We had the pleasure of working with Aana Khan in Dubai and instantly fell in love with her personality and work. She is so true to her passion for makeup and hair and has dedicated her life to her craft. Alongside being uber talented, she herself is a joy to work with.
We insisted Aana answer a few questions for our audience.
Grazia: When did you realize your love for makeup? Can you tell us about your journey of discovering this passion of yours? Can you tell us who inspired you?
Aana: I started working at the age of 15 with my mother Aliya Tipu who is a legendary makeup maestro and well known celebrity in Pakistan. Initially, it was just a hobby being inspired by my mother and with time the hobby turned into passion for this form of art.
Grazia: Are you self-taught or did you train somewhere?
Aana: It all came very naturally to me and perhaps it runs in my blood. Seeing my mother I developed interest in this art very early on and once I picked up the brushes I realized I had the talent for it. And when my mother saw my talent she encouraged me and took me under her training.
Grazia: When did you set up your studio in Dubai? How has the experience been so far?
Aana: I’ve been in this profession for more than 16 years now and have been based in UAE for 11 years. I have my own studio by the name of Aana Khan’s Glam Studio in Mudon Arabella. The experience has been phenomenal and I couldn’t be more grateful to be doing something I so dearly love and enjoy.
Grazia: Can you tell us an average day in the life of Aana Khan ? When do you wake up? How does work occupy your day?
Aana: My day starts at 6am to get my kids ready for school. My clients start coming in by 7:30am. If I get a break from appointments I rush to the gym and Starbucks. You can call me a fitness and coffee freak. If I’m not busy with my client commitments, I spend quality time with my kids after school focussing on their academics, extra curricular activities and play dates.
Once I get free from work, I put my kids to bed by 7pm. At the end of the day when I am done with my work duties and mommy duties, I like to spend quality time with my husband, watching some movies or dramas or going out to a nice cafe.
Grazia: With such a busy life, how do you balance work and personal life? Has it ever been challenging?
Aana: It is a massive challenge that constantly plays on your mind. One has to manage time efficiently and make the most of it when you get the opportunity. My work does at times keep me away from home and family but they understand and always support me. Moreover, I also make sure that I never miss any of the special occasions, events, school performances or when a family member falls sick.
Grazia: What are your goals for the next 10 years? Do you want to expand your studio in different locations?
Aana: I want to continue learning the art of makeup and while further strengthening my forte which is bridal makeup, I also want to diversify my skill set. I would like to think global and not remain restricted to a particular region and hope to work with international celebrities for events and productions.
Grazia: What is your favourite kind of makeup?
Aana: Bridal makeup is definitely my forte and what I excel at. I’ve grown up learning from and assisting my mother who is a bridal specialist who works on dozens of brides every day. I believe that once you’ve mastered bridal makeup, it makes learning the other forms of makeup easy.
Grazia: What are the 3 makeup products that you can not live without?
Aana: Those would be 1. Lip tint, 2. Foundation, and 3. Mascara
Grazia: How would you guide a client to prep their skin before coming to you? Any tips for skincare before applying makeup?
Aana: I would first encourage my clients to wash their face with lukewarm water and then use a soft and mild cleanser. Afterwards they must use a gentle daily exfoliator scrub to get rid of the dead cells. And then finally, they should apply a toner for oily skin or serum for dry skin.
Grazia: What is that one beauty trend that you love and a trend that you are not fond of?
Aana: I’m absolutely loving trying out metallics these days and it’s going to be a huge trend in the entire 2022 fashion scene. On the other hand, I’m not that fond of neon striking looks.
