Learn the make-up drill, dab by dab

BEAUTY CORNER

Parties are all about bright lights and brighter colours. For your night make-up this festive season, you should use intense colours because of bright lighting. You will need an extra dab of colour to counter the effect of bright lights, otherwise your face will look wan.

Cleansing ritual
Remember to cleanse and tone the skin first. Apply a moisturiser if the skin is dry. If the skin is oily, apply astringent lotion. Then, apply foundation on the face, forehead, nose and cheeks. Add a drop of water to the foundation before applying it on your face. Use a moist sponge and apply foundation on the eyelids too. Blend well into the skin. Don’t forget the neck. The entire effect should be natural, not mask-like or, worse, ghostly!

You can use a gold-tinted foundation for special occasions, to add a glow to the skin. Then apply powder. Don’t forget to dust off the excess. Carry a compact with you and use it because it helps the make-up last longer and reduces oiliness of the skin. 

Use blusher on the cheekbones in upward and outward movements. Then, apply highlighter on the cheekbones. Highlighters should not be white. Choose between ivory, beige or pale pink. Blend well, so that there are no lines or blotches.

For expressive eyes
Highlight your eye make-up. Deepen the shadowing at the crease of the eyelid. This adds more depth to the eyes. Use browns, bronze or gold. Apply a lighter brown on the upper eye lid and highlight the area under the brows with gold, ivory or a light coloured eyeshadow. Outline the eyes with an eye pencil. Apply eyeliner on the upper lid  close to the eyelashes and smoothen out with a cotton bud. Gently blend a line of kajal or eye pencil on the lower lid. If you want a lighter look, just apply some eye shadow below the lashes on the lower lid. Try a touch of blusher at the outer eye, just under the eyebrow. Apply mascara in two or three coats, but remember to brush the lashes after each coat dries.
 
Luscious lips
Make-up should be balanced. In other words, pay equal attention to eyes, cheekbones  and lips. A pearly shimmer or a glossy look on the lips is very ‘in’ these days. Use a bright lip colour with frost (silvery shine) or shimmer (glossy). Red and shades of red have made a comeback. Try shades of red for the night. Metallic colours and bright but warm colours like coral, burgundy, dark mauve and bronze are also popular. Avoid very dark colours like dark brown or maroon. They have an ageing effect on the face.

For the day, light pinks and mauve would be best. Finally, to add sparkle, dust  a light layer of gold powder at the temples and the throat. Wear a colouful bindi, studded with small, sparkling stones or flecked with gold or silver to match your clothes.

Wardrobe checklist
When it comes to traditional Indian attire, saris with rich borders are true winners. A plain crepe or chiffon sari with a brocade blouse is equally stunning. Make sure you have a dressy blouse with mirror work, sequins or crystals if you are wearing a plain sari.  

Heavy gold work is not in vogue anymore. If you want to wear gold, go for saris with trimming in dull gold. Borders and trimmings on saris with beads, stones and crystals are quite the rage. An increasing number of women prefer churidar-kurtas with heavy dupattas. Monochromatic outfits allow you to experiment with accessories. Sometimes, the same outfit — like the LBD — looks different with different accessories. Wear warm and rich colours like purple, red, magenta, orange, maroon or dark pink to evening parties. For luncheons and kitty parties, choose dresses or saris in lighter colours like yellow, light pink, lime green, pista green, mauve or light blue.