Make-up Trend: Heavily Defined Eye Crease

Rani Mukherji stunned us on the cover with her gorgeous hazel eyes defined and absolutely smoldering on us cover of L'Officiel India cover this month. To get her look, rim your eyes with black eyeliner. Use a dark brown pencil eyeliner to get a smudgy look on the lower lid. Then get a light brown eyeshadow & start at the base of your top eyelid (near the inner corner lashes), & blend upwards about a half-inch past the crease of your eyelid. Then blend a chocolate brow eye shadow shade to the crease, & then take a dark brown eyeshadow & blend it halfway to the crease, to really intensify the look. Finish off with some mascara and you're all set.

Rec: Smashbox Master's Class: Ultimate Eyes in Hazel 

Beauty India: Make Up That Suits Your Face [Jun 2010]

Make-up Trend: Dark Eyes

At a recent awards function, Rani Mukherji showed us the key make-up trend for fall: eyes loaded with black shadow and liner, often with blue, brown, or gunmetal on the lids. With thick black liner, add one or two coats of mascara to really pull the look together. Smoky eyes and big lashes go hand in hand.

Rec: Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Beethoven

Make-up Trend: Bright Red Nails

After her breathtaking performances on Dance Premiere League, Rani Mukherji worked it at the Anandalok Purashkar Finale in bright red polish. If you've got tanned skin like Rani's, a scarlet shade has a gorgeous effect with anything you have on. I'm loving the way her polish stands out against the darker colors of her saree.

Rec: NARS Dovima Nail Polish

Make-up Trend: Plum and Mauve Smoky Eyes

At Shilpa Shetty's wedding reception, Rani Mukherji stood out in a soft and subtle look that made her eyes pop like no other. To try her smoky eyes, blend a mauve colored eye shadow along the lid and up to the crease. Follow by working a plum eye shadow just above the crease and blend it to a fade. Apply black eyeliner in the waterline and add a few coats of black mascara on the top and bottom lashes to finish the look.

Rec: YSL 5 Colour Harmony For Eyes in 2 Indian Pink

Make-up Trend: A Hint of Lip Liner

Sometime in the '90s lip liner got a bad rap—but on the latest issue of Brit-Asian Rani Mukherjee shows us she's come a long way since her first movie back in '96. To try the new, subtler look, rim just inside the natural line of your lips with a neutral pink, and top with a sheer nude lipstick or lip balm. The effect is sophisticated, controlled and entirely 2009.

Rec: M.A.C Lip Pencil in Subculture

Make-up Trend: Purple-Lined Eyes

At the Toronto International Film festival Rani Mukherjee's eyes had a smoky purple touch to them. To try your luck with the look, rim your eyes with a black pencil, and use a soft brush to dab shimmery eggplant purple shadow along the top and bottom lash lines. Blend the shadow upwards, keeping it heavier on the lid, and fading along the brow bone.

Rec: M.A.C Nocturnelle Eye Shadow

Make-up Trend: Matching Cheek and Lip Combos

Rani Mukherjee at Dil Bole Hadippa Promotional Event

Malaika Arora Khan at launch of The Perfect Bride

At recent events, Rani and Malaika sported a 'same cheek and lip combo.' A trend that I am loving is peachy-nude blush with nude lips a la Rani Mukherjee and pink cheeks and lips on Malaika Arora Khan. When wearing these hues on your lips, it helps to create cohesiveness by adding a sheer wash of the same hue to your cheeks. You can also dab the actual lipstick onto cheeks for a dewy, cream blush look.

Rec: Rani's look: Stila Mango Crush Lip & Cheek Stain; Malaika's look: Stila Pomegranate Crush Lip & Cheek Stain

Hair Trend: Sleek Straight Shiny Hair

For long-lasting sleek locks like Rani Mukherji's, prep hair with a thermal-protectant spray, separate hair into 1/4 to 1/2-inch sections, then use a comb in front of your iron to make sure the hair is smooth and straight before you put it in your flat iron. Next, add a shine gloss made with silicone and finish up with a light-holding hairspray. This gives you gorgeous stick-straight hair that humidity can't touch.

Rec: CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray

Make-up Trend: Cherry Red Lips

Rani Mukherji shows us that cherry red lips can be both innocent and sensual, on this month's issue of Hi! Blitz. In Fall it's all about a satin finish for a classic look. Avoid lip liner, which can seem overdone, and tap the color on with your finger so the edges aren't too precise. Too vampy? Add a dab of clear gloss just in the center of the bottom lip. You want the lips to look juicy, not uber glossy.

Rec: Make Up For Ever Cherry Red Lipstick

Make-up Trend: Bronzy Eyelids

In the forthcoming movie Dil Bole Hadippa!, Rani Mukherji's hazel eyes and dusky complexion get an instant boost from shimmering 24kt bronzy lids. Coffee-gold tones, which are warm and sensual bring out the greens in her eyes. This shade also brings out her highlights and complements the bright elements of her shalwar kameez and dupatta.

Rec: M.A.C Tempting Eye Shadow

Make-up Trend: Blue Eyeshadow

When it comes to colorful eye makeup, there's a fine line between sexy and Mimi from the Drew Carey Show. To get it right like the sultry Rani Mukherji did in this month's Cine Blitz, first line your eyes with black pencil followed by a sweep of NARS China Blue Eye Shadow over your lids. Avoid getting close to the brows, which can look too theatrical. As a finishing touch, apply NARS Tibet Eye Shadow your brow bone and inner corners.

Mickey Contractor's Step-by-Step Smoky Eye Tutorial

Face

Mickey stresses on moisturizing the skin lavishly with M.A.C Studio Moisture Fix. “Start with lots, you can remove the excess with tissue later,” he says. Go easy on the oily parts of the face. Apply more around the jaw to prevent blotchy make-up. Let it soak in, it makes blending easier. Dot the T-zone with M.A.C Select Cover-Up and then blend all over. Then mattify it down with M.A.C Select Sheer/Loose Powder. The concealer from the T-zone spreads evenly as base to the rest of the face at this stage. It is best to blend the powder with a brush with light, even strokes; excess powder can be buffed away. Use the powder that is the same color as your foundation. Don’t forget the neck. If needed, use more powder on the neck to bring an even tone. To compliment the smoky eyes mix M.A.C Gingerly Powder Blush and M.A.C Mocha Powder Blush and brush it on the cheeks, finish lightly on your chin and forehead as well. Also touch it over your hairline to get rid of any residual powder. You don’t need 20 colors, buy four or five like peach, pink and brown, mix and match from there. Cream blush is best dabbed with fingers, don’t forget to matte it out with some powder.

Eyes

On the eyelids, Mickey uses M.A.C Creme Colour Base in Shell and then brushes some powder over it to bring it to the same texture as the rest of the face. He then uses M.A.C Blacktrack Fluidline, and smudges it a bit. He then applies M.A.C Folie Eye Shadow, a brown matte, and blends well, leaving no sharp lines. He then outlines the eye (top and bottom lid) from the inside with M.A.C Blacktrack Fluidline for a black kohl effect. M.A.C Folie Eye Shadow is again applied with M.A.C 219 Pencil Brush under the lower eyelids to elongate the eyes. He then takes M.A.C Carbon Eye Shadow on a slant brush and blends over M.A.C Folie Eye Shadow on the lower lash line. Curl your lashes and apply a mixture of M.A.C Fibre Rich Mascara and M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara for a false eyelash effect. Then use M.A.C Brown Down Eye Shadow with the 266 Small Angle Brush and go over the eyebrows. A second coat of mascara and this finishes the smoky eyes. The Creme Colour Base acts as an eye shadow base. The shadow won't move and neither will it crease. If make-up smudges, clean it up with a wet Q-tip. An eyelash curler is essential. “Actresses always carry one in their bag!” Hold your lashes in an eyelash curler. Count till 20.

Lips

Use M.A.C Spice Lip Pencil to outline and fill in the lips with M.A.C Viva Glam 5 Lipstick, and top it off with M.A.C Viva Glam 5 Lipglass. Don’t sharpen the lip liner too much. Always round the tip off. Dual tone lips need to be filled with lip liner. Filled-in lips makes the lip color stay on long.

Tips and Trends

• Play down lips with smoky eyes.
• Stained lips are the ‘it’ look of the moment.
• Puffy eyes can’t be covered with make-up. Just hold your chin up to make sure it doesn’t show!
• Keep your make-up fresh for long by avoiding the sun. M.A.C Fix + is water for the skin, it makes the skin look instantly fresh.
• Treat problematic skin. Make-up is not the remedy.
• Since it is not possible for any brand to make 600 shades of foundation, buy the shades closest to your skin tone and mix. Do a patch test around the jaw line and step out in natural light before you decide to buy.
• M.A.C Studio Fix is the best make-up for ladies on the go.
• There are no make-up rules. Make your own trends!
• Blending is super important. The trick is not to show where it begins and ends.
• Invest in four or five good brushes. They will last a lifetime. Mickey adds, "Now is the time to get those M.A.C Holiday Brush Sets! It's a great way to start collecting brushes"
• Natural light is the best for applying make-up. At night, yellow lights work, tube lights don’t.

Make-up Trend: Shiny Nude Lips

Rani Mukherji finally came out of hiding, and was found in the buff this week at a book launch. Her beige glossy pucker played up her signature pouty lips without the "Look at me!" statement of an ultra-bright hue.

Looks can be deceiving when it comes to nude lip gloss. If you wear it on bare lips, the final shade will look muddy. Instead, diminish pinkish tones in your lips with a light coat of foundation before applying nude liner and gloss.

Rec: Dior Creme de Gloss in Beige Elixir

Cory Walia on His Favorite Bengali Beauties

"Naturally, there's an adorable, charming princess and a fierce, energetic tigress hidden inside every Bengali girl!" says make-up guru Cory Walia. Cory talks animatedly about the Bengali beauties he enjoys working on that include: Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Bipasha Basu, Sushmita Sen, and Konkona Sen Sharma. "Their creamy skin, thick, dark hair, almond eyes weave magic around you," he says.

Kajol

• Her looks: Her sensitive eyes and broad smile are the best parts of her face. Her eyes light up her face and make it look beautiful, whether she wears make-up or not. Her prominent nose and high cheek-bones need some special attention. Her skin is dusky, but clear. Clear skin is always easy to work with.
• Make-up mantra: Less is more for Kajol. Light, matte shades and neutral looks suits her dusky skin.
• Tips: If you have dusky skin, make sure you always use a foundation in the same shade as your skin tone, don't go light. Lip colors in earthy tones look better. Use sparkly or light eye liners carefully, opt for earthy browns, greens, and black. Test them out before purchasing.
• Recs: M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid; M.A.C Eye Shadows in Bamboo, Soft Brown, and Charcoal Brown; M.A.C Technakohl Liners in Brownborder, Jadeway, and Graphblack
  
  

Rani Mukherji

• Her looks: Her face has the typical Bengali qualities - it's round, with big eyes, a prominent nose, slightly chubby cheeks that give a fuller look. Her hair has a slight wavy texture, which she prefers straightened out.
• Make-up mantra: If you have Rani's brown eyes, be careful of the shades you wear on your face. For example, all pastel eye shadows won't work with light eyes.
• Tips: For a round face, you need to focus on a single feature to define it. If you are highlighting eyes, leave the rest of the face alone. If it's your cheeks, keep the rest of the face subtly covered.
• Recs: M.A.C Eye Shadows in Woodwinked, Mulch, and Espresso
  
  

Bipasha Basu

• Her looks: Her eyes are the most exciting part of her face. They are a perfect almond-shaped, tapering towards her temples. Her high cheek bones and sultry pout add sultriness to her face. Her face is sculpted well. You can do a lot with her face.
• Make-up mantra: Very sultry, sexy
  
• Tips: For a glow on your skin, eat a lot of proteins. Fish and mustard oil in your diet can work wonders for your skin. Apply bronze and gold shimmer powder. Use the shimmer on the apples of your cheeks, nose and forehead for a glamorous look. Lastly, Bipasha's look can't be complete without thick rim of kohl around your eyes. Outline your eyes first and then darken the lines.
• Recs: M.A.C Iridescent Loose Powder in Golden Bronze; M.A.C Eye Kohl in Smolder
  
  

Sushmita Sen

• Her look: Her look is Hollywood-esque. Her face is thin and a little sallow, but her sharp features make up for it. The best part is her hair. She has silky hair that has a lot of volume.
• Make-up mantra: If you have an oval, thin face like Sushmita, make sure you stick to subtle make-up. Deeper shades will make your face look thinner and over done.
• Tips: You will never catch Sushmita in very dark lip colors. Neutral or earthy tones suit her lips. Condition your hair well to maintain the sheen. More so, if your hair is colored or treated. If your eyes are not too big, go easy on kohl. Simply define your eyes with a liner.
• Recs: M.A.C Lipstick in Taupe and Spirit
  
  

Konkona Sen Sharma

• Her look: It's simple. That sums it. She never wears pretentious shades or loud accessories. Even her make-up adheres to the girl-next-door look. It's always refreshing to look at her.
• Make-up mantra: For an ever fresh look, keep your face scrubbed clean.
• Tips: Always take off all your make-up before you sleep. Wear minimal layers of make-up during the day. Nude and glossy lip colors make you look dewy and fresh.
• Recs: M.A.C Tinted Lipglass in 1N, Underage, Viva Glam 5
  

Make-up Trend: Thick Round Eyebrows

Lakmé Fashion Week regular, Rani Mukherji adds more wow to her brows. If you're planning to grow out your own, but want to avoid unruly overgrowth, brush brows upward with a toothbrush and trim ends that go above the line of the arch. Then brush brows down and trim again. Pluck stray hairs one at a time, and set them in place with a tinted gel.

Want less pain per pluck? Clean up brows after you shower, when pores are open and hairs come out more easily.


Rec: M.A.C Brow Set

Make-up Trend: Purple-Rimmed Eyes

Precision is key when you use an intense, vibrant hue. Use a waterproof pencil to avoid noticeable smudging.

Rec: Style Style Line & Seal pencil in Violet

Some More Wedding Make-up Trends

After the clothes, it’s the make-up that plays an important role in making the bride shine. So here goes… The au naturel look is in. So go on, dab some a silicon-based foundation such as M.A.C Hyper Real Foundation. Eyes are defined with pigments like bronze (M.A.C Pigment in Tan), gold (M.A.C Pigment in Golden Lemon), silver (M.A.C PRO Glitter in Silver) and maroon (M.A.C Pigment in Ruby Red), imitating the ’60s look. For the hair, streaks of red, burgundy and bronze are still preferred. For those shapely nails, it’s the white-tipped French pedicure. Says make-up guru Mickey Contractor, “Nude lips are in as they make the bride look young and fresh. Opt for shades like baby pink (M.A.C Lipsticks in Freckletone, Fresh Brew, Jubilee, Hug Me). For receptions and other events, the hair is mostly kept down and done in layers with sharp cuts.”

Hot oil treatments for the hair with lavender and rosemary are beneficial. Brides can add oils like jasmine, ylang ylang, rose and sandalwood to their bath regime for a soothing effect.

Blossom, beauty expert, says, “For glowing skin, a natural remedy would be to mash custard apples, mix milk powder and rose water and apply on the skin. For oily skin, mash cucumber, mix it with coconut water and apply. Curl your hair and use flowers. Hair packs like chocolate or orange give a shine. Backs are often neglected. Brides should opt for a peppermint or mineral glow scrub, essential oils and an astringent.”

Make-up Artist: Mickey Contractor, His Beauty Tips & Tricks

Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Aishwarya Rai, Tabu, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen. The most beautiful screen faces have been under Mickey Contractor’s brushes, all for that one stroke here and one touch there.

Director of cosmetic major M.A.C India, Mickey feels that beautiful is “anyone who is herself and has a personal style” and that “clear complexion” is a sure pre-requisite for beauty.

So what role does make-up play in creating those picture-perfect faces? “Lots actually,” he says. “Because you can’t really form a whole base on make-up but you can surely lend yourself a distinct personality, an all-new spark.”

Bare basics
Preity Zinta

Mickey believes that he is most famous for his “no make-up look”, but this, he says, “involves more effort than full make-up”. Here’s the how-to from the make-up artist himself:

• Choose a foundation that is closest to your skin color. He recommends M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid.
  
  
• The eyeshadow should be very neutral, just enough to help contour and bring out the best. He recommends M.A.C Eyeshadow in Bamboo
  
  
• No false eyelashes feature in this natural look.
  
  
• Use lots of mascara and separate your lashes well, leaving no clumps. He recommends M.A.C Zoomlash Mascara
  
  
• Blend the eyeliner well. Very fair skin can use brown liner. He recommends M.A.C Fluidline in Dipdown
  
  
• Keep the lip color natural and pale. He recommends M.A.C Mattene Lipstick in Flattering
  
  
• The blush, a shade of peach or pink (M.A.C Powder Blush in Pinch O' Peach and M.A.C Powder Blush in Fleur Power), should begin from the apple of your cheeks. Work upwards and outwards.

Sultry smokey

Kajol

Aishwarya Rai

Rani Mukherji

This dark-eyes-and-pale-mouth look is always a winner. Be it Kajol’s sexy act amongst the pyramids in Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham, Aishwarya Rai in Shabd or Rani Mukherjee’s sultry peepers in Chalte Chalte, the smoky look is always a stunner. Here’s the rocking explanation:

• Prepare your face with the right shade of foundation (M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid).
  
  
• Use darker colors on your eyelids and blend well (M.A.C Eyeshadows in Embark, Cranberry, Sketch, Deep Truth, Humid, Bronze, Black Tied).
  
  
• Line your lower lids with kohl and smudge it with some black eye-shadow (M.A.C Eye Kohl in Smolder, M.A.C Eyeshadow in Carbon).
  
  
• Top off with at least two coats of mascara (M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara).
  
  
• Line your lips with a liner (M.A.C Lip Pencil in Oak) and blend well with a pale shade of lipstick (M.A.C Lipstick in Sandy B), leaving no sharp lines.
  
  
• Finish with lots of gloss. He recommends M.A.C Tinted Lipglass in Oyster Girl
  
  
• Accentuate your cheekbones with a deeper shade of blush. He recommends M.A.C Blushcreme in Pleasureful
  

Old is gold

Jaya Bachchan

Remember Jaya Bachchan as the super-glam Ma of K3G? Here’s Mickey’s advice for the middle-aged divas in the making.

• Choose appropriate skin products and look after your skin regularly. From the M.A.C Skincare line he recommends M.A.C Studio Moisture Cream, which reduces the appearance of fine lines
  
  
• Always remember that less is more.
  
  
• Use make-up not as a cover, but as a highlighter of your beauty.
  
  
• Use minimum foundation as it tends to show up in the creases and folds. For older skin Mickey recommends M.A.C Studio Tech
  
  
• Eyebrows form the frame of the face and at this age, they tend to get sparse. Concentrate on them to get the look right. He recommends M.A.C Brow Finisher
  
  
• Choose colors for the shadows, liners and lipsticks that suit your personality. (M.A.C Eyeshadows in Satin Taupe, Vanilla, Era; M.A.C Lip Pencil in Spice; M.A.C Lipsticks in Taupe, Honeylove, Cherish, Sparks Can Fly)
  
  
• Keep with the make-up trends but always re-work them to complement you.

Perfect points

Aishwarya Rai

“The crux of perfecting your art of make-up lies in the finer details,” stresses Mickey. Here are some expert tips, to make all the difference:

• Choosing the right foundation is half the beauty battle won. There are tons to choose from, M.A.C Studio Mist, M.A.C Select Tint, M.A.C Face and Body, M.A.C Mineralize Satinfinish, M.A.C Select SPF15, M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid (Mickey's personal fave), M.A.C Hyper Real, M.A.C Studio Fix, M.A.C Select Moistureblend, M.A.C Studio Tech, M.A.C Full Coverage, M.A.C Studio Stick. Take your pick accordingly.
  
  
• Use an eyelash curler to open up the eyes, especially if you put kajal inside your eyes (M.A.C Eye Kohl in Smolder).
  
  
• Understanding your source of light is vital.
  
  
• You can use M.A.C Clear Lipglass on your eyelids. Try not to smudge it with liner; stick only to mascara (M.A.C Zoom Lash Mascara).
  
  
• To look dramatic, introduce some color to highlight and some glitter (M.A.C Glitter) wherever you are comfortable.

An Interview with M.A.C Make-up Artist Vimi Joshi

Vimi Joshi

Start in make-up
1994

On the art of make-up
Makeup is a form of self-expression that enhances the beauty within.

Creative influence
Celebration of cultures, people and life itself!

Most important tool
Imagination

Favorite Technique
Blending

Favorite M.A.C product (Consumer)
Smolder Eye Kohl and Zoom Lash Mascara

Favorite M.A.C product (M.A.C Pro)
Reflects Glitters

Favorite feature
Skin

Most admired make-up artists
Val Garland, Mickey Contractor, Sharon Dowsett

Most respected designers
Gucci, Versace, Elie Saab, Manish Malhotra

Vimi's Tips on the latest M.A.C Stylistics Collection:
Celebrate femininity and emphasize the sensuality of your lips. Smoldering colors are used on the lips like Stylistics Lipstick in The Scene with Stylistics Lipglass in Tastemaker for that Femme Fatale mouth. Then define by using Burgundy Lip Pencil to give you the ultimate pout.

Some gorgeous faces Vimi has worked on:

Rani Mukherji

Katrina Kaif

Preity Zinta

Neha Dhupia

Shilpa Shetty