Make-up Trend: Lush Lashes

A full strip of false lashes can feel drag quuen-ish, but not if you pull it off as artfully as Preity Zinta at the IPL Awards. Things to keep in mind: first off, before applying, be sure to trim the lashes to fit the length of your lid. And secondly, keep the rest of your eye makeup subtle—a stripe of liquid liner and a wash of neutral shadow is all the extra pop you'll need.

Rec: Ardell Fashion Lashes Strip Lashes in 110 Black

Make-up Trend: Subtle Brown Smoky Eyes

After the gorgeous Grazia India cover, Preity Zinta once again looks stunning on the March issue of Maxim India. What stood out on this cover were her subtle brown smoky eyes. To get the look, smudge dark brown eye shadow around your upper and lower lashlines. Using a soft brush, blend a brown-black from lash line to crease, and as your blending wing out the outter corners ever so slightly. Blend the same shade along lower lash line with a dense brush. Softly sweep a mix of the ivory and shimmery nude shades along brow bone. Complete the eyes with multiple coats of black mascara.

Rec: Sephora Brown Smoky Eyes Palette

Make-up Trend: Brushed Brows

On the latest issue of Grazia India Preity Zinta showed off bold and well-groomed brows. Rather than overplucking your arches to thin lines, tweeze out only strays and brush the rest in place with a clean mascara wand. Neat, shapely, thick brows give your entire face a balanced and sophisticated look. 

Rec: Tweezerman Slant Tweezer

Make-up Trend: Tea Rose Lips

Pale pink may be a soft and subtle color, but at Karan Johar's Fashion for HDIL Couture Week, Preity Zinta showed us it could brighten up your entire face. Choose a shimerless formula, but don't be afraid to use a heavy hand when applying: A few extra coats will create a slightly opaque effect that draws attention to the lips.

Rec: Dior Addict High Shine Lipstick in Rose Show

Make-up Trend: Long Lashes

At the Loomba Trust Honoring Award Show, Preity Zinta brought the drama—with her lashes, that is. Looking at the picture above, it looks like she has incredibly thick long lashes. To make your lashes look as lust-worthy as Preity's, dust your lashes with translucent powder before curling them and adding mascara. It makes them look bigger and longer, and gives the mascara something to cling to.

Rec: Laura Mercier Translucent Powder

Make-up Trend: Matte Lips

While fellow ambassadress Kareena Kapoor went for glossy lips in her ad, Preity Zinta took a walk on the matte side in her new Gitanjali ad this week by sporting a muted nude lip. If your favorite lipstick has a bit too much sheen, you can mattify it by dabbing freshly applied color with a light dusting of translucent face powder, which will soak up the lipstick's oils.

Rec: M.A.C Kinda Sexy Lipstick

Make-up Trend: Black Eyeliner

Anyone knows you can get sultry eyes without a mastery of liquid liner. If you want a more intense stare, you can get the same effect as Preity Zinta by lining your upper and lower inner rims with black pencil.

Always use a freshly sharpened eye pencil when lining the inner rims of eyes. Powder shadow, liquid liners or unsharpened pencils can irritate your peepers and spread infections.

Rec: Givenchy Magic Kajal Eye Pencil

Make-up Trend: Nude, Pinky-Beige Lips

Kareena Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Priyanka Chopra and Shilpa Shetty all made their way to FICCI Frames, India's biggest Global Convention for mainstream entertainment. Other than being queen bees in Bollywood what other thing did these leading ladies have in common? Pinky-beige lips!

With all four of them wearing four different colors, they all paired their similar looking pouts with different eye make-up and cheeks. Make-up artist Vimi Joshi used M.A.C Lipstick in Twig with different lip liners to suit the girls' different skin tones to create the perfect nude lip for them.

Rec: M.A.C Lipstick in Twig

Aniruddha Chakladar Talks Diwali Make-up Trends

“The key is to look casual and the make-up should complement that,” feels make-up artist Aniruddha Chakladar. Diwali is early this year, and therefore more humid, he cautions. “So keep the base to a minimum. Use some eyeshadow, coordinating the colors with your outfit. Blend in a bit of neutral black and brown. Use black kohl on the upper lid. No kohl for the lower lid, just a touch of silver or gold or white, unless your eyes are very big. Finish off with black mascara,” he explains. “Add a touch of blush in neutral shades like peach, unless you are dark, in which case stick to browns. Finish with a dash of fresh gloss in a toned-down shade.” adds Aniruddha.

Skincare/Make-up Trend: Blemish Free Skin

Beautiful skin like Preity Zinta's starts with a few simple lifestyle changes. Always wash your face before bed and avoid high-sugar foods. Studies suggest increased insulin levels can increase oil gland activity.

If a pimple pops up before a big event, a combination of benzoyl peroxide and clindamycin cream used on the spot is a great zit zapper.

Rec: Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment

Make-up Trend: Enhanced Lashes

Want a flutter like Preity Zinta? A lash curler can get you only so far. Attach small clusters of fake lashes along the outer half of each top lashline. A full band of lashes are best left to on-stage performers.

To keep your faux flutters a secret, be sure to use a gray lash glue (conventional adhesive dries looking white).

Rec:Ardell Duralash Naturals Individual Lashes

Mickey Contractor Talks Make-Up

Mickey Contractor, the make up man to stars including the lovely Aishwarya Rai, sets about busting some long cherished make up myths.

"What looks best on a woman is always in," he said. "Trends will come and go. Like for instance the bright red/pink lips and cat eye liner of the Seventies is back with a bang. There are three or four trends, which keep rotating. You have the minimalist, the liner-based look and the color centric look. These are shuffled back and forth. You need to pick up what you like and what suits you. Yellow is very hot now."

From here

....to here

Mickey, who has worked in movies from Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya to Salaam E Ishq says: "Bollywood has the tendency to go overboard. That is because we wear embellished clothes, and culturally we take great care of our hair. In the process the face tends to get ignored. We need to highlight the face with make up. You must also remember that it is for the big screen and one needs to accentuate features or they will not be seen."

Preity Zinta

Mickey feels one should not be overawed by make up. "Makeup need not be the whole nine yards. It could be just a bindi and kohl."

Mickey says: "Fluidlines come in a great range of colors, be adventurous."

While kohl qualifies as makeup, Mickey says people are getting more adventurous about color. "I tell them instead of M.A.C Fluidline in Blacktrack, why not try M.A.C Fluidline in Blue Peep? And believe me it is these little things that gives a whole new look."

The makeup artist, who counts screen siren Helen as his inspiration says: "Bollywood is huge reference point. I have brides coming up to me saying they want to look like Kajol or Rani. It helps me as I know what they have in mind."

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai's Wedding

And talking of brides, what did he do for Ash on her wedding day? "Ash is a personal friend and I dressed her as a friend."

While Ash is a personal friend, Mickey says he has no favorite celebrity clientèle. "I have enjoyed working with everyone. It is very difficult to work in close proximity with someone you do not like."

"The relationship between makeup artist and star is a very intimate one. Bonds build over the years. Imagine, you are thrown together for fifty days on an outdoor, it is the closest one gets to having a confidant, a friend. It is a two-way thing. Even I let off steam."

Mickey's brushes and Fluidline are a staple in his train case

Ask Mickey what he cannot step out without and he says: "My set of M.A.C Brushes. I do not allow anyone to touch them. The one product that is always in my train case is M.A.C Fluidline. It works wonders."

Mickey obviously loves working in Bollywood. "I was fated to be here. I do share my opinion with the directors. With Karan Johar I can tell him what I feel about whether a scene would work or not."

Sushmita Sen

Mickey works according to the personality of the client. "A little bit of groundwork always helps. For someone like Sushmita Sen, I know she has this huge diva personality and I work with that."

Mickey has been associated with M.A.C for the past two years and will work on "customizing foreign trends to suit our needs. I am also involved in master classes where we share knowledge and information."

All fans of fluffy, furry creatures can take heart when Mickey, who loves animals and has a Labrador and parakeet says: "M.A.C products are not tested on animals."

Mickey, whose upcoming projects include Goldie Behl's Drona and Harry Baweja's Love Story 2050, has one bit of advice to give out: "Always do what suits you."

Mickey Contractor's Make-up Tips

Mickey Contractor with Shilpa Shetty

Mickey, who has given actresses like Shilpa Shetty (above) and Preity Zinta in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (below) a fresh and stunning new look, spells out common mistakes we tend to make while applying makeup.

Preity Zinta

More is less
When it comes to makeup, many women just wear too much of it. They don't know when to stop, especially the ones who don't know how to wear makeup. You can easily learn how to apply makeup by looking up magazines, books etc if you are the artistic type. One good way to learn how to apply makeup is to visit M.A.C. They have trained makeup artists, who show you how to use the right makeup.

Using the correct foundation
Secondly, some women don't use the right color of foundation. Finding the perfect shade for you is a must. Women also tend to copy other women as well, and then end up looking the same. That's why I tell the actresses I work with that they must create a style of their own, which will make them an icon.

Shape Your Eyebrows
Some women don't look after their eyebrows. The shape of eyebrows changes one's face; it frames your face. Eyebrows must be neatly done AT ALL times. If you have sparse eyebrows, make sure you fill them in with M.A.C Brow Finisher.

Rainy Day Makeup Tips
On rainy days, for women who cannot avoid foundation, use M.A.C Face and Body Foundation, which is water-proof and provides long-lasting, natural coverage for face and/or body. Waterproof eye makeup like M.A.C Powerpoint Eye Pencils and M.A.C Splashproof Lash Mascara are a good investment. M.A.C Tinted Lipglasses are your safest bet for rainy days.

Make-up Artist: Mickey Contractor, His Beauty Tips & Tricks

Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Aishwarya Rai, Tabu, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen. The most beautiful screen faces have been under Mickey Contractor’s brushes, all for that one stroke here and one touch there.

Director of cosmetic major M.A.C India, Mickey feels that beautiful is “anyone who is herself and has a personal style” and that “clear complexion” is a sure pre-requisite for beauty.

So what role does make-up play in creating those picture-perfect faces? “Lots actually,” he says. “Because you can’t really form a whole base on make-up but you can surely lend yourself a distinct personality, an all-new spark.”

Bare basics
Preity Zinta

Mickey believes that he is most famous for his “no make-up look”, but this, he says, “involves more effort than full make-up”. Here’s the how-to from the make-up artist himself:

• Choose a foundation that is closest to your skin color. He recommends M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid.
  
  
• The eyeshadow should be very neutral, just enough to help contour and bring out the best. He recommends M.A.C Eyeshadow in Bamboo
  
  
• No false eyelashes feature in this natural look.
  
  
• Use lots of mascara and separate your lashes well, leaving no clumps. He recommends M.A.C Zoomlash Mascara
  
  
• Blend the eyeliner well. Very fair skin can use brown liner. He recommends M.A.C Fluidline in Dipdown
  
  
• Keep the lip color natural and pale. He recommends M.A.C Mattene Lipstick in Flattering
  
  
• The blush, a shade of peach or pink (M.A.C Powder Blush in Pinch O' Peach and M.A.C Powder Blush in Fleur Power), should begin from the apple of your cheeks. Work upwards and outwards.

Sultry smokey

Kajol

Aishwarya Rai

Rani Mukherji

This dark-eyes-and-pale-mouth look is always a winner. Be it Kajol’s sexy act amongst the pyramids in Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham, Aishwarya Rai in Shabd or Rani Mukherjee’s sultry peepers in Chalte Chalte, the smoky look is always a stunner. Here’s the rocking explanation:

• Prepare your face with the right shade of foundation (M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid).
  
  
• Use darker colors on your eyelids and blend well (M.A.C Eyeshadows in Embark, Cranberry, Sketch, Deep Truth, Humid, Bronze, Black Tied).
  
  
• Line your lower lids with kohl and smudge it with some black eye-shadow (M.A.C Eye Kohl in Smolder, M.A.C Eyeshadow in Carbon).
  
  
• Top off with at least two coats of mascara (M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara).
  
  
• Line your lips with a liner (M.A.C Lip Pencil in Oak) and blend well with a pale shade of lipstick (M.A.C Lipstick in Sandy B), leaving no sharp lines.
  
  
• Finish with lots of gloss. He recommends M.A.C Tinted Lipglass in Oyster Girl
  
  
• Accentuate your cheekbones with a deeper shade of blush. He recommends M.A.C Blushcreme in Pleasureful
  

Old is gold

Jaya Bachchan

Remember Jaya Bachchan as the super-glam Ma of K3G? Here’s Mickey’s advice for the middle-aged divas in the making.

• Choose appropriate skin products and look after your skin regularly. From the M.A.C Skincare line he recommends M.A.C Studio Moisture Cream, which reduces the appearance of fine lines
  
  
• Always remember that less is more.
  
  
• Use make-up not as a cover, but as a highlighter of your beauty.
  
  
• Use minimum foundation as it tends to show up in the creases and folds. For older skin Mickey recommends M.A.C Studio Tech
  
  
• Eyebrows form the frame of the face and at this age, they tend to get sparse. Concentrate on them to get the look right. He recommends M.A.C Brow Finisher
  
  
• Choose colors for the shadows, liners and lipsticks that suit your personality. (M.A.C Eyeshadows in Satin Taupe, Vanilla, Era; M.A.C Lip Pencil in Spice; M.A.C Lipsticks in Taupe, Honeylove, Cherish, Sparks Can Fly)
  
  
• Keep with the make-up trends but always re-work them to complement you.

Perfect points

Aishwarya Rai

“The crux of perfecting your art of make-up lies in the finer details,” stresses Mickey. Here are some expert tips, to make all the difference:

• Choosing the right foundation is half the beauty battle won. There are tons to choose from, M.A.C Studio Mist, M.A.C Select Tint, M.A.C Face and Body, M.A.C Mineralize Satinfinish, M.A.C Select SPF15, M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid (Mickey's personal fave), M.A.C Hyper Real, M.A.C Studio Fix, M.A.C Select Moistureblend, M.A.C Studio Tech, M.A.C Full Coverage, M.A.C Studio Stick. Take your pick accordingly.
  
  
• Use an eyelash curler to open up the eyes, especially if you put kajal inside your eyes (M.A.C Eye Kohl in Smolder).
  
  
• Understanding your source of light is vital.
  
  
• You can use M.A.C Clear Lipglass on your eyelids. Try not to smudge it with liner; stick only to mascara (M.A.C Zoom Lash Mascara).
  
  
• To look dramatic, introduce some color to highlight and some glitter (M.A.C Glitter) wherever you are comfortable.

An Interview with M.A.C Make-up Artist Vimi Joshi

Vimi Joshi

Start in make-up
1994

On the art of make-up
Makeup is a form of self-expression that enhances the beauty within.

Creative influence
Celebration of cultures, people and life itself!

Most important tool
Imagination

Favorite Technique
Blending

Favorite M.A.C product (Consumer)
Smolder Eye Kohl and Zoom Lash Mascara

Favorite M.A.C product (M.A.C Pro)
Reflects Glitters

Favorite feature
Skin

Most admired make-up artists
Val Garland, Mickey Contractor, Sharon Dowsett

Most respected designers
Gucci, Versace, Elie Saab, Manish Malhotra

Vimi's Tips on the latest M.A.C Stylistics Collection:
Celebrate femininity and emphasize the sensuality of your lips. Smoldering colors are used on the lips like Stylistics Lipstick in The Scene with Stylistics Lipglass in Tastemaker for that Femme Fatale mouth. Then define by using Burgundy Lip Pencil to give you the ultimate pout.

Some gorgeous faces Vimi has worked on:

Rani Mukherji

Katrina Kaif

Preity Zinta

Neha Dhupia

Shilpa Shetty

Preity Zinta's Make-up Breakdown

Face

• MAC Prep + Prime Skin
  
• MAC Studio Finish SPF 35
  
• MAC Studio Fix Fluid
• MAC Pressed Powder
• MAC Blush in Pinch O' Peach (Warm peach) dusted lightly brushed on apples of cheeks, extending to the hairline
  

Eyes

• MAC Prep + Prime Eye
• MAC Eyeshadow in Nylon (Pale gold) on browbone.
• MAC Eyeshadow in Mystery (Muted plumish brown) on lids all the way to crease.
• MAC Eyeshadow in Phloof (Frosted off-white) in mid crease
  
• MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack (Intense black) on top lid and in waterline
  
• MAC Lashes in #21
  
• MAC Plush Lash Mascara
  

Lips

• MAC Prep + Prime Lip
• MAC Lip Pencil in Dervish (Pink-mauve)
  
• MAC Lipstick in Sophisto (Plum rose with gold)

October 2007 Vogue India Beauty Scans

From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank Nidhi for scanning these pages from October's Vogue India Issue. I have tried to look for this issue everywhere (including EBAY), and finally I found someone who scanned the pages out for me. Please check out Nidhi's wonderful blog, she truly is a gifted photographer. To see her skills, check out The Fashion Rookies' Jar

Now onto to the gorgeous scans, I know you can't read them in my blog, but if you click on them, they are readable. The scans include: Bipasha Basu's, Priyanka Chopra's and Preity Zinta's Make-Up and Style Favorites, Current Beauty Trend 'Hypnotic Cat Eyes', and my favorite Bollywood make-up artist Mickey Contractor's Make-Up Secrets.

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

Bipasha Basu's Style and Make-Up Favorites
Her make-up essentials include: Dior Airflash Spray Foundation and Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl Pencil.

Priyanka Chopra's Style and Make-Up Favorites
Her make-up essentials include: M.A.C Studio Fix, Yves Saint Laurent Mascara, The Body Shop Born Lippy Lip Balm.

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

Preity Zinta's Style and Make-Up Favorites
Her make-up essentials include: Clarins Sunscreen Cream High Protection SPF30, Diorshow Unlimited Mascara, and Lip Balm (Try M.A.C Tendertone Lip Balm SPF12)

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

Current hot beauty trend is Hypnotic Eyes
These are showing up everywhere from runways to Bollywood movies. M.A.C recently released their Alexander McQueen Collection that has everything necessary for a gorgeous Cleopatra like Cat Eye. Vogue also lists their favorite products to get the look which include: M.A.C Eyeshadow in Electric Eel, M.A.C Eyeshadow in Chrome Yellow, M.A.C Eyeshadow in Bitter, M.A.C Pigment in Teal, Chambor Lapiz Shimmer, Urban Decay Matte Eyeshadow in Chronic, Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl, and M.A.C Lash in No. 7

(Click on image to enlarge and read.)

Bollywood's Make-Up Guru to the stars Mickey Contractor's Secrets
I strongly suggest you read Mickey's wonderful interview. His make-up essentials include: M.A.C Blacktrack Fluidline, M.A.C Hyacinth Eye Kohl, and M.A.C Minted Eye Kohl. Mickey's A-List Resume includes work on faces like: Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Tabu, Rani Mukherji, and Linda Evangelista.

Bipasha, Priyanka and Preity's Make-Up Breakdowns

Bipasha Basu

Face

* MAC Prep + Prime Face
* MAC Full Coverage
* MAC Pressed Powder
* MAC Powder Blush in Harmony (Muted rose-beige brown) to contour the cheeks

Eyes

* MAC Prep + Prime Eye
* MAC Eyeshadow in Chill (Soft pale white with shimmer) in inner corners of eyes and on brownbone
* MAC Eyeshadow in Cumulus (Creamy grey with pearl) swept all over the lid
* MAC Eyeshadow in Knight Divine (Carbon black with silver/blue shimmer) half-way towards the outter lid, and given a cat-like shape
* MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack (Intense black) in waterline
* MAC Prep + Prime Lash
* MAC Zoomlash Black in upper lashes and lower lashes

Lips

* MAC Prep + Prime Lip
* MAC Lipstick in Blankety (pinkish nude beige) dabbed lightly on lips

Priyanka Chopra

Face

* MAC Prep + Prime Face
* MAC Full Coverage
* MAC Pressed Powder
* MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Blunt (Muted Golden Brown) of cheeks

Eyes

* MAC Prep + Prime Eye
* MAC Eyeshadow in Chill (Soft pale white with shimmer) one-third of the lid and on browbone, dusted very lightly
* MAC Eyeshadow in Cumulus (Creamy grey with pearl) swept in the middle of lid
* MAC Eyeshadow in Carbon (Intense Black) in crease, outter lid of the eye, lower lashline
* MAC Fluidline (Intense Black) in waterline
* MAC Prep + Prime Lash
* MAC Zoomlash Black in upper lashes and lower lashes

Lips

* MAC Prep + Prime Lip
* MAC Lipstick in Blankety (pinkish nude beige) dabbed lightly on lips

Preity Zinta

Face

* MAC Prep + Prime Face
* MAC Full Coverage
* MAC Pressed Powder
* MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Dark (Deep Caramel), lightly dusted on apples of cheeks

Eyes

* MAC Prep + Prime Eye
* MAC Eyeshadow in Chill (Soft pale white with shimmer) in inner corners and on browbone
* MAC Eyeshadow in Cumulus (Creamy grey with pearl) swept all over lid, and lower lashline, starting from two-third of lower lashline
* MAC Eyeshadow in Carbon (Intense Black) in crease, outter lid of the eye to create cat-like effect
* MAC Fluidline (Intense Black) in waterline
* MAC Prep + Prime Lash
* MAC Zoomlash Black in upper lashes and lower lashes

Lips

* MAC Prep + Prime Lip
* MAC Lipstick in Blankety (pinkish nude beige) dabbed lightly on lips