Top seven makeup must-haves
Women love makeup. So much that they never throw anything away, even the congealed four-year-old nail polish at the bottom of their vanity kit. Nykaa thinks it's time for a lesson on makeup back-to-basics, so here's a list of seven products that will instantly beautify your mornings. What's more, they're perfectly portable as well. Just throw them into your hand bag for some instant pretty.
Barely there foundation
An absolute essential for those with less-than-perfect skin. Go instant flawless with just a dab. First cleanse and moisturize, then dot all over your face and blend well with your index finger. Now the tricky part: how do I find the right shade? Swipe a few different shades near your jawline and blend. The one that's barely visible is the one for you. Find your shade from Lakme Absolute Mattreal Skin Natural Mousse 16hr, Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation or Street Wear Stay On 3-in-1 Makeup.
Tips to get it right
Stick foundations are convenient to use on problem areas and there's no danger of spills. Tinted moisturizers work best for humid weather when a heavier formulation can weigh skin down. Powder or cream-to-powder foundations work best for normal to oily skins, creamy formulas for dry skin. Liquid foundations and mousses look great on all skin types, but look for a water-based formulation if you're prone to break outs.
Super compacts
Face powders are a girl's best friend. Compacts like Deborah Ultra Fine Powder With Mineral Oligo Elements, Lakme Flawless Matte Complexion Compact and Maybelline Dream Matte Pressed Powder are wonderfully versatile. They can give a smooth glow and are great for the occasional touchup when shine gets the better of you. It also helps set foundation so it last longer and helps conceal open pores, another bane of sunny days.
Tips to get it right
Take your pick from loose or pressed compacts. Loose formulas like Street Wear Crystal Shine Face Brightener Loose Powder work best if you want a gentle, ‘unmade’ porcelain finish. But if you’re active and sporty, the matte look of pressed powders like Revlon PhotoReady Compact Makeup may be ideal for you. Just remember to clean applicator brushes regularly to prevent the transfer of oils from skin on to the powder. Like foundations, choose a shade that blends seamlessly into your skin for a soft, glowing feel.
Conceal to perfection
Concealers are a great way of getting hiding dark circles, pigmentation and untimely zits. Nykaa loves Revlon PhotoReady Concealer and Colorbar Full Cover Concealer. Sure, it's just a temporary fix but a little practice can give the perfect finish. Sadly, finding the right concealer is one of those seemingly insolvable mysteries of the makeup universe. Should it be lighter than your complexion? Do you test it on the pad of your thumb or around your nose?
Tips to get it right
Finding your shade is actually deceptively simple. Nykaa makeup expert Ojas Rajani says first find your right foundation shade. “Apply several swipes of different shades on your freshly washed, unmade-up face just above the jawline. Buy the shade that disappears into your skin. Then select a concealer that’s just one shade lighter than the foundation.” Use your ring finger to gently dab concealer on. Allow it to get absorbed and then carefully blend in the edges. The trick is light pressure. Rub too hard and you’ll rub the product off.
Become a blushing beauty
The perfect tool to contour your face and play up your best features. Just remember, the right blush and application, should make you look like you're blushing, not wearing blush. For the most natural look, start with lighter shades and skip shimmer. Brown-black eyes look great with berry hues. Stay away from neutrals and browns because they tend to blend into the yellow undertones of your eyes, making you look drab and dull. Meanwhile, peachy or icy pinks look great with hazel, gray peepers. Take your pick from Revlon Photo Ready Sculpting Blush Palette, Street Wear Stay On Blush or Lakme Pure Rouge Blusher.
Tips to get it right
There are five main types of blushes: powder, cream, gel, tint and shimmers. Powder blushes like Colorbar Touch And Blushe suit oily skins while creamy formulations like Maybelline Dream Touch Blush has rich moisturizing ingredients, perfect for dry skin types. Light up your evening with a shimmer blush like Colorbar Body Shimmer. Perfect for dabbing on the forehead, bow of your upper lip or the inner corners of your eyes. Just avoid on areas you don't want to highlight.
Flutter those lashes
Don't spend hours agonizing over which mascara to get. They're all pretty much similar with some variations in formulations. But the wand is another story altogether. Each mascara wand serves a different and specific purpose so choosing the right one is key. Looking to lengthen lashes? Choose Maybelline The Colossal Volum Express Mascara. Want curls that never end? Pick Lakme Eyeconic Curling Mascara. Want a waterproof formula? Go with Street Wear Wonder Lash Mascara – Black. Hate the clumpy effect? Choose L'Oreal Paris Extra Volume Collagene.
Tips to get it right
You should know that mascaras tend to thicken on exposure to air. So if you've had yours for more than six months, it's time to ditch it and get a new one. A surefire tip to getting it right is curling lashes first, then pressing the mascara wand against your lashes, steering clear of lids. As you move the wand up toward the lash tips, wiggle it back and forth in a zigzag motion to ensure reach every lash.
Eye line your best features
It's true. Your eyes can speak a thousand words. There's no better way to play up your best features with eyeliner. Whatever the look you fancy, understated for daytime or dramatic for nights out, eyeliners should top your must-have list. The right color will add depth and definition to your lash line and should never be more intense than your eye color. This means dark eyed beauties can take their pick from any one of the vast variety put there. Choose from the range of shades from Street Wear Metal Eyes Eyeliner, Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eyeliner, Maybelline Vivid & Smooth Eye Liner Pencil or NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil.
Tips to get it right
While lining your upper lash line, press a finger down gently against the brow bone to pull up the lid slightly. This tightens skin, letting you color in closer to the lash line. Always handle your eyes with care. Try and stay away from the sensitive rims and inner lash lines. Always use a soft pencil that glides on without pressure or tugging, and make sure the brands are always labeled ophthalmologist-tested. It's also recommended that you remove all eye makeup with a cleaner formulated for eye makeup before going to bed. Nykaa recommends Thalgo Gentle Eye Make-up Remover.
Play up your pout
Forget those now-in-trend pop tints and poppy shades. There's something sexily timeless about nude lips. The perfect foil for dramatic eyes. But finding the right shade can be tricky. Nudes can make you look washed out but Nykaa expert Arshis Javeri suggests testing the hue by swiping it on the underside of your wrist to gauge if the shade's dark enough to stand out. Fair women look best in sandy pink undertones, wheatish girls in rose-beige undertones and dusky beauties look lovely in bronze tints. Take your pick from L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Nutri Shine Lipsticks, Maybelline Color Sensational Lip Color, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream and Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment.
Tips to get it right
A surefire trick to master the pale pout is to stay away from beige tones and try pale pink or peach tint if beige ages you. No matter what your lip undertone, peach corrects and neutralizes darker lip pigments. If you've already bought the wrong shade of nude, just layer on a sheer peach gloss on top of the nude lipstick.
