Star Of The Month - II

21. What's your take on tanning? Natural or artificial?

Artificial tanning is the most preferred way as it is safe! But in India, who needs tanning? We need to get fairer! Bronzers hardly work here!

22. Any backstage experiences?

It's a pandemonium! Backstage with makeup, brushes and what not flying here and there! Love the adrenaline rush! Model tantrums, designers fainting and all that happens! The best thing to do is to make sure your made-up model looks flawless on the ramp! Nothing makes me happier!

23. Would you like to share any tips and tricks learnt so far, which you think are not taught at Beauty Schools?

I have many many many of those! Using two foundations on the face for a flawless natural effect, using loose powder in a dusting as a primer before foundation, apply eye liner by taking product from the mascara, using crème highlighters, the no makeup look etc! The best trick to keep your lips from looking wonderful with a lipstick on is to use a lip tint! Preferably the colored ones from Bourjois under your lipstick! The silicones in the liptint keep the lip color lasting for hours and hours! You learn something new everyday and every minute! Kindly follow the link! http://beautytraveller.blogspot.com/2009/02/legendary-makeup-tips.html

24. What's your favorite look? I love a lot of iridescent makeup and transparent skin! Lately, I have started liking a lot of rosy-flushed looks with tones of mascara and lipgloss! I love the Estee Lauder Double Wear Collection and their signature blush in Plum Nuance, which is ultra gorgeous! Its in the line for review!

25. What's your take on nude lips and smokey eyes?

It's a conventional way to look glamorous! The key in this makeup is to get creative! Sometimes strong and sometimes demure is the essence of such makeup!

26. Would you like to share the latest trends in makeup? What colors are in this Spring?

Coral is the IT color this Spring/Summer! Various shades of apricots, salmon pink, oranges, tangerines etc follow as lip colors! I have always been biased to turquoise and lilac as true spring colors! Yet, I am loving teal this season! Maybe a teal liner from Lancôme’s new collection paired with Beach Coral lipstick and Precious Posy blush from Clinique!

27. What does your professional kit look like? What products do you take on a daily basis?

Its about 5 train cases of makeup and overflowing! I generally ask the photographer or wherever I work to give me a basic idea about makeup looks and pack accordingly! Or else, it goes haywire! Sometimes just a small bag is all I need! I am looking forward for products from MUD Cosmetics, Eve Pearl and My Face Cosmetics that are considerably good and easy to carry!

28. Your pearls of wisdom to our readers who want to choose Makeup Artistry as their profession! Preferably, the ebbs and tides!

Doing makeup is not easy as it looks like! It needs a lot of creativity, patience, urge to learn more, new contacts, cosmetics, energy and most of all ambition to be a makeup artist and not to give up easily! This is not a glorious field as we see successful makeup artists doing Vogue and Elle! But, its fun. It's a job that gives 100% satisfaction! You can see the results of the work you do immediately and the transformations are mind blowing! When becoming a makeup artist, you should choose which path you want to opt for like film makeup, television makeup, fashion and editorial makeup and special effects makeup! There are others like bridals and all which are not branches per se thanks to the reason 99% brides do not get married again LOL! Makeup is truly enticing if its considered as an ART and not a business!

29. Do you think a person should be certified by an organization to launch his/her career as a Makeup Artist? Like professional courses?

Any form of education never goes waste! There is always something to learn in class! It's not just a waste of time! Sometimes, we do end up paying exhorbitant amount of money for learning makeup! But, at a point of time its the "satisfaction" that matters! Another reason I feel everyone should do a makeup course because they teach you the color theory, makeup in different lightings and so many things which you can only learn there or through your mistakes! In a gist, once we come to know the rules in makeup from a makeup course, we know how to break them better!

30. To what extent do makeup books help? Any must-have recommendations?

Makeup books make sure that you don't look dumb in front of the makeup counter! You either know or at least guess what is what! If you read and then practice what you have read, they really help! I love Robert Jones, Kevyn Aucoin and some random books I got from Amazon, but lost with time! I also love the book written by Francois Nars! The only bad thing about reading books is that they compare many models and actresses who are almost perfect and this only acts as a source of inspiration! They never talk about the common woman!

P.S - Final session! I can't thank you enough for taking your time, Dr. Neeraj! We look forward for more sessions in the near future, but expect wiser questions!