Photographer: Rustam Vajifdar; Make up: Fiona Caroline for Dior

Cosmetic drama takes on new tones as make-up goes over the top this season, says Sujata Assomull

The festive season can only mean one thing – it’s time to dress up! Patting your make-up into place is really only the finishing touch of your entire look. Use products that have a feel of festivity – they must shine, glitter and glow. Sipping on some sparkling mineral water as you get ready will keep you pepped up for the night ahead.

A dry start

Use a base that will last all night. Try something on the heavier side, like M.A.C’s Studiofix. Before applying make-up, make sure that your face retains an oily texture so as to ensure that the glitter stays on, as such products tend to slide off the skin easily.

Eastern eyes

Go bronze on the eyes for this very Eastern, mysterious look. M.A.C’s Say Yeah, or Bourjois’ Suivez Mon Regard eyeshadow in Regard Ambre, are great for base colours. For a feminine touch, add a dash of pink. Apply either M.A.C’s Living Pink in the crease or Shadestick in Gracious Me as a highlighter just under the brow.

Define the eyes further with Lakme’s Dual Eye Definition in bronze. This dual use product has an eyeshadow pen on one end and an eye pencil on the other. A handy touch up tool, it fits into a handbag with ease. Use the pencil to outline your eyes and start from the outside for a clean line. The final and most important item for the eyes is mascara. Use black mascara in matte to balance out the sparkly eyeshadow. L’Oréal’s Double Extension does wonders to lengthen lashes with the fortifying base cream on one end providing perfect protection.

Shine with Dior’s Bling! Bling! look:

Face: Blend the foundation in Dark Beige for a tanned look. Sweep over the loose translucent powder in # 651 all over the face to cement the make-up. The Terra Bella sun powder, brushed onto the cheeks, gives them a shimmering sculpted look.

Eyes: Apply Brown from the 2-colour eye palette, # 630 on the entire eyelid. Then use a darker brown on the outer corners of the eyes for an intense effect. The So Cheek blush is then brushed over the brow to fix and highlight the shimmer over the upper eyes. A deep brown eyeliner and Dior Show Mascara finish the glam look.

Lips: Outline the lips with #973 and fill the centre of the lips with a Dior Kiss in white colour for a shiny effect. For ultra pouty lips paint lips with Ultra gloss lipstick in pale pink followed by lipgloss.

SHOWING OFF SKIN

Nothing works like homespun exfoliation regimes to attain that perfectly textured back

“Chick pea flour, mixed with a bit of yoghurt or water, makes a paste which really cleans the skin and leaves it silky soft, especially if you’ve had an oil massage first. Our maids would rub it and rub it so it crumbled off your skin, taking away all the deep down dirt with it. This sounds painful but it wasn’t. Sometimes we scrubbed extra hard with the dried fibres of a particular gourd, which Miss Blake said was like a loofah. That cleaned very well.” – Almond Eyes, Lotus Feet by Sharada Dwivedi and Shalini Devi Holkar.

Body exfoliation is one beauty secret the stems back to the days of yore. Though we all remember to cleanse and moisturise our body, we often forget this age old regime. The Maharanis of India knew that scrubbing the body was almost like polishing silver – it gave a shine to your skin that made it seem almost new.

STYLE BUYS

High end finds to ensure a radiant sparkle this festive season

For the Lips

This is the season to shine and make those lips as glossy as possible. Both Versace and Shiseido, have introduced lipgloss with gold dust in them. For that dash of drama, apply the gloss over your favourite lipstick or if you’re wearing heavy make-up, just wear the gloss by itself. Gold-shaded lips are the look of the season.

Packaging: If you’re the flashy type, then Versace’s the one for you with its gold handle embossed with their signature medusa. If you’re more sober and subtle, then opt for Shiseido’s much more subtle, yet elegant style.

Efficiency: Versace has aptly named their gloss, Light on Lips – it really makes your lips ‘light up’. These are, however, on the sticky side. (Shiseido’s The Make Up Lip Gloss, Rs 975/-, available at Shiseido counters throughout India; Versace’s Light on Lips, Rs 1085/- available at select outlets throughout India.)

For the Hands

‘Frosty’ hands just spell Christmas, so look for varnishes with a wintry feel. Bourjois Very Vernis Nail Enamel in Blanc Prismatic is just right for this look. It’s white with shimmery dust so makes nails look longer and leaner and has shimmery dust particles. Or you can even try one coat of Dior Addict in, Diabolo Turquoise. It’s an icy, glittery blue that can be used on top of another colour for a wet look to your polish.

Packaging: Practical is the word for Bourjois nail polish. Its bow shaped bottle has a young look whereas Dior Gold topped polish is more about grown-up glamour.

Efficiency: Polishes with glitter tend to stay on the nails longer and dry very quickly. Both these polishes have shine, yet remain subtle. (Bourjois Very Vernis Nail Enamel, Rs 260/-, available at select outlets throughout India; Dior Addict One Coat Nail Color, Rs 1075/-, available at Dior counters throughout India.)

Silver box and pearls at Curio Cottage.

For complete story, subscribe to Verve Magazine or buy the Verve issue on stands now!