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Of foundations and blushers
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In a market flooded by a wide range of colours and brands, choosing the right cosmetic is essential, be it a foundation or a blusher.
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SHE IS a stunner with chiselled features and deep-set eyes. You see her on the ramp, celluloid and glam magazine covers and wonder if she was born so. Perhaps. But working behind the picture are a squad of make-up artists specialising for various media, the numerous hit-and-trial attempts at the make-over, light filters at work, and yes the golden word, `attitude', to carry it off.
"Nobody is perfect. It requires a lot of practice and trial and error to make the face look more presentable. Shading of the face is about enhancing the bright features and toning down - correcting a broad nose or shading the double chin. The bottom line is that it should be natural make-up and not made up," says cosmetologist Chetana Parekh.
And definitely not the one that makes you stand out in the photograph. Enter solutions from the Pandora's box of the current cosmetic bazaar. With a plethora of brands available, the consumer has a wide choice at the domestic and international beauty product-line, not forgetting the colours that suit the seasons and promos coming your way. But then, it is important to pick the precise make- up products.
"Product colours and the quality can make or ruin the face. Therefore, step one is to understand your basic skin tone, pigmentation and hair colour," says Chetana. Thus you embark on the choosing expedition. Several outlets offer the over-the-counter testing provision before you select the cosmetics.
Foundation: It serves as a perfect base to start with. There are skin-specific foundations one can go for, water-based foundation for an oily and the creamy foundation for dry skin, respectively. Next would be choosing the shade - from a pink toned one to an ivory. And how?
Shop in natural light. Apply a little colour to the jaw line. The shade that disappears into the skin is the right one. This apart, colour corrective foundations are a rage, worn under the normal foundation. They assist in toning down or boosting the complexion. While green foundation cuts down rosy skin tone, lavender brightens up a sallow complexion and is a good pick-me-up for a tired skin. White foundation provides a wonderful glow to all skin tones and is perfect for the evening make-up.
Concealers: These are concentrated forms of foundation used preferably after applying the foundation. Stick concealers are easily available in the market today. "Concealer either has to be one shade darker or lighter. The darker is used for covering scars and pimple marks and lighter can be used for the dark circles," says Chetana.
Powder: Face powders give a smooth sheen to the skin and `set' the foundation. It should be of the same hue as the foundation.
Compacts containing pressed powder are the must-have accessory in the purse.
Blusher: This gives the complexion a pat of colour. But, when not used suitably it can give an unnatural look.
Opt for a shade that goes well with your skin colouring and gels with the rest of the make up.
It could be terracotta, soft peach and cool rose - you could go for the lighter or darker shades depending on the light-day/night/seasons.
Eye shadows, kohl pencil, eyeliner: The tools to design eyes! For the day, go by light and pastel colours to match with the outfits, while for the night, wild colours - silver, bronze and gold - do well for the eye shadow. Make-up is all about blending. Two shadows must blend properly for that smouldering effect.
Use waterproof mascara and eyeliner especially during the rainy season to avoid the embarrassing run off and smudging.
The clear-colour transparent mascara and waterproof eyeliners are `in' this time around.
Lipsticks: They have been around for over 5,000 years. A selection of lipstick colour is the key to creating different looks. Today the lipsticks come with UV filters, Chamomile and Vitamin E. Lip liners, a shade darker than the lipstick, are helpful in drawing effective outlines, and available in a multitude of shades. They can also be used alone for a matte effect.
The bottom line is, indulge in cosmetics but pick up the one ideal for you. A little time in choosing the cosmetic could make that extra difference in your looks.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
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