The Art of Make-Up, Brace Yourself!

I have always been interested in make-up and intrigued with the wide range of products available in the marketplace!  My younger teen years saw me running around with deep blue eyeliner ringed around my eyes, peachy pink cheeks and rosebud lips… all of which, somehow, felt very hip and trendy in the 80’s. However, with real life taking over, with a professional career to manage, a manic household to run and a continued sense of total bafflement on what products to buy, what tools to use to apply them and where to just start the entire process I have stuck to my basic (now) black eyeliner, mascara, foundation and powder for over 2 decades!
Until, that is, I was exposed to the world of MissMalini and those around her, who with a few magic strokes seem to transform the ordinary into a most extraordinary look. Keen on investigating this further, I managed to book a sitting with Sunita Brace, a make-up artist with a great sense of realism and many pragmatic tips to share.
That one hour has already transformed my life. I knew upfront that I could and would never spend hours in the front of the mirror, preening myself, and yet I wanted to walk out of the house with striking eyes, stunning contours and highlights bouncing off my face! I still haven’t quite mastered the technique of “placing” the eyeliner gel, and still have to fight the temptation of trying to “draw” amazing sleek, thin lines across a rather bumpy canvas… but it’s a battle I am determined to win.
So how does one transform into a beauty queen in all of 10 minutes? Sunita had a few simple but great tips for me!

Shalini and Sunita Brace

1. Keep it simple – know your face and work with the positives,
2. Take your time ‘between layers’ – if you are going to rush the process, and don’t ‘prime your skin’ you have lost the battle before you even begin the war!
3. Eyeshadows come in multiple colors – but for the quick fix glam look, you really need to only section your eye into 3 main areas and work the colors in accordingly.
4. Highlight the right bits – it’s amazing what some sheer highlighter in the arch of your eyebrow can do for your look!
5. Use the right tools – you don’t need an artist’s kit – all you need are a few basic brushes, clean fingers and a steady hand!

Shalini and Sunita Brace

I am now all set to storm into the next make-up store I come across, armed with knowledge and know-how on what to buy, and what to do with a ‘skunk’ brush, how to treat the ‘flat, square stiff’ brush, how to work the ‘crease’ brush and come out a winner with the ‘overall blender’ brush!