7 Pakistani beauty products that are surprisingly awesome

You know what I'm tired of? Not being able to get the branded beauty products I want.

With Facebook pages bringing foreign branded beauty products to Pakistan and even many official websites helping out with such needs, you'd think it would be easy for me to get my hands on those Anastasia Beverly highlighters, right?

Well, it still bugs me because a) the products takes forever to get here and b) I end up paying almost double due to taxes, shipping and dealer profits. I love these pages but sometimes, that just gets to me.

Also read: I tried 5 on-trend Korean beauty products (including snail gel) so you won't have to

One fine day, I was getting rid of a serious case of buyer's remorse by shopping more (I may have a problem) when I realized I was not staring at imported branded goodies, I was staring at this range of lipsticks from a local brand.

And I said to myself... well first I said "I need this!" and bought like five... but after that I said to myself "There are more out there."

We have some very good Pakistani brands and each have their own range of products to offer, some which are cult faves. We have the pricey ones and the dirt cheap ones (which make you feel really good about your spending) but they can easily compete with imported labels we order from abroad.

1) Masarrat Misbah Silk Foundation

Price: Rs. 1,450

Oh, this beauty product is a must have for makeup artists in Pakistan. Masarrat Misbah, a renowned figure in the fashion industry, launched her cosmetics line last year and before even branching out, this foundation was in demand.

And I know why now. It's better than the L'oreal True Match and the Maybelline Fit Me foundations and is actually a great dupe for the much coveted Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.

The shade range caters to all Asian skin tones and pays attention to South Asian skin dilemmas, like humidity. It's almost always out of stock because we love it that much! Might as well be Pakistan's Kylie Lipkit!

Considering how oily my face is (you could fry an egg on it), this stayed on my face all day, gave a natural finish and did not leave me looking like an oil field. That, people, is a win.

2) Luscious Brow Luxe Tinted Brow Gel

Price: Rs. 895

Only recently did I find out the difference made by unruly eyebrows. And how easily they can make or break a face (And I mean break! like, they can look like dents, if not done right).

I also realized and not only did I never pay attention to them before, an added step of brows in my daily routine should not take long. This brow tint caters to that and can easily give Anastasia Beverly a run for her money.

3) Atiqa Odho Blushes

Price: Rs. 450

Ah, the first celebrity cosmetics line in Pakistan, how could we forget you? Well, the color range of their pretty blushes is huge from the brightest pink to a highlighter gold.

And they pack a lot of pigmentation in those little containers, so not only does a little go a long way but but it lasts a long time as well. I used to love Sleek's blushes, but these are tough competition for those.

With each shade named after a bird, you'll be feeling fly!

4) Sweet Touch Twin Cake Face Powder

Price: Rs. 665

Didn't expect this did you? Neither did I, for the longest time. Until my friend raved about this, I was very 'meh' towards Sweet Touch, there was nothing in their range that stood out to me as such.

However, their face products are good. And this powder is what you need in this humid country. It keeps you looking fresh and matte. It's better than most translucent powders that drugstore brands abroad like Nyx offer.

I can easily throw this in my bag and it's perfect for touch-ups; the powder blends in and matches your skin tone so you don't look like a cakey, powdery mess.

5) Clazona 24 hr matte lip gloss (Liquid Lipstick)

Price: Rs. 150

Okay, say goodbye to every single liquid lipstick on your wishlist that isn't this because this Sialkot based company's little jewel will easily become a holy grail product in your makeup bag. I don't know why they say gloss when they are a liquid lipstick but heck, when something is this good, you don't complain!

Remember that product I bought five of? Yeah, this is the one. And guess what? Even after buying five I still didn't pay half of what I would for an average matte liquid lipstick. They aren't uncomfortable, last throughout the day and aren't transferable! Clazona's formula makes me like them more than ColourPop.

I don't know of any online place that sells these but they are available in all super stores etc.

6) Medora of London Lipsticks

Price: Rs. 105

I was very biased when it came to these lippies. Like "Ew they probably turn your lips black" because I don't know, Medora. But after a lot of peer pressure, I decided to at least check them out. And I was overwhelmed.

They have enough lipsticks to rival the best of lipsticks, in fact, this Swat based company has dupes for almost all popular lipsticks out there. I have a weakness for berry shades and to find five of those alone had me giddy. The formula is decent too!

Read also: The boys weigh in: Yay or nay to a ruby pout?

Frankly, Medora is like Pakistan's Wet n Wild; that drugstore brand that has dupes for all the reigning lip shades from the big names in the game.

7) Organic Secrets Sea Whisper Shampoo

Price: Rs. 800

I love the Big Shampoo from Lush so when I discovered this I just had to give it a try. Its a great dupe for it and a great shampoo overall! While it does not have the aromas that Lush carries, it does exactly the same; cleanses your hair and gives you amazing volume.

It's a cleansing shampoo so not for regular use, but perfect for those days when you need that extra oomph. I have flat hair so this has become an instant fave!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some more goodies to stock up on.

The writer can be reached on Twitter