CODE RED

MAKEUP IS AS INDIVIDUALISTIC AS BEAUTY IS SUBJECTIVE, SAYS ELIANO BOU ASSI. SO CONSIDER SKIN TONE AND CLIMATE AS THE ESSENTIAL BEACONS TO LIGHT THE WAY.

IN ADDITION TO MAKE UP, EAT HEALTHY WITH LOTS OF VEGETABLES, CLEAN PROTEINS, HEALTHY CARBS, AND A LOT OF WATER. WHEN YOU EAT HEALTHY, IT SHOWS.

Beauty is something that comes from within. It’s about having selfconfidence and playing up the qualities that make you unique. And makeup is a surefire way for a woman to look and feel like herself, only prettier and more confident.

Beauty should be simple, real and accessible and customised with a few easy steps to perfectly fit each individual’s schedule and needs. Women from different backgrounds have different beauty needs; for instance, women in the Middle East love to define their eyes; Indian women love bright, bold lips and intense eyes; and women in Asia want fresh, flawless skin. No matter what the need is, there are a few basics you must keep in mind before you begin: skintone and the climate. Once you have this defined, the rest is simple enough.

Here are a few observations and tips for Indian women to consider working into their make- up routine. Embrace your natural skin colour and choose a shade that disappears into your skin. I’ve noticed that a lot of Indian women tend to use the wrong shade of foundation, which is usually a shade too light. Swatch a few shades of yellow- toned foundation on the side of your face; the shade that disappears is the right one. Double- check this shade on your forehead as skin is sometimes darker there. Spot- apply foundation where skin needs to be evened out- around the nose and mouth where there is often redness.

One common problem that Indian women often complain about is dark circles, for which I highly recommend using a peachy, yellow- toned shade corrector to brighten and neutralise discolouration under the eyes. With a concealer brush, start from the innermost corner of the eye and then gently blend with your fingers. Next, layer on a yellow- toned creamy concealer one shade lighter