'Deepika's best sans make-up'

Mickey Contractor is the first make-up artiste to have his own signature collection with an international cosmetics company. Ask the industry guru whether there was any space for innovation, given how crowded the make-up market is already, and he says, "The fact that it's a collection designed by an Indian is unique enough. And yes, there are many new products – concealers, lipsticks and even eye shadows."

Fair game
Created by M.A.C, presumably for the ever-burgeoning make-up clientele in India, Contractor is hopeful that this development will help steer women away from the 'fair is good' philosophy. "Indian women are finally beginning to realise that using products to look fairer only makes them look ashy and grey. I'm not even sure how much these fairness creams, available all over work," he says.

Speaking about his celebrity clientele, Contractor talks about working with his favourite actors in films. "Deepika can carry off the natural look with ease. In Karthik Calling Karthik, I stripped her off all make-up and used just a concealer."

He recalls dolling up Kareena Kapoor saying, "Even Kareena, who was featured on the cover of a recent film glossy, was given just a concealer, lip gloss and mascara."As far as selecting the best make-up is concerned, Contractor insists, "Try and buy your products during the day, so that you can try it on and step out into the sunlight. Whatever looks good in the sun, which exposes all the harsh realities, will look much better in artificial light.

Expert Advice

Red lipstick is a big trend in India right now. Bright reds work better with lighter skin tones while deep reds veering towards maroon are better for darker complexions.

While people believe that putting black pigment in your eyes will make them look smaller, adding kajal to your lash lines emphasises this feature and adds character.

Shaping your eyebrows contours the face. Get it done by a professional and then groom with tweezers at home. People with chubby features should have angular eyebrows while those with strong features should try a rounder shape.