Upping the glamour quotient

Every woman deserves to look glamorous and attractive, make-up artiste Anishaa Chhabria Madan tells Shilpi Madan

She works magic in seconds, glamourising your facial features to gift you a stunning red carpet appearance. Adroit artistry calls for both flair and dare and make-up artiste Anishaa Chhabria Madan is a sparkling combination of these stellar traits as she creates the most winsome, trendy looks for celebrities on the Page 3 circuit, Insta brides, and more, with unbeatable panache and signature spiffiness.

Pretty & perfect

“I have always loved experimenting with make-up during my early years. My fascination for make-up soon led me to the Fat Mu Academy in Mumbai to learn the mechanics of skillful application of make-up,” shares Anishaa as we chat over a quick cup of coffee at her apartment in suburban Mumbai. She has just returned from Turkey from an assignment where she essayed the make-up detailing for the lookbook of a leading designer’s latest collection.

Back to the make-up trail: Delamar Academy in London happened in quick succession and on returning to India, Anishaa found herself swamped with assignments in leading fashion weeks after honing her skills as an artiste with the professional make-up franchise of German make-up biggie, Kryolan, in India. She also worked with them as a co-trainer. Cut to 2019, Anishaa is synonymous with metallic eyes as she creates ripples with amazing renditions using her make-up palette, and is on the speed dial for a multitude of personalities ranging from film critic Anupama Chopra to RJ Malishka to singer Monica Dogra and TV anchor Shibani Dandekar, all while packing in cover shoots for magazines, campaigns for leading fashion designers, and stunning looks for Insta brides.

Prod her about the essentials for the vanity caddy we need to stock up for the season and she retorts promptly, “Liquid concealers are my favourite pick to zap away zits, camouflaging raccoonish under-eye circles and blotting out freckles and pigmentation. This is your perfect solution to perfect skin during the summer as it is lightweight and skips the ‘cakey’ look,” says Anishaa, flaunting the stylish upsweep of a dramatically applied eyeliner.

“I believe skilfully applied make-up goes a long way in creating a showstopper.” Sure. Her website clearly underlines the adage “Make-up is art, beauty is spirit.”

“My second pick would be a liquid blush. Easily applicable using even your fingertips, this product is absolutely perfect for summer as it hones your cheekbones beautifully, gifting you that enviable flush. It doubles up as a lip tint, too,” she continues. “You must apply loose powder to blot the shine and ‘fix’ your make-up for about three hours, to prevent it from running with sweat. Else, blot sheets offer a quick fix in terms of zapping away the sweaty shine owing to the heat and humidity. Keep them handy in your bag. You must invest in a waterproof liner for the smoky eye look, and follow up with a mascara and eyebrow pencil. People often neglect their eyebrows but remember, they shape your face. You must groom them properly by filling in with a brown pencil, powder shadow, or a cream filler,” says Anishaa with a smile.

If you are confused by the multitude of pots and potions jockeying for visibility on the cosmetics counters, Anishaa has clever tips to offer. “Gel liners double up for kajal stick and eyeliner, and lip pencils accentuate the shape of your lips and can be used to fill in generously as well,” she shares, letting us into the secret of lissome pouters and intriguing peepers.

Of course, ‘less is more’ is Anishaa’s anthem and while she packs in the sparkle, her much appreciated work in movies such as Baar Baar Dekho, Dhoom 3 and Dil Dhadakne Do have made more film offers come her way. “It is my secret wish to set up a make-up academy-cum-salon to provide the right education in this field to all women. Perhaps even create a make-up brand in India and then take it internationally,” says Anishaa.