Lipstick Masala

It’s shaadi season. If you’re not already there, most of you will soon be traveling back to the homeland for the winter holidays and over the next month or so will be attending at least two weddings a night. In theory, you will be there to wish the newlyweds well, but in reality you will be checking out members of the opposite sex decked out in their finest shaadi garb while simultaneously whispering with your friends about your competition. But, most importantly, you will be there to see what the bride is wearing. Did she get her jora made by India’s Tarun Tahiliani or did she go with Pakistani designer HSY? What kind of jewelry set is she wearing, is it authentic polki or is it kundun? And finally, who did her makeup – Tariq Amin or a no name?

The makeup, oh the makeup. It seems the bridal makeup industry in the desi world is truly hit or miss – you can look stunning on one event and frightful the next. Artists not familiar with your skin or those who take themselves so seriously they don’t care what you think cause catastrophes that include wrong foundation shades, scary black eyes with dark red lips and shimmer galore. Many ladies put all their faith into their artist, which may work at times, but generally this is a wrong move! Don’t go into your bridal appointment oblivious, ladies – this is the most photographed day of your life (and yes, these pictures really do last forever)! Whether you are in Bhawalpur or Bombay, you must walk into your makeup session with a few crucial pointers in hand.

First, it is extremely important to have a consultation with the artist before you work with them on your big day. You are paying this person, and it is YOUR wedding, not just another addition to their portfolio so you need to feel confident they will listen to you. However, the pointers listed below should be discussed in the consultation not while they are doing your makeup on your wedding day. After all, you don’t want to school/criticize your artist while they are doing their job or you may end up without an artist for the day.

Base:

Always start your makeup with well-primed skin. It will help your makeup last longer and with the right preparation you can prevent the dreaded cakey look.

- Avoid a moisturizer with SPF at all costs. SPF is slightly whitish, which may be invisible to you but under the flash of the camera it will give you a gray cast and may even change the shade of your foundation.
- Normal to dry skin: Even if you’re tempted to use a very emollient moisturizer because your skin is on the drier side, try to avoid doing so. Use an oil-free, greaseless moisturizer. You can also use a moisturizing primer that is silicon free.
- Combination to Oily skin: if your skin tends to feel greasy after applying makeup or you have a problem with your t-zone, try to ignore the instinct to use a mattifying lotion, this makes the foundation harder to glide on. Instead, use a lightweight oil-free moisturizer along with a mattifying silicon primer.

Wait until your lotion has completely dried before continuing to the primer/foundation step, or else your makeup will rub off faster.

Foundation:

This is the most important and difficult step of your makeup; it can make or break your entire look. Once you have the right foundation, the rest should come much more easily. Important things to keep in mind are both color and consistency.

- I always recommend a bride use her own foundation that she has picked herself and tried beforehand. With women of color it’s very difficult to find a foundation that we are truly happy with. Do you really want to experiment with colors the day of your wedding? In this case, stick with what you know.
- Many artists recommend that a bride should avoid creamy/luminous foundation. While they look great, they rub off quickly. And, since our weddings last forever it’s important that our makeup stays fresh. Unless you have extremely dry skin, stick to a semi-matte (or matte for very oily skins) formulation.
- It is true that brides should wear heavier makeup than they do on an everyday basis, but this applies to your features, not your foundation.

If you have good skin, you don’t want to cover it up with a thick foundation. Stick to something with sheer/medium coverage and apply a very light coat just to create a base for the rest of the makeup. Make sure to cover any minor blemishes, because they can and will show in the photos under the bright lights.

If you have problem skin: Many desi makeup artists will apply layer after layer of foundation to cover up your entire face which is completely unecessary. Use a foundation with medium/buildable coverage; a good foundation will cover the blemishes without needing too much product. If needed, you can then build in areas you need more and can use a light hand where your skin is clearer. Harder to cover blemishes can also be covered with concealer of the same color. Remember – too much foundation only accentuates the problems and will give you the dreaded cakey look (plus thick layers will settle into every line imaginable on your face).

- You can consult with your artist about the color you have brought with you beforehand. If they feel it is not appropriate for the bright lights, they may recommend something else for you to try. I personally always try every foundation with my camera flash to make sure it doesn’t go white in the picture. If you decide to go with a color the artist picks for you, make sure you feel comfortable with it. If the result doesn’t look like you and feels even slightly off, tell him or her. After all, you are paying them!

- Make sure your artist blends your foundation down into your neck – with the flashes of the camera you don’t want to appear white in the face and brown in the neck!

- For more information on how to choose the right color foundation for you, click HERE

Concealer:

Great for under eye circles, but can be scary under the camera if not done right.

- If you are lucky in that you have little to no under eye circles, some artists use your foundation under your eyes set with powder. If you have darker circles, stick to concealer instead, as the foundation might not be thick enough and you will end up with a gray cast under your eyes instead of nicely covered circles.
- To cover dark circles, make sure you have chosen an appropriate color and consistency for you (for more information click HERE).
- Remember: concealers create light reflecting pigments (to counter the dark circles) so be sure not to over apply or you will end up with white circles under your eyes in the photos. Gradually build your coverage. If you need a lot, you are using the wrong concealer for you.

Powder:

Most girls, including myself, hate hate hate powder. But on your wedding day, it is a must to set the foundation or else your makeup will disappear before the event is over.
- Use a loose powder. It will look less cakey and give you a more natural look than pressed powder.
- You can use a compact to touch up your t-zone later. Just make sure to blot the oil first before reapplying or the powder will cake.
- For more information on picking the right powder color for you, click HERE

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Eyes:

If you wish to make your eyes dramatic, remember to keep your lips light, and vice versa! Many desi artists make the mistake of heavy eyes and heavy lips with horrifying results. Pick the feature you wish to work.

- It is a natural desi instinct to use black liquid liner. But, in your pictures this look will be too harsh and besides, the look is dated. Ask the artist if they can use a powder shadow as a liner, or if they insist on liquid liner ask if they can go over it with a lighter shadow to soften the look. Gel liners are best – they have great lasting power and look fabulous!
- Try to use a minimum amount of shimmer on your lids as the flashes will reflect off your eyes to produce glaring lids in the pictures. Stick to shimmer lower on the lids with matte shades in the lid crease to add more depth to the eye.
- Avoid creamy/frosty shadows as they will cake up and settle into the lines on your lid.
- Don’t forget your eyebrows! Powder looks more natural than pencil, and remember to go a shade lighter than your hair (black is too harsh for anyone). You can go over the brows with a clear mascara or brow gel after the powder if you want to avoid the matte look.
- Always use waterproof mascara. Even if you’re not a big crier, the heat from the lights and the weight of your clothes will make you perspire and will smudge your mascara. You don’t want to look like a raccoon on your big day. Double coat with the waterproof.

Cheeks:

It is easy to overdo the blush, so be careful not to end up like Raggedy Ann!

- Although cream blushes look great, the lasting power is nil. Stick to powder blushes. If you insist on a cream blush, it is important to go over it with a powder blush or your cheeks will be colorless soon after the wedding begins. Remember – you will be wearing heavy clothes and jewelry and will be under constant flashes. Your makeup fades faster under these circumstances.
- Highlighters can be dangerous. If you must use one, make sure it has minimal shimmer. Do not in any way shape or form use glitter, frost or high shimmer. Because of the particles in shimmer, you will look like you’re sweating not glowing where the flash hits your face. Try and find a luminizer rather than shimmer highlighter.

Lips:

The finishing touch to your look and the most difficult feature to keep makeup on because you will be talking a lot and eating. The key to keeping lipstick on is to layer. Again, if you have done heavy eyes, keep your lips light.

- Use a lip primer, preferably a concealer that will prep your lips and also provide a bare canvas to work with.
- Fill in your lips completely with a lip pencil before applying lipstick to provide the lipstick with something to stick to. Use the same color pencil as your lipstick. If your lipstick fades you don’t want an obvious darker ring around your mouth where your lip liner remained after the lipstick wore off.
- Go over your lip liner with a long-staying matte lipstick, blot with a tissue and then apply again. This matte lipstick is your base.
- Layer the matte lipstick with a creamy lipstick in the same shade to make your mouth look softer. It’s best to stay away from gloss, as it fades quickly. The creamy lipstick should stay in place much longer.
- If you have small lips, stick with lighter shades. Dark lipstick will accentuate a small mouth.

A few final notes: Try to discuss the colors your artist will use for your eyes and lips beforehand. Keep the color of your jora in mind, and remember it’s not necessary to match it but rather to complement it (red joras do not = red eye shadow). Also, if the kaam on your jora and your jewelry are very heavy you may want lighter makeup and vice versa. Once again, try not to instruct your artist (I have a few friends who have offended their artists by doing so) but rather consult with them in an appointment before the actual wedding date. If the artist doesn’t want to listen to you, it’s best to find someone who will. You need to feel comfortable with who you’re working with.

Finally, your wedding day makeup may be a little more than you’re used to wearing. This is natural, as stronger pigments are needed to show up under brighter lights. However, there is such a thing as overdone – you have to be the judge!

Good luck and best wishes to all those getting married this winter season!

Love,

Lipstick Masala