Afghan Makeup Artist’s Nilofar Abbasi reigns supreme as SA’s best brow bar

From fleeing Afghanistan after threats from the Taliban to starting a small business against the odds, these sisters have now been crowned SA’s best brow bar three years in a row.

They fled war-torn Afghanistan as children after coming under threat from the Taliban, now this pair of sisters are the eyebrow queens of Adelaide.

For the third year in a row, Afghan Makeup Artist’s Nilofar Abbasi and Humera Abbasi have taken out the title of best brow bar in South Australia as a part of The Advertiser’s ‘best of’ series.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support of my family and brow community – my clients – and I’m so appreciative of them taking the time to vote again this year,” Nilofar said.

But for Nilofar it hasn’t all been glitz and glamour, saying there is ‘no way’ she could have accomplished what she had if she stayed in Afghanistan.

“I wasn’t even a one-year-old and my father was receiving messages from the Taliban saying if he didn’t leave the country within this many days, and if they saw him, he would have been killed,” Nilofar said.

“There is no way I could have done what I have if I was still in Afghanistan, we would be shamed and called a s**t for working.

“Being an Afghan woman, we don't have a great future in our country for women, so to be a successful Afghan woman, it’s so empowering.”

Afghan Makeup Artist Academy and sisters Humera Abbasi and Nilofar Abbasi have won best brow bar for the third time. Picture: Keryn Stevens

After fleeing Afghanistan, the sisters eventually made their way to Australia with their family as refugees.

“I didn’t know a word of English, I was working three jobs, studying to be a police officer,” Nilofar said.

“I was a no one who started this business as a side business, just doing makeup, threading but I never thought I could take it to where it is today.”

Starting in 2014, Nilofar has built her business into an empire, spending the last year creating her own academy, teaching women of all ages about the industry.

“I started at the age of 17 with zero and got to where I am today is because I pushed myself and I had the support of family around me so I wanted to give my community same support,” she said.

Afghan Makeup Artist Academy and sisters Humera Abbasi and Nilofar Abbasi have won best brow bar for the third time. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“I’ve even held free classes for my people so they can have their start in life and have the skills to make them great.”

With more than 100 South Australian students, the mum-of-four will spend time growing her brand interstate, with Nilofar offering a one-day, two-day and three-day courses on all things brow including microblading.

“In April I’ll be taking my academy to Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney and then hopefully build my brand enough to eventually open shops interstate,” she said.