beauty brand as well as being cruelty-free.

The brand – boasting nearly 260,000 Instagram followers – offers everything from a wide range of silk foundations, to lipsticks, blushes and much more. There is a wide colour variety available and the products are specifically formulated for Asian skin tones.

The makeup line runs from Rs300-4,500.

Luscious Cosmetics

An affordable brand in the market, this cult brand offers stunning, pigmented products with quality formulation. Boasting nearly 240,000 followers on Instagram, this independent beauty brand debuted in 2007 and posits itself as vegan and cruelty-free.

The makeup line runs from Rs550-4,300.