Bina Khan, a name that is known by almost every girl in Karachi for her stellar makeup skills and her warmth, has made an announcement that has left us feeling proud of her but also reeling in what it means for all the brides and the makeup industry in general. All those that have been lucky to have been dolled up by her on their big day, vouch for how thoughtful and supportive Bina Khan is during the most nerve wrecking time for brides – the dolling up session.However, after building a beautiful community in Karachi over a span of 23 years, Bina Khan is now closing her doors due to the pandemic.
We laud her for her courage to do the right thing. With over 150k cases in Pakistan, such close contact services as those offered at salons put not only the client at risk but also the ladies working the magic. With a heavy heart, Bina Khan has taken a decision to shut down the business – what a responsible thing to do in these unprecedented times.
She took to her Instagram to make the announcement:
“All this month I was reminded of this moment in one of my favourite films, You’ve Got Mail, where Kathleen [Meg Ryan] closes her store at last and leaves behind this farewell sign for the community that her little shop created. So it seemed fitting to leave the same sign for you as well, my dear, beloved, salon family,” she said.
Accepting of the realities and the limitations of the world we live in now, Bina Khan acknowledges that the world is not going to be safe for close contact work any time soon. “And the services we provide are not essential services, not from anywhere…I will not help create chain upon chain of infection, I cannot reconcile it with my conscience. So….we close,” she said. “I have been in touch with my brides and we are starting the long process of returning their advances. No running seasonal business expects to suddenly have to return 6 months of their revenue, and it will be a struggle to achieve this.”
The makeup guru added that she was not afraid of hard work and hopes to refund everyone. “But I am not afraid of hard work, so I hope to get to everybody soon with refunds.”
She hopes that by the end of the year she can return to getting her brides ready “but we will need to revisit the situation in a few months to be sure it is safe”.
We love her makeup skills and her kind heart, and sincerely hope that once the pandemic is over, we see Bina Khan make a comeback, stronger than ever before.