CHROMATIC DREAMS

Kanishka Ramchandani opens the colourful vista of make-up trends for the season with the choicest hues that will take your make-up skills notches higher.

Make-up artistry rests on two creative pillars – colour schemes and blending. Basic make-up when paired with the right colour palette can make your client look like a million bucks. All the latest techniques that you learn, the blending that you practice and the products that you buy – all of this will come to naught if you don’t have an eye for colour. Understanding colour starts with knowing cool and warm colours and how each category can be best matched with the corresponding skin tones. But when you look at the bridal colour trends, you would know how fantastic the season is going to be. We get our make-up experts to spell out popular colour themes that will give you ideas and inspiration for your bridal clientele.

SEASONAL VIBES

Lekshmi Menon FRSA, CEO, Face Palette, states, “Luminous make-up is in and brides are keen to get a glass-like finish in their makeup routine. However, artists need to be careful and strategic on applying luminous products, especially if the bride is going to be exposed to hot and humid weather. There is a fine line between glowing and looking sweaty.”

Her recommended colour palette includes neutrals (for make-up and trousseau alike), pastels (pastel liners and eyeshadows), earthy tones and purple. “Vibrant purple tones on eyes/lips/blush complement Indian skin tone beautifully as it can blend well with neutral brown tones and make it look more cohesive.”

Neha Chande Joshi, Director and Educator, Indian School of Beauty, says, “I am in love with the ‘less is more’ concept. Beautiful dewy and glass skin is a superhit! I am also loving the new trend of embellishments on the eyes – rhinestones or pearls – to add drama to the look.”

Her top bridal picks include:

• Monochromatic make-up

• Romantic pink bridal make-up

• Copper eyes with red lips

• Indian kohl eyes with glossy lips

• Coloured eyeliner for a glam look

• Halo smokey eyes with muted lips

TO GLOSS OR NOT TO GLOSS

“For sure more of gloss, the wet looks are trending. From sun kissed make-up to glass skin, I’m seeing that gorgeous glaze everywhere,”

-Neha Chande Joshi, Director and Educator, Indian School of Beauty,

“Somewhere between the two! I prefer a vinyl finish – it looks wonderful and has a glossy appearance. Long-lasting, hydrating and giving a beautiful sheen to the lips without accentuating fine lines.”

-Lekshmi Menon, FRSA, CEO, Face Palette

WHAT’S UNDERPAINTING?

“Underpainting technique is used a lot these days by artists. It looks cohesive and well-rounded without harsh lines on the face, if done well. It can also help to provide 3D aspect to the canvas with the right amount of shadow, light and colour placement,” says Menon.

“Underpainting is where the contouring and concealing is done first and the foundation is painted on later, the foundation is painted on, making it look much more natural. A lot of clients prefer bronzing over contouring as they want very natural shadows on their face,” adds Joshi. professionalbeauty.in

CHOICE OF BASE

Joshi recommends cream-based foundations for dry skin, liquid for matured and combination skin and mousse for oily skin. Menon opines, “Liquid, mousse, cream, powder and stick are various formulations. What matters most is the finish and coverage the foundation can offer. A make-up artist should be able to analyse the client’s skin type and skin concerns, and mix and match with the right finish and coverage. Any foundation with higher viscosity offers more coverage and vice versa. The finish should match with the skin type. The environment to which the make-up will be exposed to is equally important.”

DR AMA FOR THE EYES

“Stunning metallic eyeshadows, embellishments, neon looks and the cat eye wings are in vogue for the eyes,” confirms Joshi.

Menon states, “Metallic cream shadows have made their way from the runways to bridal artistry. Foxy smudged liners with accentuated inner corner, with angled smoked wing, are also in. Lashes only on the outer corner can help elevate the look. Grunge returns with the onset of autumn, and it is widely used in editorial and runway looks.”

“Using black kohl is passe and brown is preferred over black. Brides expect the artists to do makeup based on their anatomy and to have a clear understanding on what may/may not suit their facial anatomy,” she adds.

FAVOURITE TIKTOK TREND

For Menon, the ‘Latte Makeup’ trend using monochromatic brown tones is the ‘it’ thing. Though not a fan of social media lingo, she loves using neutral tones as they complement various skin tones and suits looks for different occasions. She advices on the correct use of technique and product with this particular trend to avoid a washed-out effect.

Joshi joins in, “TikTok often provokes me to try weird things - one of them is foundation application using a spatula. Worked like magic! Thin, even and clean application, just like it was your skin. But I like working in my comfort zone, so brushes and wedges are my forever partners.”

How to keep a bridal client happy?

We bet this is the answer you have been looking for! Keeping up with trends and learning new techniques is one thing but keeping your bridal client happy is a whole new lesson in management. Thanks to our experts, we have the right answers for you.

Menon’s tips:

• Always listen to your client first and then give advice.

• Be a complete professional when it comes to work and work ethics.

• Be on time, address them properly, make them feel at ease, never make negative remarks about your client and remember to conduct yourself well.

• Follow hygiene protocols in make-up artistry to ensure your client’s safety.

• Try and provide a bridal touch-up kit with Q-tips, blotting paper, breath mints, powder puff and a bit of the lipstick in a small container with a disposable applicator.

• Remember, it is always the little things that matter.

Joshi’s tips:

• Punctuality, hygiene and perfection are my top three priorities.

• Dress your best. Your personal grooming has to be top notch.

• Be warm and kind to your brides.

• Professional and positive communication skills

• Recommend a customised skincare consultation to the bride.

• Have a post service follow up as well. This builds a long-term client relationship.

With our make-up gurus explaining the top colour trends and giving handy tips, we hope the upcoming bridal season brings a full appointment book and happy bridal testimonials for all our professional make-up artists out there. Have a great season ahead!