Smouldering eyes, healthy cheek blush and plush lips. Every woman wants these defining attributes. Thus, we figure out make-up trends this season from Lancôme and Estée Lauder.
The sari and that cocktail gown? Check. Matching jewellery? Check. Gorgeous high-heels? Check. We guess you have already planned out everything for the upcoming weddings, family festivities, card parties, et al. But have you done that check on the latest trends in make-up?
Most women, at times, forget to direct attention on make-up too. Yes, the salon appointment is there to take care of that. But how will you make sure that everything is perfect till you know what is perfect? So we went to two make-up brands – Lancôme and Estée Lauder – to see what this season demands.
What’s your shade?
Purple. That is the shade of this season, as both Lancôme and Estée Lauder dictate and adhere to. Mix it, play with it and see your features come alive – provided you, or your make-up artist, does it correctly.
Taking a cue from the trend is Estée Lauder’s new collection too. The brand dares you to experiment with bold, luminous and impactful colours. Their eye shadows range from mauves to blues. And their Vivid Shine lipstick with shades like ‘Violet Electra’ and ‘Rebel Raspberry’ will give you the colours you need this season.
The limited edition Violet Underground collection by Estée Lauder is inspired by multiple cultures, styles and textures. Reinventing glam rock, the collection consists of aesthetic, deep and vibrant violet and fuchsia tones. Must check? The Pure five colour eye shadow palette in violet underground and the pure colour velvet lipstick in black cassis and violet crush. Lip gloss lovers can check out the Pure Colour Gloss in Chaotic Currant and Rebellious Violet!
Putting it all together, however, is easier said than done. Mr Stafford Braganza, the affable head make-up artist at Lancôme, gives a few tips. “One thing I have noticed about India is that women have very beautiful eyes and I always believe eyes are the mirror to your soul. So work on eye-make-up, because once you dress up your eyes, everything else falls into place,” he says.
Purple, however, is not an easy colour to deal with. On the contrary, it’s quite tricky. You never know when it can turn from a lively shade to a deathly pallor. Mr Braganza cautions, “You have to be very careful with the lighter shades of purple. Try not to use a lot of lilac on your eyes because it has a tendency to become grey when it combines with Indian skin tones. If you want to do anything light, do it on your lips. And it’s always a good option to mix black to it because black always adds a little pizzazz to any eye makeup.”
A purple wedding
However modern the Indian bride becomes, a lot of times, she ends up wearing red on her wedding day. It’s the most auspicious colour after all. But purple with red? Doesn’t sound too palatable. Mr Braganza has a solution for that though. Mixing shades of red with purple might do the trick, depending on your skin tone. “If you mix a cool red with a purple, make sure you add a little softer version of the purple, and don’t go dramatic on the eyes. And if you are lucky to be born with a brown tanned, golden colour skin tone, then a lot of colours will go with your skin. For example, if you are using a nice burgundy on the lip, then you can add a bit of burgundy on the corner of your eyes too and a slight hint of purple to it. And to add a defining stroke, a smoked kohl pencil will bring out everything perfectly,” he advises.
Back to basics
Though we are talking about make-up, putting up a lot of it might not be the solution to your beauty woes. Subtle always work best we think, as is the definition of luxury. Mr Braganza also concurs with us: “Remember your skin also has to breathe. Putting up a pancake of heavy make-up doesn’t help. You know you want to see that luminous glow that actually comes from your skin. So pick a foundation matching to your skin tone, not one or two shade lighter or darker. If you want a shade lighter, pick up just a half shade lighter in small quantity and even it out on your skin. If you want to go darker, then a bronzing powder will give you a nice sun-kissed look.”
Purple is the global colour trend. But as we all know, India is notorious for its unique demands and tastes. So shouldn’t India have a separate trend for itself? Mr Braganza, though agreeing that India is different, says that India is moving with times too and understands international brands and trends. “A Lancôme woman will shop in Mumbai, in London, in New York, in Tokyo. And any Lancôme store she shops at, in any city, she’ll get the same products and the same service. So why not let India get on the same bandwagon and speak the same language which is fashion?” says Mr Braganza as he signs off.
