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.

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.