Make-up Trend: Sultry, Yet Natural Eyes

On the latest issue of Maxim India, Riya Sen looked fierce, her make-up was sultry yet understated and sexy. To her look, apply gold eye shadow on the lids, blend bronzy eye shadow working from the corners inward and really emphasizing the crease, to intensify the crease apply a muted black shadow to make the look sultry. Apply brown eyeliner along your upper and lower lids, getting as close to your lash lines as possible. Apply 2-3 coats of mascara on your upper and lower lashes to really make your eyes pop. Apply a peachy-bronze blush on the apples of your cheeks. For your lips, apply a bronzy nude lipstick.

Rec: M.A.C Trip: 4 Bronze Eyes & Cheek

Fall Make-up Trends: Dark make-up

Make-up is a creative art. That fact cannot be stressed enough. For women who are adventurous, there are no rules except the rule of aesthetic excess. While colors come and go, what never fails to stake its claim in make-up repeatedly is the deep and dark look. A look that deliberately keeps colour, as we often see it, off the palette. The result is a portrait of pure mystery powered by the enigma of black and shades that approximate it without being it.
Black is an absolute and it wields absolute power. When used well (in make-up), it is a mark of genius artistry that combines intrigue, temptation and even rebellion. It is a perfect way to highlight the beauty of a woman while cloaking her in a deep mystery and allure. But black is not a place where no light or color can reach. It's a place where the two attributes appear in a completely new context.
This season, trendsetters have been drawn to this bold ‘color' with pure passion. "Fall-Winter 2009 is all about the black eye and the black lip," says Vimi Joshi, M.A.C senior make-up artist for Middle East and India. "I celebrate any woman who dares to go all out and wears black make-up."
Years ago, Chanel was among the pioneers who ushered in a dark make-up palette with rich, dark lipsticks and pure black nail lacquer. This season, reprising its original theme, Peter Philips, global creative director of Chanel make-up, offers the Noirs Obscurs collection.
"Classic black make-up is a popular look that was inspired by a few women rebelling against society," says Joshi. "In contemporary times, films like Twilight have contributed strongly to promoting this look."
Sarah Baldry, chief make-up artist for L'Oréal Paris at the Dubai Fashion Week, has another view of the allure of dark make-up. "Your eyes," she says, "reveal a lot about your personality. But when you use dark make-up on them, you are creating intrigue as your true self is camouflaged. Black is a very mysterious look, an attention getter like no other."
But before you get tempted to use this glamorous camouflage on yourself, a word of advice: such make-up oscillates between a softer, romantic look (aimed to create a dark seductive quality) or a daring, rebellious look (that does well to raise images of the gothic era). While the softer version goes very well on women in their thirties, the classic goth look is more for youngsters burning up the club floor. Dark make-up is also endlessly creative and amenable to clever tricks and streaks. If you don't wish to be full-on daring by wearing black lips, veer off a bit and mix in deep plums or intense violets. For eyes, the smoky look is a timeless classic and the darker it gets, the more interesting it becomes. The slept-in look that works so well on waifish, sultry, pouty faces can be adopted by others even if their pouts are not a mile long or their designer sulks anything close to traffic-stoppers.

How to wear Black

L'oreal

According to Sarah Baldry, chief make-up artist for L'Oréal Paris at the Dubai Fashion Week, the focus in this look is on the eyes. The best way to achieve intense eyes is to keep the skin as light as you can without looking deathly white. As powder tends to dehydrate certain skin types, use a good moisturizing cream to nourish your skin. Use a foundation that creates a matte flawless effect and set it with loose powder. Take into consideration your skin tone (lighter or darker) in order to choose the correct shade of foundation and powder.
For the eyes, use a beige eyeshadow as a base over the lids and as a highlight under the brows. Then apply two shades of black eyeshadow over the lids. Use black kohl to define the upper and lower lash lines and draw a fine line with a silvery white kohl pencil inside the lower lash line. This works like a light bulb! Use a peach blush to contour cheek bones. For lips, use a coral lipgloss after lining them with a nude lipliner. A sultry, flawless overall effect is guaranteed.

Chanel

The key is to experiment and explore all dimensions of black, according to Peter Philips. He recommends deep and intense tones to compose a bold and graphic palette. Regardless of age or skin tone, the collection can be adapted to any occasion as long as you calibrate the intensity accordingly. For daytime, it's either dark lips or dark eyes. Not both at the same time. For the evening look, creating the perfect complexion is a must to show off the black. Choose a luminous foundation that will electrify the effect of black. Shade the eyes subtly by applying a light layer of eyeshadow.
For very intense and dramatic eyes, intensify the eyeshadow by using more layers. Use other eye shadows to complement, structure and intensify eye make-up. Apply black pencil in the inner waterline of the eyes and an eyeliner too for more intensity. Finish by dressing eyes with Exceptionnel de Chanel Mascara or Inimitable Mascara. Perfect the lips with your choice of dark color.
And yes, most importantly, don't forget to color coordinate your nails. It's black down to the fingertips.

M.A.C Cosmetics

"Dark make-up is meant to be worn either way: a classic black smoky eye with a nude lip which is very trendy or the bold smoky black eye with a black lip," says Vimi Joshi. To get more comfortable with it for real-life wear, pale down the skin tone and go for smoky eyes with nude lip!
Apply M.A.C Studio Tech Foundation, making sure it matches your skin tone exactly. The foundation starts off as a cream and sets to a powder. To create a beautifully contoured face, add Mineralize Skinfinish in Dark under the cheekbones, on the temples and around the jawline. Create a black smoky eye: black eye pencil lined in inner and upper corners of the waterline (inside eyes), smudged with a pencil brush and blended to a smoky effect. Add black eyeshadow on the lids and blend into the socket line using a blending brush. Coat the lashes with black mascara. If you want extra drama, add on a dark lip: M.A.C Burgundy Lip Pencil and M.A.C Diva Lipstick are perfect for this glamorous Twilight-inspired look.
Women in their thirties; create a smoky black eye, but go for classical red lips. Teenagers Be as daring as you want. Age is on your side.

Make Up For Ever

This look is all about dark eyes, lips and nails. To prepare your skin to offset this darkness beautifully, lighten your complexion using a light shade primer (blue shade). Go for a lighter shade of foundation (one to two shades lighter). Fix your foundation with a loose powder.
Sculpt your face to show contouring. Focus on the cheeks. Use a light shade of waterproof eyebrow gel as the eyebrows should appear colored. Apply a matte concentrated and long-lasting black eyeshadow around the eyes. Pay special attention to the outer corner of the eyes to perfect the smoky look. Add a hint of dark shadow under the eyes. An intensely black kohl pencil to line under the eyes works as a masterstroke. Stick on false eyelashes and dress them in pure black waterproof mascara. Outline your lips with a waterproof lip pencil - matte dark plum. Fill in with dark maroon lippy. As a final touch, spray a light film of make-up fixer to give your make-up longer after-hours.

Cosmo's Celeb Beauty Tricks for that Perfect Pick-Me-Up

Shilpa Shetty

"However lousy I’m feeling, getting my hair done makes all the difference. A good blow dry and my confidence is back. And if there’s time after that for a little retail therapy, of course, then it’s perfect!"

Sonam Kapoor

"I think a good complexion can hide many sins! So good skin, maintained with good quality products, works for me every time!"

Katrina Kaif

"I’m a very no makeup person off camera, so on days I feel dull, I just up my intake of water, fresh fruits and generally try and detoxify. What you put in is what you get!"

Amrita Rao

"Smoky eyes perk me up, even on my most down and off days. The rest of the face is just nude lips and a blush."

Malaika Arora Khan

"I’m a spa girl. A relaxing massage, hot oil treatment, aromatherapy, body scrub, I could just go on and on! Leave me at a spa and watch all my blues evaporate away."

Riya Sen

"False eyelashes! Sounds strange but they make me face the work a little more confidently on days I’m low or feeling down. And some perfume goes a long way, too!"

Deepika Padukone

"It’s awful for us to have bad-mirror days because it carries forward the next day, when we see horrid pictures of us in the paper. So if I’m not looking or feeling my best, I simply give some TLC to my skin. Maybe a mask, a facial or even a body wrap if there’s time. If my skin glows, I’m good to go."

Bipasha Basu

"If my skin feels dull, or I’m feeling low, I hit the gym or do anything that’s physically strenuous. Exercise equals endorphins and these feel-good hormones look good on your face. Top it off with a little gloss and you’re back to glowing!"

Celina Jaitley

"On days I’m not looking good, I just pile on kohl to make my eyes stand out, moisturize intensely and head out. No more makeup for me!"

Make-up Trend: Copper Eye Shadow

There's no secret that gold, bronze and copper are the it colors for this fall. It's all about dazzling earth tone metallics, like those on the sultry Raima Sen. To keep the look fresh, add glints of rosy gold on your brow bones.

Black eye liner can look too severe next to gold shadow, so line your eyes with dark brown and sweep gold liner along your inner rims for extra pizazz.

Rec: M.A.C Eye Shadow in Mythology

Beauty Dictionary: A to Z for Fall 2008

A: Artsy

Vimi's inspiration: Monet's Water Lillies painting

“This trend is about using the ‘art’ of make-up to create a mood,” says M.A.C senior make-up artist Vimi Joshi. “Inspired by Monet’s Water Lillies painting and Andy Warhol’s pop art, the face becomes a canvas for artistic effects,” she says. Bold and artistic, this look is all about the brush strokes being used to stipple, blend, wash and dust. Try dipping your brush in to M.A.C Paint Pots, for a colorful finish.

B: Baby-doll eyes

Alberta Ferretti, circa Fall 2008

As seen at Alberta Ferretti, the swinging 60s are back with soft baby-doll eyes. This look is easy to achieve: sweep a layer of white eye-shadow from the lid, blending it in to the brow. Now add a subtle charcoal grey to the lids and use a black eye pencil (try M.A.C Eye Kohl in Smolder) to line the bottom lids before smattering your lashes with mascara.

C: Chocolate decadence

Estée Lauder Fall Collection

We want to eat Estée Lauder’s latest fall collection, nevermind wear it! With delicious chocolate hues of truffles and pralines mixed with caramel gold and sugared berry tones, this look is perfect for winter. “Each of the warm and cool shades is very wearable and can be used alone or blended together for a softly luminous yet natural look,” says Tara Cohen, executive director for Estée Lauder.

D: De-Vined

Chloe, circa Fall 2008

Chloe, Dolce & Gabbana and Marc Jacobs made sure their models were pouting the hottest lips of the season at their F/W shows. “This trend was all about the sumptuous berry-bitten lip – think berry, cherry and plum stains,” says Vimi. To get the same look, she recommends M.A.C Pro Longwear Lipcolor in Stuck On You.“A heavy Bordeaux-rich lip makes a decadent statement this fall – it’s luxurious without being overtly glamorous.” Opt for a matte finish lipstick for a perfectly full pout or dab with a gloss for a ‘stained’ finish.

E: Eyeliner

Vijay Arora, circa Fall 2008

Who’d have thought that Amy Winehouse’s signature look would become one of the hottest trends of the season? Everyone wanted a piece of the winged eyeliner pie, and in 2008 liquid liner got a glamorous overhaul. Eyeliner is a great way of looking polished when it actually took you all of five minutes, but you do need a steady hand to pull it off. If not, try Bobbi Brown's Long-wear Gel Eyeliner, which is easy to apply. Using a two-dab brush technique, the gel-like liner has the same precision as a liquid liner, but is easier to use as you can slowly build up your line. The gel comes in a range of colors, so if black is too heavy for you, chose a plum, cobalt blue or graphite shimmer.

F: False Eyelashes

Riya Sen wearing false eyelashes, make-up by Cory Walia

Make-up artists and celebrities use false eyelashes far more often than the average person might suspect, and you too can become an expert at applying whole strips and individual lashes with precision and delicacy. Insider tip: Wait for glue to dry completely before applying any other makeup. Careful mascara application will blend your true eyelashes with your new false ones. To give your eyes an extra oomph, use M.A.C 7 Lashes.

G: Gothic glam

Yves Saint Laurent, circa Fall 2008

Beauty takes on a hard edge this season with pale skin and super dark lips and eyes. The Yves Saint Laurent show was rocking gothic glam with dark pouts on show and eyes peeping through jet black bobs. However the look is far from teenage angst as flawless complexions make for a sophisticated finish. Try sweeping Chanel Eyeliner Duo in Noir Lame, over your lids for dramatic results.

H: Honed

Shreya Saran donning the nude look, make-up by Aniruddha Chakladar

“This beauty trend is all about beautifully sculpted skin,” says Vimi. This season’s nude is not your slap-dash minimalist effort we’ve seen in recent years, achieving a ‘natural’ look this winter is going to take effort. Give your skin a refined finish with Ingrid Millet High Definition Teint Lumiére and Clarins Loose Powder.

I: Inspiration

M.A.C, Kemps Corner; Mumbai, India

Like our fashion sense, our ‘look’ can often get in a style rut. Some women have the tendency to find what works for them, and stick to it – for 20 years! But just like our clothes, our beauty products and look can become dated and the pressed powder that worked for you in the 80s may not work for you today. Take inspiration from the seasonal collections, visit beauty counters and try out new products. You can still stick to the color palette that suits you, but beauty products develop and move on all the time, and so should you.

J: Jazzy

Clarins Jazzy Colors, Fall 2008

Inspired by starlets of the 1920s, Clarins’ fall look is “the essence of elegance and seduction – flawless complexions, deep red lips and bewitching eyes,” says make-up artistic director Thibault Vabre. With its sultry soft eye palette and juicy red lips, this is definitely a favorite for the party season ahead.

K: Kit

Barry M. make-up bag

Just like you, your make-up bag should be cleared out and updated, it’s the most important asset for a woman on the go and you should look after it. Beauty essentials you should have in your kit include powder, compact mirror, lipstick, eyeliner, a blush and shadow (a duo compact preferably), mascara and hair bands. And remember, beauty products have a shelf life – mascara should be renewed after four months max, liquid foundation can last between a year and 18 months, powder, lipsticks and liners last longer (up to three years), and any creams and gels in your cabinet should be thrown out after a year.

L: Luminous complexion

La Prairie opened its first India-based location this past summer

In the scientific way that La Prairie has perfected, skincare and make-up. This season through The Cellular Treatment Center. The product range uses formulas to nourish, firm and hydrate skin, while creating a luminous, flawless finish. At its core is the Anti-Aging Foundation, which effortlessly covers at the same time as stimulating skin cells and enhancing collagen. The range is complimented with a matte or loose powder finish and blush, and comes in eight different shades to suit varying skin tones.

M: Metallics

Nina Ricci, circa Fall 2008

What season would be complete without a smattering of metallics? Models smoldered down the runway at Nina Ricci is sassy shades of copper, bronze and gold. The David Bowie-esque slash through the eye may be a bit extreme it but for party season, shiny eyes are bang on trend – theatrical, opulent and glamorous! Try Bobbi Brown’s new metallic range for eyes and lips which come in Champagne Quartz, Gold Dust, Rock Star and Gilded Pink. They’ve got plenty of shimmer-factor and don’t crease in all the wrong places. Also, Chanel Gold Fever Highlighter, is a fab way to add an all over sparkle.

N: Nude

"Pixi: Pretty and Simple," Petra Strand (owner Pixi Cosmetics)

Pixi’s Dina Makiya says achieving this season’s flawless look is easy. “Start by exfoliating your skin with Pixi Honey & Almond Polish, before applying Pixi Mask-Quick Fix, to hydrate and cleanse,” she says. “Your skin is now ready for make-up and I recommend using Pixi Flawless Vitamin Veil. It’s an excellent lightweight base for flawless skin.”

O: Overnight creams

Clarins Night Creams

Using an overnight cream is more important that using your day cream. Night creams are proven to be more effective as they can get on with the job at hand, which is why it is also important to choose a night cream that targets your ‘troubled’ spots. Whether it’s anti-aging, rejuvenation, hydration or helping with pigmentation, your skin will benefit more from using a ‘specific’ night cream than it will using a ‘specific’ day cream. For daytime protection, try using a good sunblock instead, such as Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 55 PA+++ . Go to a Clarins counter and choose from five different night creams: Bright Plus HP Repairing Brightening Night Cream, Extra-Firming Night Cream "Special" for Dry Skin, Extra-Firming Night Cream for All Skin Types, Gentle Night Cream, Line Prevention Multi-Active Night Cream.

P: Purple

Dior Fall 2008

Miu Miu, Bottega Veneta and Dior were all sporting ‘the’ beauty color of the season: purple. A great transitional color between seasons, purple is a sultry shade that wraps up autumn. Give blue eyes a flash of pop for the party season ahead and wash a purple shimmer over the lids right up to the brow. Add a deeper purple across the lids, and finish with a dark plum liner across the top lid. For lips, opt for an allover matte pout, but keep the rest of face neutral. Try Sephora Colorful Eye Shadow Pour De Prunes its varying purple shades, and M.A.C Technakohl Liner in Purple Dash, to finish.

Q: Question and Answers

The best advice anyone could ever give a budding make-up or skincare junkie is to ask questions. Asking questions can educate a person as well as tell people how to use a certain product correctly. Many sites offer beauty advice, as well as my blog offers many tips, and I personally answer all the comments and questions that are addressed on this blog.

R: Red siren

Kareena Kapoor wears red lips like no other

Go for vampy siren this fall with full red lips to rival Angelina Jolie. “Start by exfoliating your lips,” says Dina Mikiya, “followed by a lip treatment to nourish and condition. I love Pixi Rose Lip Treat, which is a lip plumper and comes with a delicious rose extract. Next, line your lips with a liner – if you want to make them bigger, use the liner outside your natural lip line. All that’s left to do is finish with your favorite red lipstick!” We love Clarins Joli Rouge Lipstick in Clarins Red

S: Seventease

Amrita Rao does glam rock

“This trend is revisiting the Glam Rock era with its chic and intensive look. Its back to the discos at Studio 54,” says make-up artist Vimi. “Think morning after with melted liners and smoldering eyes. Plush metallic eye shadows underpin the eye scene this fall.” Try M.A.C Goldmine Eye Shadow, with M.A.C Smolder Eye Kohl and M.A.C Zoom Lash Mascara to recreate this look.

T: TheBalm

Shady Lady is one of the palettes from this girly, sexy line; it includes nine shadows/liners

Youth is both a state of mind and a product of your makeup bag," says Marissa Shipman, founder and CEO of TheBalm. "The brand is fun and nostalgic—perfect for women of all ages." With a "beauty in five minutes" philosophy, TheBalm's multi-use, mega-fabulous products have become their calling card, offering quick fixes and wondrous solutions for a wide range of beauty wants and needs. And their plethora of striking colors and fantastic formulas allow you to release your inner artist to create looks that will keep you looking and feeling forever young.

U: Urban Decay

Eyeshadow Primer Potion is an eye prep for smoother, longer-lasting, crease-proof eyeshadow

Urban Decay is beauty with an edge. It is feminine, dangerous, and fun...appealing to anyone who relishes her individuality and dares to express it. Known for their daring shade names and innovative products (which are all cruelty-free), Urban Decay carries one of the widest selections of color at Sephora—a main reason their brand is so much fun! From a myriad of unique eye products, to performance foundations, and lickable, sexy powders, Urban Decay has always found new ways to excite beauty junkies and makeup artists alike.

V: Vivid colors

Manish Arora Fall 2008

Eyes continue their playful reign with saturated hues of violet, orange and peacock blue as seen at Vivienne Westwood. Brown eyes work best with burnt oranges and gold while blue gleam in cobalt and plum. If you are going for an extra bold look for the eyes, team it with a neutral face for more impact. NARS has fabulous matte and shimmer duos in Jezebel and Rated R, for an instant flash of color.

W:Wow brows

Karisma is known for her full and perfect eyebrows

Brows are making a statement this year – think Brooke Shields circa 1986! Thick, natural and full, you should put away your tweezers because the days of painful plucking are finally over. Invest in a good brow kit and you can’t go wrong. Try Benefit Brow Zing, or Givenchy Eye and Brow Prism, which both include colors that compliment your natural shade and all the tools to shape and blend your brows.

X: X-tra long lashes

Kareena's lashes make her gray green eyes pop even more!

Prepare to be bold with your lashes this season as they just got bigger than ever before. Use everything you can to pump up the volume – if you don’t or can’t do false lashes, then try just adding a few to your outer lash line to create a fuller look. Use everything you can to pump up the volume – try Dior Diorshow Mascara in Azure Blue which offers immediate volume and comes in a sassy navy blue. Or opt for Smashbox Bionic Mascara or Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara, to amp up your lashes.

Y: YSL Touche Eclat

Katrina Kaif swears by YSL Touche Eclat

When Yves Saint Laurent launched Touche Eclat, we’re sure he didn’t think he was about to revolutionize the make-up industry. But with one simple design, this little magic marker became THE must-have beauty product. Covering a multitude of sins, the Touche Eclat is every girl’s best friend, and far from being a seasonal buy, this one is for life!

Z: zzzz

The most important beauty tool is sleep, yet it is often the most ignored. We should be getting a good eight hours a night, but research shows that most women only average between six and seven. While we sleep, our skin renews itself, improving its texture and luminosity – nothing can give you that healthy glow like sleep can. Without enough shut eye your skin will become tired and dull looking, so make sure you include it on your beauty agenda everyday. Try to go to bed before 11pm as this is the time that our vital organs also start to regenerate themselves, and lie flat on your back – burrowing your face in your pillow can create mores lines!

Holiday Make-up Trend: Eye Highlight

By adding a highlighter (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Phloof) above and below the middle of the eye, you open up the area. This helps to balance the black liner around the entire eye, which can make the eye look smaller.

Make-up Artist Cory Walia on Stars and His Secrets

Rani Mukherjee. Cory firmly believes that Bengal is the place to go for beautiful eyes. “Most Bengali women have amazing eyes and Rani’s smouldering, expressive and intense eyes leads them all.”

His take on her? Only kajal and mascara is what she needs. Cory also has a soft corner for “the very Bengali eyes” of Bipasha Basu and Koena Mitra. “They have jet black eyes without lenses.”

Malaika Arora Khan. “The secret is the taut skin over her cheekbones. All it needs is a sweep of shimmering cream blush,” says Cory.

But for those who want to create the illusion of such stunning cheekbones, play up the area between the eyes and the cheekbones with a highlighter and then shade just under the cheekbone to bring it into focus.

Bipasha Basu. “I love giving her lips this pale, fleshy look,” says Cory.

Want to copy the Bips' pout? Line the lips with a pink-brown liner and shade with lip-liner along the edges of the lips. Dab a dot of foundation both on the lower and the upper lips and blend well (blending, says Cory, is the secret to great make-up.) Complete the look with a lightly frosted gloss. “Make the look slightly brighter or more brown depending on your face tone,” he suggests

Amrita Arora. Any person who gets completely transformed thanks to make-up, says Cory, has to have a very plain face. “Only then can she be like a chameleon sometimes sensual, sometimes innocent and sometimes goddess-like.”

Amrita with all her girl-next-door looks can transform into a “babe or a sex siren instantly, with make-up”.

Riya Sen. For her “naturally” pretty features. “Her skin is so fabulous that she looks perfectly made up with only moisturizer,” says Cory, who never feels the need to dab the greasepaint on Riya.

Tips and Tricks

Cory Walia has seventeen years of experience in the make-up industry.

He also thinks the mascara is, by far, the most underrated make-up product while the most overrated is, well, glitter. “Oh God, it’s a useless thing,” he says.

Here’s more from Cory Walia:

• Eye drops work wonders. Just squeeze in a drop each ahead of the cleaning, toning and moisturizing routine before beginning the make-up.

• To make the lipstick last longer, dab some eye shadow on your lips after applying the liner. “Choose an eye color that is close to the lipstick,” says Cory. Finish off with the lipstick and then gloss.

• Use your ring finger for blending under the eye. The ring finger, being the weakest and the softest finger, works best. “Use the patting motion to place the concealer under the eyes.”

• Use a water-based foundation like a pancake on squeezed pimple marks and other scars. Oil-based make-up products are not capable of covering marks. “This is because scar tissues don’t have pores and hence reject most make-up products,” he says.

• Cover smudged eye make-up with a concealer. Apply with an angular brush.

• Pull your eyelid up and then use an eyelash curler to prevent pinching your skin. Also, curl the lashes before coating with mascara to avoid mess.

• To line lips, perfectly, begin by defining the V. Then start with the outer corners and join inwards to get a smooth, straight line.

• Never forget to cover the throat, ears and back of the neck for a flawless finish.

Ambika Pillai's Make-Up Tips

According to Bollywood make-up artist Ambika Pillai, it’s important to “just do your own thing and go wild”. The make-up moves she recommends:

Soft, smokey eyes accentuated by pale, glossy lips. “Besides the essential charcoal-gray, one can also use shades of midnight-blue, mehndi (henna)-green and even fuchsia to smoke out the eyes,” says Ambika.


• Pile on the glitter. Use eye-shadows in black, grey, blue or aquamarine and top with some sparkle.


Use a shimmery blush in any warm shade like amber or soft pink.


If you’re going strong on the eyes, ease up on the lips, using any soft skin tone shade, finished with generous dabs of gloss. Alternatively, play up the lips in rich burgundy or raisin if you’re going light on the eyes. She also adds, "Don’t follow these rainbow trends blindly. See what works for you and not the airbrushed model pouting from the magazine cover."


The fall-winter shows saw a lot of plum on the mouth with biggies John Galliano and Gucci followed by Rajesh Pratap Singh and Raghavendra Rathore coloring the mouths on the ramp. “The lips go brighter with orange, pink and red,” says Ambika.

For make-up expert Ambika Pillai, winter is the season when nice is out and naughty is in.“You can go really overboard with the tanned look this season to perfectly complement those earth-coloured outfits, which seem to be so much in vogue this season,” says Ambika. For the day look, you can use a cream-based foundation or a translucent powder with light blush over it. For the evening, go for a glossy foundation, add to it a bit of bronze shimmer and you’ll be all set to rock. Also apply a little blush to bring out your cheekbones, suggests Ambika.


For a day look, Ambika suggests a mild version where you can line your eyes with black, brown or blue kohl and apply light-colored eye-shadow. “The real experimentation should be for the evenings. Curl your lashes and apply heavy mascara on them. Use a dark eye-shadow and smoke out the kohl. Apply a little bit of shimmer on your eyelids, just above the eyeballs so that your eyes look nice when you move them,” explains Ambika.


“Winter sees lots of black in our wardrobes and red lips go very well with any black outfit,” says Ambika.