There is no denying the fact that makeup is an essential part of an actress’s life. Makeup not only happens to be the demand of the camera but is one such tool that aids the actors in creating a visual impact of their character right from the moment the drama begins. In recent times, the Pakistani drama audience has seen a shift in the perspective of the actors where they are getting more comfortable with the idea of natural makeup looks. It is also because of the fact that the stories of Pakistani dramas revolve around the lives of people from regular walks of life. A lot more people see themselves in the stories of these characters, which not only resonates with them but also helps in establishing a connection with the character. In this regard, makeup plays a vital role and the responsibility lies on the actors as to how they want to convey and portray the essence of the characters that they are playing.
In recent times, there has been a lot of conversation happening about embracing your true self and it is becoming more about enhancing natural beauty instead of altering your features with the help of makeup. In some cases, heavy and made-up looks happen to be the demand of the character, which is why the glamorous makeup looks suit the dynamic and go well with the situation a character is faced with. However, the majority of the time, women in Pakistani dramas are faced with one calamity after another, which then doesn’t really justify the usage of heavy makeup and elaborate looks. It is also interesting to note that there are a lot more actors who do not feel shy in posting their pictures without makeup on their social media handles, which goes to show that they are very much comfortable in their own skin, therefore one fails to understand why they can’t sport the similar look in the dramas which will add more depth to their character and its portrayal.
Here is the list dedicated to all those Pakistani actresses who can definitely tone down their makeup in the dramas (the list in alphabetical order):
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Alizeh Shah
Alizeh Shah is one of the young actresses in the Pakistani drama industry. In such a short span of time, she gained a lot of fame and success. There is no denying the fact that her beautiful appearance and screen presence gave her a chance to be a part of some of the mega projects, however, this has been a general consensus about her that she relies a lot on the makeup and doesn’t let go of it even in the situations where her character is facing a lot of hardships and difficulties.
Alizeh Shah tries hard to go for more natural looks but somehow they end up being a bit too elaborate and made up. Due to the fact that she is pretty, she easily carries any kind of makeup but in her case, a little amount of product looks a bit too pronounced on her face, which ends up giving her a very glamorous look. She has been in quite a few plays where she had to cry buckets, her life turned upside down but the one thing that did not budge was her makeup. She can in fact she should definitely tone down her makeup looks to give a more close-to-reality feel to her characters on-screen.
Armeena Rana Khan
Armeena Rana Khan is naturally pretty and she does not need a lot of make-up. She would definitely look even prettier with minimal make-up looks. She has been in the industry for long enough to know what looks good on screen and when someone is going over-the-top. However, in her latest drama Mohabbatein Chahatein she focused entirely on her outlook. She made sure that not only was she sporting heavy make-up looks in this drama but she used as many accessories as she could.
Armeena Rana Khan probably wanted to look as stylish as she possibly could for her comeback play but she looks a little too made-up in all the scenes. Nowadays when all the actresses prefer a smudged eye-liner look Armeena decided to sport an eye-liner look in the drama which was rather intense. Other than that the blending of her foundation wasn’t smooth which resulted in a cakey effect. Mohabbat Ab Nahi Hogi aired some 6 years back but even back then Armeena wore really loud make-up all the time. In the drama serial Daldal as well she did not sport a natural make-up look and right till the end even when her character was going through the worst the make-up was shimmery as usual!
Anoushay Abbasi
Anoushay Abbasi is a phenomenal actress who always made her presence felt right from the time she started acting. It won’t be wrong to say that acting runs in her blood. Her effortless portrayals have always won the viewers over. After taking a long break from television, Anoushay made a comeback last year by playing a small role in the drama serial Mere Pass Tum Ho. She also played the main role in the drama serial Prem Gami and right now she is playing a central role in the hit drama serial Raqs-e-Bismil. She has lost a lot of weight and is focusing on her looks more than ever. When she was acting before she did not concentrate on her wardrobe or make-up but now both these aspects seem to be more important than ever to her.
In the drama serial Prem Gali she was seen wearing tons of make-up even in situations where such heavy make-up completely looked out of place. In Raqs-e-Bismil as well she is seen wearing make-up in those scenes which required a no make-up look. Most of her fans like her for looking natural looks on-screen therefore we hope that she will go back to sporting looks that suit the situations her character is shown in.
Asma Abbas
Asma Abbas is one of the leading actresses of Pakistani dramas in current times. Although she always does supporting characters, due to her undeniable screen presence, she always leaves a long-lasting impression. Asma Abbas’s experience as an actor is unparalleled, therefore it kind of makes it hard to understand why an actor of her stature finds it hard to give up on elaborate makeup looks.
Asma Abbas is also one such actress who plays such characters which are closer to reality, she is always a mother who is either too kind-hearted or even at times has a negative streak in her but one thing that fails to change about her overall appearance is the heavy usage of makeup, which is always quite obvious. It is understandable that due to harsh studio lights, the actors have to carry a certain kind of makeup because it all gets diffused under the lights but Asma Abbas wears layers of makeup which does not even get washed out under such harsh lighting.
Ayesha Gul
Ayesha Gul is another talented actor who usually plays supporting roles in Pakistani dramas. Ayesha Gul definitely knows the kind of treatment her characters deserve, because of which she not only gives impressive performances but also makes quite an impact through her work. However, she is also one of those actresses who despite working in so many dramas, still isn’t comfortable with the idea of opting for natural and subtle makeup looks.
Ayesha Gul’s makeup look is all about layers and layers of foundation, harsh contouring, dark black smokey eyes, and thick dark eyebrows. She often goes for nude lipsticks which may or may not suit her overall look. Ayesha Gul is at that stage of her career where she has established herself as an actor and has proved her craft, therefore she should be more comfortable in keeping her portrayal realistic without opting for such glamorous makeup looks for her characters.
Bushra Ansari
Bushra Ansari is considered a legendary actress who is known for her many talents. Over the years she has impressed her fans with her creativity and effortless acting. Nowadays however she has been concentrating excessively on her make-up and there have been so many times when her make-up looks were too loud and glamorous in different drama serials. In Deewar-e-Shab she did not only support a make-up look that was too loud but the hairpiece she sported made her character look really strange as well. In the drama serial Zebaish there was a great deal of focus on her styling make-up and outfits.
Bushra Ansari does not like it when people criticize her dressing and make-up and she is absolutely right. But, when it comes to portraying a certain character she should at least tone down her make-up in scenes that show that her character is going through hell. Gradually, she has turned into one of those actresses who rely excessively on make-up.
Ghana Ali
Ghana Ali usually plays supporting characters in dramas. Quite often she is the bhabhi or the sister, a rather typical character that can be presented on screen in a simple manner. Ghana Ali however never presents her characters as such because her hair is always sleek and straight, she also makes sure that she sports a complete make-up look with the sharp contouring taking the lead. She usually keeps her lip colors nude so that her make-up look does not look odd but it always does since the make-up is the same irrespective of the character she is playing. She is clearly one of those actresses who are quite conscious about how they look on-screen and hence never tones the make-up down.
Hiba Bukhari
In a short span of time, Hiba Bukhari has become a leading actress in Pakistani dramas. Hiba Bukhari has a huge fan base and is one of the well-reputed and respected celebrities of current times. Hiba Bukhari definitely is a good actor but she has a long way to go when it comes to her grooming. Be it her wardrobe choices, her hairstyling, or even her makeup, she rarely gets it right. Her wardrobe choices are always outdated and boring and her makeup is way too loud.
She is currently seen in the drama serial Fitoor, wherein in the initial episodes she had to cry continuously because of how her family’s reputation was tarnished, but neither her glossy lips nor her smokey eyes budged. The character played by Hiba Bukhari; Dilnasheen is shown to be a college-going student who comes from such a family where her mother is quite strict, she doesn’t approve of overspending and always keeps a check on her daughter’s demeanor, therefore for Dilnasheen to have such a heavy-hand on makeup doesn’t really make much sense. Hiba Bukhari naturally has thick and fuller eyebrows which already frame her face beautifully, therefore she needs to tone down the amount of makeup she uses to give herself a natural and realistic look.
Hina Altaf
Hina Altaf is one such actress who has clearly stated that she hates makeup but because it is a part of her job, she has to wear it. It is perfectly understandable that Hina is not into makeup but we wonder why it doesn’t show in her dramas at all? For someone who is not into a lot of makeup, she should feel a lot more comfortable with the minimal makeup looks but Hina Altaf has recently started wearing a lot more makeup than she used to before.
In the drama serial Kasa e Dil, the character of Soumya has been through a lot but seeing her carrying halo-eyed makeup all the time is pretty unrealistic. Another thing that Hina Altaf must definitely let go of is the tint that she uses which settles in the cracks of her lips and accentuates the dry patches so much, giving her a very bizarre look as if she just chewed a ‘paan’ before shooting the scene. Hina Altaf naturally has fresh spotless skin and she is a fan of lip and cheek tints which she has stated quite a few times, however, she really needs to learn how to use them to her benefit.
Iqra Aziz
Iqra Aziz’s fan following multiplied when she played a complex and rather unusual role in Ranjha Ranjha Kardi. However, she disappointed her fans when she chose to play a run-of-the-mill role in the drama serial Jhooti. This was a commercial drama that got the ratings but was not lauded by the more serious viewers who had huge expectations from the actress. Nowadays, Iqra Aziz is part of two of the most-watched dramas on air right now; Raqeeb Se and Khuda Aur Mohabbat both have viewers’ undivided attention for completely different reasons. However, apart from the fact that Iqra Aziz is now being stereotyped, her make-up seems to be over-the-top in both these dramas. Even in the drama serial Jhooti, from the colored lenses to the perfect makeovers in every single scene, Iqra Aziz’s make-up was a little extra in every single scene.
There is no denying the fact that Iqra Aziz is comfortable in her own skin since she has quite often posted pictures without any make-up at all on Instagram several times. Yet, when it comes to her on-screen appearances she has been constantly seen in make-up which was heavy and looked out of place. In Raqeeb Se, Iqra Aziz’s perfect and polished make-up looks do not go well with her rather uncouth character. In Khuda Aur Mohabbat since generally, there is so much focus on the visuals, there’s no surprise that Iqra Aziz looks picture perfect in every scene. Our make-up artists need to realize that they can easily give Iqra Aziz a no make-up look by avoiding overdoing the eye make-up in particular. We are surprised that a director such as Kashif Nisar allowed Iqra Aziz to wear such polished make-up for such a role. She is the only actress in the drama whose make-up seems out of place. Even though Ameera is fond of wearing make-up but her look is too suave for the role.
Maya Ali
Maya Ali has made a comeback to Pakistani dramas after years and she is currently seen in the drama serial Pehli Si Mohabbat. Maya Ali is quite active on social media and she is one of those few celebrities who do not shy away from posting raw, unfiltered pictures without any makeup. This is one of the most endearing aspects of her social media handle that as a celebrity she sends a message across to her young fans that it is very important to appreciate your natural beauty without relying on makeup or filters all the time. Therefore, it isn’t much to expect her to sport a somewhat basic look in her drama. Although Maya Ali has straight away refused to acknowledge that the character of Rakshi is wearing too much makeup but the audience can very well see the amount of makeup there is on her face.
This has been the point of discussion ever since Pehli Si Mohabbat has begun that Rakshi’s overall makeup look doesn’t really go well with the dynamic of her character. There has not been a single scene in Pehli Si Mohabbat where Maya Ali has not worn shimmery eyeshadows and has given her eyes an accentuated and defined look with the help of transition colors. Her character could’ve done totally fine without the over usage of kajal but sadly it adds a lot more maturity and age to her character than what she is suggested to be. There is quite an obvious and harsh contouring too which Maya didn’t need considering she already has a defined face structure. Maya Ali is definitely comfortable in her natural skin, her numerous pictures are a testimony of that, however, we wish she had projected that in her comeback drama too.
Rabia Butt
Rabia Butt is definitely grabbing the attention and coming into the limelight due to her unique acting style and dialogue delivery. Rabia Butt has been a model therefore she definitely understands makeup and the kind of looks that suit her face. Rabia Butt first got the attention of the audience with her drama Ye Dil Mera in which she played the role of a second wife of Mir Farooq Zaman. She is currently seen in Pehli Si Mohabbat and in both the dramas, she played the role of a woman who was glamorous and was quite attractive to her husband.
In Pehli Si Mohabbat, the character of Nargis probably came from a brothel and is now married to Rakshi’s father. In the initial episodes, her loud makeup actually made a visual impact on the kind of background she belonged to and where she came from but later, she could’ve definitely toned it down considering she was now at a better place and far more content with how her life turned out to be. Although it does define her character, as the episodes are progressing, she could’ve done really well without that much makeup because then her natural beauty would’ve shown through. The overly blended, almost grungy makeup look is definitely not an impressive or pretty look, to say the least.
Ramsha Khan
Ramsha Khan has proved her caliber as an actor and with her recent projects, she has shown what a mature performer and actor she is. Ramsha Khan has become quite famous and now more and more viewers look forward to her dramas. The best part about Ramsha Khan is that she is a natural actor and because of the ease and effortlessness with which she performs her characters, she makes it easier for the audience to relate and build a connection with her characters. However, it would definitely add a lot more depth and dimension to her portrayal if she tones down her makeup and opts for realistic and natural makeup looks.
In most of her dramas, she portrays the hardships young girls face on different fronts in their lives, therefore to see an elaborate eyeliner and eye makeup, almost flawless base, and fluttery eyelashes at all times, doesn’t really go with the situations her characters are faced with. She definitely can give up on makeup because she is naturally very pretty and it will do wonders for her performance on a visual front.
Sanam Jung
Sanam Jung is also one of those actresses who recently made a comeback in dramas. Both the dramas she starred in were highly disappointing and Sanam’s acting also left a lot to be desired. Sanam Jung was always more than comfortable sporting minimal make-up looks in her dramas but now she wears excessive make-up in all her dramas. Even though her character went through the worst phases in Mein Na Janoo but her make-up and styling were never compromised. Not only is her make-up loud but it also makes her look older than her age. Most of the looks Sanam is seen sporting in real life are far more appealing than the ones she has been seen sporting in dramas nowadays. In drama serial Qarar her make-up and styling have not just been OTT but it also does not compliment her features.
Sarah Khan
Sarah Khan is the most sought-after actress in the Pakistani television industry with a massive fan following. She has come a long way since she started her career both in terms of her standing as a performer on screen and her overall outlook. It won’t be wrong to say that out of all the popular actresses, Sarah Khan has truly polished herself the most over the years. She also has beautiful features and skin therefore even a no make-up look suits her but somehow lately Sarah Khan has consciously been part of projects which entail a lot of glamour. There is nothing wrong with that of course but Sarah Khan’s over-emphasizes on her make-up and even dressing is most often a distraction since her characters and even performances don’t stand out as much as her make-up does!
Sarah Khan looked gorgeous in Deewar-e-Shab, Sabaat, and Raqs-e-Bismil but her sharply-drawn eyebrows and ever-present make-up even when it was not needed went to show that she is over-relying on these makeovers. Miraal’s wardrobe and make-up both were sponsored by so many leading brands of the country which does suggest that the producers are also putting in the extra effort to make Sarah look gorgeous on screen. In Raqs-e-Bismil she is constantly seen wearing layers of make-up even in situations where it is not needed. For instance, when Zohra wore the abaya so that she will not be noticed on a public bus and in the university, her eye make-up was enough to grab anyone’s attention. There isn’t a single scene in Raqs-e-Bismil and there wasn’t even a single instance in Sabaat when Sarah Khan sported the kind of make-up look which showed that she was willing to compromise on her styling or make-up. We would love to see Sarah switching to more ‘everyday’ make-up looks in scenes that do not require heavy makeovers.
Shaheen Khan
Shaheen Khan has been a part of the industry for a long time now. She gets to play the roles of mother in Pakistani dramas, sometimes a mother from an educated and modern background or sometimes she comes from a humble little background. However, irrespective of what the dynamics of her family are, she is always well-groomed and wears the most trendy sort of makeup, with smokey smudged eyeliners to pink blushes and the gorgeous shades of nude lipsticks. Shaheen Khan is a gorgeous actress but she can definitely do with a bit of toned-down makeup to at least suit the character that she is playing.
Sohai Ali Abro
Sohai Ali Abro is not seen on screen very often. She is really selective about the roles she takes up and anyone who has watched her perform over the years will agree that when it comes to looking her best on television, Sohai does not make any compromises! Whether the role demands it or not everything about her styling and make-up is always on point. Unlike, some of the other actresses on this list, Sohai has never been seen in a no make-up look in a drama even when she was playing the role of an acid burn victim in the drama serial Surkh Chandni she chose not to go easy on the make-up.
Recently in the drama serial Prem Gali she was shown as a young girl who was not allowed to wear make-up and her mother especially made sure that she went to college without any make-up. Yet, in every single scene, Sohai wore as much make-up as she possibly could. So much so that there were times when her styling and make-up looks changed multiple times in a single episode! Sohai has a cute face and she would look even more attractive and suitable in different roles if she tones down on the make-up. Her pout is always the most conspicuous feature on her face because of how she wears her lipstick. If she feels that she cannot tone down on her make-up then she should choose to play roles that allow her to add such glamour to her looks. But then there are barely any roles that require wearing such heavy make-up all the time.
Sonya Hussyn
Sonya Hussyn is known for her exceptional acting skills right from the time she started performing. Her impressive dialogue delivery and natural performances won the viewers over long before she was the diva she is today. Sonya Hussyn’s styling and make-up underwent a major change a few years back and unlike before nowadays, she focuses a lot on how she looks. In Aisi Hei Tanhai even when her character was critical after being poisoned Sonya Hussyn’s make-up was intact. Her styling and make-up were always unnecessarily loud in drama serials Saraab and Ishq Zah-e-Naseeb.
In her latest drama, Mohabbat Tujhe Alvida Sonya Hussyn made the most of the situations her character was shown in and adopted the lifestyle of the rich class a little too quickly. Even when Ulfat wasn’t rich, Sonya Hussyn always sported a complete make-up look with everything in place. In the drama serial Aangan she made a brief appearance and her look in the initial phases was very filmi! There was a time when Sonya Hussyn was not keen on looking glamorous on-screen but now it is definitely a priority. She is another stunning Pakistani actress who can easily pull off a no make-up look and she can conveniently take her make-up off when needed in dramas yet she prefers working hard on her looks and make-up and chooses not to tone down her make-up even when it is necessary.
Yashma Gill
Yashma Gill has only starred in a handful of dramas and lately, she has been part of some of the most popular dramas. Her personal style can best be described as casual and cute therefore no matter which role she is playing, she always sports such looks. Like most of the actresses on the list Yashma has never been seen sporting harsh contour lines but she always goes overboard with her lip gloss!
In the drama serial Pyar Ke Sadqay her weird anime-like look made her character come across as even more annoying than it already was! Her blush was too heavy, her eyelids were usually tinted with the same shade as her blush and the lip gloss did not compliment this entire look at all. Right now in Phaans she is not wearing a lot of make-up otherwise but the lip gloss is a little too conspicuous as usual. Yashma especially needs to focus on her make-up looks in general because she either needs to tone down or add a little here and there.
Zohreh Amir
Zohreh Amir is mostly seen in supporting characters that too in a few episodes. However, she makes sure that during her short-spanned appearance in the drama, she glams herself up so much that everyone remembers her as a supporting actress who wears layers and layers of makeup. She is also one of those actresses who finds it hard to edit and omit the makeup products she uses in her regular routine.
Although Zohreh definitely has the kind of face and features that can carry heavy and glamorous looks, for a TV drama and especially for a character that isn’t actually adding much to the story, she really takes it a bit too far. High heels, perfectly wavy hairstyles, overly done makeup are some of the main elements one gets to see in the characters played by Zohreh Amir. She is naturally very pretty with unique features, she can definitely do without so much makeup.
Share your views in the comments section. Do you think these actresses should tone down their make-up? Would you add any other actresses to this list.