Beauty Advice From Elizabeth Arden’s Global Make-Up Artist

What’s a pet peeve amongst women across continents?
Wrinkles, crow’s feet, and dark spots — women everywhere are most concerned about ageing.

Is there any secret behind being beautiful?
Take care of yourself. I have yet to meet a beautiful woman who wasn’t taking out the time to care for her skin and health.

An experience you cherish?
Working with Michelle Obama was memorable as she is such an empowering, intelligent and accomplished woman. As I did her make-up for a leading fashion glossy, I felt empowered as an artist, and as a woman.

A unique way to draw attention to the eyes, which is your favorite technique, is…
…to add the highlighter shade to the inside corner of the eye (the area in between the bridge of the nose and the tear duct), helping to brighten the eye and give a well-rested look. This is the modern, fresh way to highlight.

What are the essentials that are always in your bag?
Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant is my ‘can’t-live-without’ product. I use it on lips, cuticles, elbows, eyebrows and ends of hair. I also like Tatcha blotting papers, to absorb oil and keep make-up fresh. I carry a good concealer for touch-ups, and the Eight Hour SPF 15 tinted lip balm too.

The colour to watch out for?
Brown tones are making a comeback this fall. These tones are different today because of the advanced technology available. There are hints of undertones like pink, plums, peach or golden. These are now stable pigments, meaning that they don’t go muddy anymore.

Secrets to creating skin luminosity, keeping in mind the Indian complexion and weather?
In a warmer climate, ensure that you set liquid foundation with a powder or use a powder foundation, and throughout the day use powder and blotting papers to minimise shine. To make your make-up stay longer, make sure your skin is well hydrated. Also, using a product like our Flawless Start Instant Perfecting Primer helps.

What is your make-up philosophy?
Too many women use it to hide imperfections. Accentuating their best features will always look better than trying to camouflage — which often ends up highlighting a problem instead of hiding it.