A few days before my 16th birthday, I hustled hard for my first lip gloss and kajal. Overnight, I became the resident “makeup artist” in my group of friends. As I navigated the world of lifestyle journalism and photo shoots in my early 20s, my skill set and makeup kit both expanded. Watching the late Prabir Da at work was a transformative experience; and Aniruddha Da was even kind enough to teach me a few things.
Then one day, back when I was 25, I landed Mickey Contractor’s phone number and that first in-depth interview for The Telegraph taught me techniques that would form the foundation of my makeup journey. Over the next decade, I honed my skills, constantly bugging artists Don Hsiao and Abhijit Chanda. Twenty years ago, I was quite obsessed with Rani Mukerji’s smokey eyes from Chalte Chalte. I still am. While some things don’t change, as I turned 45 this year, I realised my go-to makeup routine needs to. Here are five big changes I embraced.
I’m saying NO to viral beauty trends
Instagram declares a new viral makeup mantra every day. Mocha mouse, bold blush, graphic liners and I can’t even keep up with those lip kits. But I’m proud to report, I no longer care to look on-trend or “different” every time I get ready. I know what works and what doesn’t, and I finally feel confident saying no-thank-you to beauty trends. It’s oddly liberating to confess that my go-to, tried and tested look features some sort of smokey eyes. But the mouth still depends on the mood.
I have updated my go-to products
One of my fave beauty girls, Reshma Sambtani Daing did an Ask Me Anything on Instagram recently and I posted a question about tweaking makeup after 40. “Keep it simple. No heavy layering, choose minimal to medium coverage products for skin-like finish.” I called her for more pointers and she said the secret is switching to luminous or cream-based products. For makeup that moves with your skin, Reshma recommends using cream blushes and soft cream highlighters that melt beautifully into the skin, balm bronzers, eye crayons,
I’ve nailed my under-eye technique
I think most of my peers will agree this is our biggest concern. Whatever I did, the night ended with smudged kajal or dark shadows and most often smudged kajal on dark shadows. I reached out to Don Hsiao, travelling pro artist from Calcutta, now based in Los Angeles. Turns out I was using a concealer that was too light for my skin and I was also guilty of skipping my colour corrector. “It’s tempting to pick up the lighter shade to conceal the dark circles, but the minute you brighten the undereye with a lighter concealer, you’re highlighting it. And along with that highlighting all the flaws like crow’s feet, discolouration and depression. Find a concealer that’s closer to your skin tone after using a peach tone colour corrector.” To avoid smudging of kohl, Don taught me how to use a little translucent talc-free powder to absorb any emollient before applying the kajal and then set the kohl with a bronzer.
I now actually prep my skin
In my 40s, skincare became more than a feel good self-care moment. When my makeup routine first started feeling off, I couldn’t quite figure out why. Turns out hydrating my face with a moisturiser is no longer an optional nice-to-have first step. Reshma even suggested a hydrating primer to plump the fine lines or even a blur primer to soften the look of pores or texture. “Use powder only where you get oily (like T-zone) and a finishing spray to keep everything in place while keeping a dewy finish.” Other new habits can include regular facial massages or gua sha to sculpt, and a weekly hydrating mask. And of course, taking off all traces of makeup at the end of the day (in my case ASAP!) is non-negotiable. My Dadi used to religiously wipe her face before bed with Anne French cleansing milk, so deep cleansing was ingrained early on. Decades before double cleansing was a thing.
I’m saying YES to a bold lip
There’s (almost) nothing a lipstick can’t fix. From jet lag to perimenopause mood swings, my favourite red lipstick (MAC’s VIVA Heart) is always on hand. Recently I tried a hot pink too, lined nicely with a brown lip liner to make it the just-right shade for me.
Don Hsiao on 3 makeup habits that need unlearning
Don’t slap on the foundation. Especially lighter than your skin foundation. Less is always more, so switch to a tinted moisturiser, a BB or CC cream that infuses skincare.
Break up with shimmer. In your 40s, stay away from shimmer, but say hello to shine. For skin that looks naturally luminous, avoid powder formulations that come with specs of glitter or talc that easily set into our fine lines. Instead, look for words like hybrid, cream or soufflé and pearlised pigments.
Don’t skip the lip liner. Our mouth is one of the most dominant, expressive features. A bright lipstick can smear in seconds without a liner to water proof it and lock it in.
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