Discovering what you love to do and actually doing it is a blessing and not everyone is fortunate enough to have it this way. Abirah Kazmi’s story is indeed an inspiring one that we thought is absolutely worth sharing
Abirah developed a knack for makeup a little over six years ago. She narrates her story to date back at a time when life was more about worrying about work and studies than actually working or studying. After constant difficulties in academics, she found solace in doing makeup, and hence her first Instagram page, “Abirah_says” came into being in 2017.
The first objective of her Instagram page was simply to enjoy what she was doing. It was only her, a humble basket full of makeup and an inextinguishable love for makeup. After spending countless nights watching YouTube, reading articles, and experimenting on herself, she increased her minimal knowledge of makeup to everything that she knows now.
After struggling through her bachelor’s degree, she found time to focus full-time on makeup. Alas! That was too much to ask for in the modern capitalistic economy so she had to work full-time at a tech firm in marketing a few months after graduating. She narrates her struggle to stay as active as possible with her followers saying that it was primarily like doing two full-time jobs (One of which you know she loved more). Due to an uncomfortable work environment, she had to resign after just five months of work despite needing the money to grow her influence.
Little that she knew life was about to flip for her
2nd of January 2019 she underwent an emergency retinal detachment surgery, leaving her scared both literally and figuratively. After spending nearly a month in bed she got to know one of her eyes had developed a ‘squint’.
“This coupled with the fear that this might happen again if I were to stress my eyes left me at rock bottom of depression and loneliness.”
As a ray of recovery mustard in her, the energy to sit in front of a camera started to grow
She explains that with one eye looking out of shot and her vision not helping her out either, she filmed videos and posted pictures. The response from all of her followers was overwhelming and raised her strength to keep working hard despite the odd troll online. She says “there are still tens of videos and photos of me on my Instagram where I had one eye totally out of axis. What I wanted to do was to simply focus on what I loved to do and I did just that.”
After two years of hope of recovery, numerous mental breakdowns, taunts, and plausible deniability she decided to get yet another surgery done on my eye to fix my squint. As traumatizing as it was, she came out unscathed. After spending 2 years without being able to look straight or being physically unable to look into someone’s eyes while talking to them, Abirah was back to normal.
Now was the time when her confidence and motivation zoomed up to the moon
She got a new job in a café to fund her passion. She worked incredibly hard to reach her goals, however, more health and workplace issues resulted in her resignation from her job after a 1.5-year tenure. However, now her mind was set on launching her very own brand, and lo and behold, on the 9th of October 2021 she launched “Abirah Organics” an organic hair care and skincare brand.
After the struggles of her life, Abirah has come a long way. From staying up nights learning how to do makeup to my art being recognized by people. She said nothing ever really goes according to plan. With the failures coming up, she felt like quitting every day, but her love for makeup was greater than the pain she had dealt with. She says her journey has just begun, and she intends to start her own cosmetic line in the near future, but that is a story for another day.
You can find her here: @abirah_kazmi_ and be a part of her journey.
Cover Image via @abirah_kazmi_/instagram