A model in a black wide-brimmed hat and black turtleneck, one arm raised behind her head, red lipstick, against a pale grey studio backdrop.

Layer Beauty School

Photograph: Andrey Zvyagintsev / Unsplash

Karachi — Autumn intake 2026

  • Admissions open. Classes begin Monday 5 October.
  • Runway, makeup, bridal, hair and camera, taught in a working studio.
  • Twelve students a batch — never more.
Book a free trial class

01From the director

Black-and-white profile portrait of a woman with shoulder-length dark hair and a small hoop earring.
Samina Durrani. Photo: Noah Blaine Clark

“We don’t teach anyone to be pretty. We teach a trade — light, skin, posture, and the discipline of arriving on time with a clean kit. The glamour is what other people see afterwards.”

I opened Layer after fifteen years of bridal and editorial work in Karachi, tired of assistants who had certificates but had never done a face under studio lights. Everything here is taught the way it happens on a real booking.

Samina Durrani Founder & Director, since 2014

02The school

A working studio that happens to teach.

Layer is a small school in Gulistan-e-Johar training models, makeup artists and hair stylists for Karachi’s fashion, bridal and commercial work.

The name is the method. A face is built in layers — prep, base, contour, colour, light — and so is a career: one skill set on top of the last. Classes are capped at twelve and taught by people who still take bookings, so what you learn on Tuesday is what they used on Saturday.

  • Studio2,400 sq ft, ground floor
  • Makeup baysSix, with daylight-balanced mirrors
  • Runway strip9 metres, marked for turns
  • Photo coveWhite cyclorama, strobes and reflectors
A makeup artist in black works on a seated model in a grey coat, in a large industrial studio.
A timed practical in the studio. Photo: Alena Plotnikova
A lit vanity mirror framed with round bulbs, brushes and products on the counter below.

03In numbers

  • 2014First batch, eleven students, one borrowed room
  • 1,480Graduates, across twenty-four intakes
  • 12Students per batch, the most we take
  • 9Instructors, all still working in the industry

Figures as of September 2026.

04Courses

Six courses, 2026–27

Every course ends in something you can show: a live walk, a bridal look on a real client, or a set of retouched images for your portfolio.

Black-and-white photo of a model in a white tulle dress walking away down a dark runway.

Runway & Posing

The walk, the turn, the stance, and holding a pose for camera. Ends with a live show for invited designers.

Length10 weeks BatchWeekday StartsMon 5 Oct
Close-up of a brush blending gold eyeshadow along a lash line.

Professional Makeup Artistry

Skin prep, colour theory, and editorial and commercial looks. Your professional kit is included.

Length16 weeks BatchWeekday or weekend StartsSat 10 Oct
A bride in a red and gold embroidered outfit with a matha patti and heavy necklace.

Bridal & Party Makeup

Mehndi, baraat and walima looks, long-wear bases for heat and flash, and setting the dupatta. Needs makeup basics.

Length8 weeks BatchWeekend StartsSat 24 Oct
Hands pinning pin-curls into a model's hair, seen from behind.

Hair Styling & Dressing

Blow-dries, curls, braids and bridal updos: first on practice heads, then on models.

Length12 weeks BatchWeekday StartsMon 12 Oct
A photographer shoots a model in a black catsuit on a white studio set with strobes.

Camera & Portfolio

Angles, light and expression. Ends with a shoot with a working photographer and twelve retouched images.

Length6 weeks BatchWeekend StartsSat 31 Oct
A bearded man in a black velvet blazer seated on a carved wooden chair.

Grooming & Menswear Modelling

Skin, beard and hair care, how suits should fit, and posture, for castings and commercial shoots.

Length8 weeks BatchWeekday StartsMon 16 Nov
Weekday batches Mon–Thu · Weekend batches Sat–Sun Course photos: Chalo Garcia, Lola Azizada, Muhammad Asim, engin akyurt, Lana Mattice, Haseeb Sandhu / Unsplash
A model in an ivory embroidered lehenga and floral headpiece walks a runway between rows of seated guests under spotlights.
Walk first. The clothes come after. Photo: Yogendra Singh / Unsplash

05Faculty

Taught by people on call

None of our instructors teaches more than three days a week. The rest of the time they’re on set, backstage or in a bridal suite.

Black-and-white portrait of a woman in a white shirt, one hand at her neck.
Runway & Posing

Areeba Khalid

Walked eleven seasons of Karachi and Lahore shows; now casts and coaches for them.

Photo: vahid kanani
Black-and-white portrait of a young woman with her hair pulled back, wearing a black high-necked top.
Makeup Artistry

Hira Siddiqui

Editorial and campaign makeup for eight years; leads the skin and colour modules.

Photo: Yash Mevawala
Portrait of a bearded man with thick wavy hair, looking to the side.
Hair & Grooming

Faraz Ahmed

Salon owner and bridal hair specialist; teaches updos, cutting basics and men’s grooming.

Photo: Aamir Iqbal Amir
Black-and-white portrait of a man in a striped shirt with his hands pressed together.
Camera & Portfolio

Omer Baig

Fashion and commercial photographer; shoots every graduate’s portfolio himself.

Photo: Imad92 Asad

06Admissions

The details, plainly

Fees are per course. Prices hold for any course that starts before 31 December 2026.

Ask about a seat
Duration
6 to 16 weeks, depending on the course
Weekday batch
Monday to Thursday, 11:00–15:00
Weekend batch
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00–16:00
Class size
Twelve students, maximum
Included
Studio time between classes, one portfolio shoot, a printed certificate, and a starter kit on the makeup courses
Not included
Replacement products once your kit runs out, and agency registration fees
Fees
PKR 65,000 – 180,000 · pay in full, or in three instalments
Age
16 and over. Students under 18 enrol with a parent or guardian, who signs the consent form.
Language
Urdu and English
How to enrol
  1. Book a free trial class by phone or WhatsApp.
  2. Visit the studio with a copy of your CNIC or B-Form.
  3. Pay a 30% deposit to hold your seat.
Next intake
Monday 5 October 2026
A young woman with long straight hair in a teal sequinned sari, standing outdoors at golden hour.
Photo: Mahnoor Ikram / Unsplash

07A graduate

I came in knowing how to smile for a phone camera. Ten weeks later I could hold a pose under studio lights for forty minutes and still look like I meant it. My first paid shoot came from portfolio day.

Sana Aftab Runway & Posing, then Camera & Portfolio · 2024

Now models for two Karachi lawn brands and walks bridal shows in the winter season.

08Visit

Come and sit in on a class

Address
K-4 University Hill Villas, Block 1
Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi 74200
Pakistan
Phone & WhatsApp

+92 21 3461 2708 (studio)
+92 321 274 8190 (WhatsApp)

Email

admissions@layerschoolpk.com

Front desk hours
Mon–Thu
10:00–18:00
Sat–Sun
10:00–17:00
Friday
Closed
Call the studio Message on WhatsApp
University Hill Villas, Block 1, Gulistan-e-Johar. Open in Google Maps