Mickey Contractor Talks Make-Up

Mickey Contractor, the make up man to stars including the lovely Aishwarya Rai, sets about busting some long cherished make up myths.

"What looks best on a woman is always in," he said. "Trends will come and go. Like for instance the bright red/pink lips and cat eye liner of the Seventies is back with a bang. There are three or four trends, which keep rotating. You have the minimalist, the liner-based look and the color centric look. These are shuffled back and forth. You need to pick up what you like and what suits you. Yellow is very hot now."

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Mickey, who has worked in movies from Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya to Salaam E Ishq says: "Bollywood has the tendency to go overboard. That is because we wear embellished clothes, and culturally we take great care of our hair. In the process the face tends to get ignored. We need to highlight the face with make up. You must also remember that it is for the big screen and one needs to accentuate features or they will not be seen."

Preity Zinta

Mickey feels one should not be overawed by make up. "Makeup need not be the whole nine yards. It could be just a bindi and kohl."

Mickey says: "Fluidlines come in a great range of colors, be adventurous."

While kohl qualifies as makeup, Mickey says people are getting more adventurous about color. "I tell them instead of M.A.C Fluidline in Blacktrack, why not try M.A.C Fluidline in Blue Peep? And believe me it is these little things that gives a whole new look."

The makeup artist, who counts screen siren Helen as his inspiration says: "Bollywood is huge reference point. I have brides coming up to me saying they want to look like Kajol or Rani. It helps me as I know what they have in mind."

Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai's Wedding

And talking of brides, what did he do for Ash on her wedding day? "Ash is a personal friend and I dressed her as a friend."

While Ash is a personal friend, Mickey says he has no favorite celebrity clientèle. "I have enjoyed working with everyone. It is very difficult to work in close proximity with someone you do not like."

"The relationship between makeup artist and star is a very intimate one. Bonds build over the years. Imagine, you are thrown together for fifty days on an outdoor, it is the closest one gets to having a confidant, a friend. It is a two-way thing. Even I let off steam."

Mickey's brushes and Fluidline are a staple in his train case

Ask Mickey what he cannot step out without and he says: "My set of M.A.C Brushes. I do not allow anyone to touch them. The one product that is always in my train case is M.A.C Fluidline. It works wonders."

Mickey obviously loves working in Bollywood. "I was fated to be here. I do share my opinion with the directors. With Karan Johar I can tell him what I feel about whether a scene would work or not."

Sushmita Sen

Mickey works according to the personality of the client. "A little bit of groundwork always helps. For someone like Sushmita Sen, I know she has this huge diva personality and I work with that."

Mickey has been associated with M.A.C for the past two years and will work on "customizing foreign trends to suit our needs. I am also involved in master classes where we share knowledge and information."

All fans of fluffy, furry creatures can take heart when Mickey, who loves animals and has a Labrador and parakeet says: "M.A.C products are not tested on animals."

Mickey, whose upcoming projects include Goldie Behl's Drona and Harry Baweja's Love Story 2050, has one bit of advice to give out: "Always do what suits you."