It runs in the family: Masarrat Misbah And Nighat Misbah

Sisters Masarrat Misbah, CEO of Depilex, and Nighat Misbah, Director of Depilex take us down memory lane. From putting on shows for their friends and family as children to sharing a passion for make-up as adults, these sisters are two peas in a perfect pod



What is your first memory of each other?

Masarrat: There was a time when she was a teenager and her room was fully pasted, floor to ceiling, with posters of all the pop singers in the world. She had the largest collection but I can guarantee she couldn’t remember a single song.

Nighat: She is the eldest of our ‘Brady Bunch’. I was never naughty but if baji said you were a culprit in front of our parents then we had no choice but to say yes. My first memory of her is creating a line dance together for a home play.

What is the craziest thing you have done together?

Masarrat: We use to get really creative, dress up in our mother’s saris and dupatta, and record videos on film songs mimicking famous artists. We would perfect a song or a skit and invite the entire neighborhood. We loved the attention.

Nighat: We had these life-size, handmade Pakistani village dolls. So, we got the tailor to make a bridal outfit and a sherwani for the dolls and had a pretend wedding. We even invited all of our friends and cousins! Somehow, the pictures ended up in an Urdu newspaper stating ‘Daughters of businessman Misbahuddin Khan wed dolls in real Pakistani wedding and spent a fortune’. My father was so embarrassed!



What did you get punished for the most as a child?

Masarrat: Being the eldest I’ve always felt responsible since my siblings look up to me, so I may have taken advantage of that and scolded them.

Nighat: I remember once I went out with my sisters to eat ice cream, which at that time was a luxury. I was supposed to let my parents know, which I didn’t, so when we returned, we all got a scolding of a lifetime. Then when our parents left, I got an additional scolding for getting everyone into trouble.

If you could only wear one piece of clothing for the rest of your life, from the others closet, what would it be?

Masarrat: She has beautiful clothes, so whatever I can fit into I’ll grab because she is much slimmer than me.

Nighat: I would take all her beautiful scarfs. She has a huge collection and her wardrobe is a haven to modern and vintage accessories.



If you could swap places with each other, what is the first thing you would do?

Masarrat: Her love for animals is the first quality I want to swap!

Nighat: Her determination to be on top, and be the best at everything is the quality I want to swap. Her constant energy amazes me.

What is the one thing you love about your sister?

Masarrat: Everything.

Nighat: Everything!

If you are fighting with each other, how do you make up?

Masarrat: We have never fought.

Nighat: She is my eldest sister, and she is Masarrat Misbah, my life is too precious so I have never fought with her.



What is the one secret talent your sister has, that you wish you did too?

Masarrat: To most people she is known as a make-up artist, but she is also an MBBS doctor, so I wish I had her medical knowledge.

Nighat: She is very creative and talented. She is a master in her field. Sometimes I feel she has a personal charger, which she plugs into herself because she is always on the go.

Describe your sister in three words:

Masarrat: Nighat is caring, passionate and has a lot of love for all living things.

Nighat: Baji is graceful, poised and has a tender heart.

Which fictional character is your sister most like?

Masarrat: Nighat is like the main character in The Bionic Woman.

Nighat: Masarrat is the living version of Cruella de Vil.

How are your personalities similar?

Masarrat: We share many similar traits like being soft-spoken and telling random, senseless jokes, but above all, our passion for the welfare of humanity is in our genes.

Nighat: We love our work. We as a family have invested ourselves in the art of making women feel beautiful. We have always been supported by our parents and have been just as  supportive of our children as well.

I can’t live without my sister because…

Masarrat: There is no reason to think that I can live without her. She has always been a constant pillar of support for me and I cannot imagine my life without her presence.

Nighat: I cannot imagine my life without her. She is the sunshine in my life and the tree that shades us from all the bad in the world.