M.A.C Global Senior Artist, Sonic Sarwate solves your foundation woes!
currentMood: Some people in India are obsessed with fair skin and want to look a few shades lighter than their natural complexion..
Sonic Sarwate: The grass is always greener on the other side. Women in India are obsessed with looking fairer because they are slightly darker. Similarly, people in Europe are fair but always looking for a tan. People aren’t happy with what they have and makeup is the easiest way to achieve what you lack. Makeup is something that’s very subjective. You do come across women who want to look two shades fairer and that’s fine too. Although, I prefer it when women stick to their natural complexion and not transform themselves into somebody else.
That being said, perceptions of beauty are a cultural phenomenon. In India, everyone wants to look fairer than they are. While growing up, a lot of children are told, “Don’t go out in the sun, you’ll get darker.” Its just how we’ve been raised. But now when you look at the younger generation, they really don’t care about looking fairer. They’d rather have a healthy glow on their skin, irrespective of their complexion and that’s what matters, not the colour of your skin.
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cM: What is the ideal way to find a foundation that complements one’s skin tone?
SS: Firstly, you need to know your skin type and the purpose of the foundation. Do you want good coverage? Or looking for something to even out your skin without giving too much coverage? What texture are you looking for? Are you looking for something that mattifies your skin? Or something that adds sheen, moisture and glow? Once you truly understand what you want, the next step is easy.
Secondly, try on two different shades one either side of your face. Leave it on for some time and compare which one works for you. I’ve seen people try on foundation on their hand or neck.
You have to remember that our body and face are not always the same colour. So opt for the shade that is closest to your skin tone and also fulfilling your needs and requirements.
cM: Is there a universal foundation that works for most people?
SS: M.A.C studio fix powder plus foundation is our bestselling foundation around the globe. It’s a powder foundation that gives a beautiful matte finish with medium to build-able coverage. The compact packaging makes it super convenient to use and carry in your bag.
cM: Beauty trends usually suit fair skin and limits most Indians. How much of it can we try out?
SS: People are now more aware of what is out there and conscious of what works for them. Some of my clients show me references of makeup as seen on a white model and ask me if it would look good on them. The best canvas for makeup is a whitish complexion – you can showcase anything on it. Spring Summer 17 trends that work really well on our complexion are bright lip colours – All Fired Up, Relentlessly Red, Ruby Woo. Also eyeshadows in Amber lights, All that glitters, Deep Truth, Humid and Cranberry are great jewel toned colours.
cM: Is it possible to skip foundation altogether?
SS: If you’re someone who doesn’t wear makeup, and has good skin, you can skip the foundation and use BB cream, CC cream or a tinted moisturiser.
cM: Which M.A.C products work best for the Indian complexion?
SS: You need to take good care of your skin for anything to look good. Post that you should invest in a primer, moisturiser, concealer or and a corrector. One of the biggest mistakes women make with their base makeup is that they apply foundation and no concealer, which in return makes the pigmented area look grey.
Our MAC Studio conceal and correct pallet is really good, it consists of four shades of concealers and two shades of correctors. It’s fabulous because you don’t need to use anything else and the corrector helps take care of pigmentation, if you have any.
cM: I’ve taken tutorials at the M.A.C store. While the makeup artists do a fabulous job in making me look good, it’s really hard for me to achieve the same effect even though I’ve purchased the products they’ve recommended.
SS: Most makeup artists get carried away and want to show you the best that they can do for you. You should let the artist know your limitations of applying makeup, so he/she can cater to your needs within that space. Sometimes when we start applying makeup, and our clients love it and say things like, “Ya! I like it and want to try this also….” So we keep going on till they say, “This is enough.”
Next time you visit our store, ask them to give you a face chart. It has a step-by-step decoding of the products they’ve used and how they’ve achieved the look. It even has the artists name and number mentioned, so if you get stuck later, you can always call them up and speak to them.
M.A.C
MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation
Rs 2,450
M.A.C
MAC Studio Conceal And Correct Palette
Rs 3,650
M.A.C
MAC Prep + Prime BB Beauty Balm SPF 35
Rs 2,300
M.A.C
MAC Prep + Prime CC Colour Correcting SPF 30
Rs 2,700
M.A.C
MAC Retro Matte Lipstick: All Fired Up
Rs 1,500
M.A.C
MAC Retro Matte Lipstick: Relentlessly Red
Rs 1,500
M.A.C
MAC Retro Matte Lipstick: Ruby Woo
Rs 1,500
All products available at: Nykaa.com