Salma Sarwar Kabita plans on introducing makeover styles that live up to international standards
A Bangladeshi international makeup artist is beginning to turn heads in the local makeover industry. With numerous accolades under her belt, Salma Sarwar Kabita she hopes to venture into the local industry and add her personal touch to it.
Becoming a full-time makeup artist was a surprising turn of events Kabita because initially her makeup skills were not good enough to make a career out of it, nor did she ever consider it. However, the more she associated with makeup enthusiasts, the fonder she became of cosmetics and the art of applying it.
At one point she decided to take up a course on makeup to polish her skills. “I enrolled myself at Malaysia Backstage Academy and completed a course within a month.” Following that Kabita often used to work on her friends and doll them up for different occasions. Soon, she realised where her interests lay and decided to a makeup artist professionally.
“So, in 2018, I graduated from London Makeup School with a degree in Beauty Makeup. It wasn’t a cakewalk for me while raising my toddler; I had to juggle my family and studies. But my institution was exceptionally considerate in this matter and allowed me to take only two classes per day”
During her time at London Makeup School, Kabita came under the scrutiny of Pat Mcgraith’s team and their right hand Christina, who also happened to be Kabita’s mentor. That enabled her join a group of elite makeup artists where she could prove her worth which ultimately led her to showcase her talent at London Fashion Week and various other prestigious events.
From there onwards, there was no looking back for the MUA.
Being a part of a professional team of beauticians, Kabita familiarised herself with the various trends and techniques and did not miss an opportunity to learn more about cosmetics from her world-renowned mentors.
“When you step into their world, you will witness the difference between our makeup artists and theirs. You will be surprised to know there are nine eras for makeup, and the beauticians rejuvenate them according to specific trends.”
Kabita observed that international makeup artists are firm and prefer to go by the rule books. In contrast, the local makeup artists are more into experimentation. “I observed that the makeup artists here are not in sync with the current worldwide trends and rely on earlier ones. Even though you might see people showing enthusiasm over a current trend, I haven’t seen anyone attempting it properly yet.”
“Lifting your features requires having to angle it outwards a little to create a tiny bit of lift. Eyes are our main feature, so it all starts with the eyebrow, which is the frame of our eyes. So, the shape of the brow starts the process, but it’s the technique and colour placement that make a huge difference in how your eyes look. All it requires is a few strokes.”
During her time in London, Kabita grasped the importance of brushes which are essentials for a perfect makeover. “There is a good reason behind why we use branded brushes. Brush will do everything for you. Contouring is very popular in Bangladesh, but it is rarely applied internationally except for movies and photography.
Salma Sarwar Kabita is dedicated to making her makeup style relevant in the industry, as it differs from the local makeup artists in Bangladesh. Being well aware of the challenges, she plans
on taking her time and creating styles that live up to international standards.
Photograph: Rony Rezaul