Shilpa Shetty's Beauty Secrets

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer is her ultimate indulgence

I spend too much on
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer. I love it. They gave me some on a flight and as soon as I landed I went and bought some more.

Baby oil and coconut oil makes my skin soft and supple

My beauty regime is
Simple. I never use soap on my face, and I always make sure I take my make-up off at night. I use a concoction of Johnson's Baby Oil and Parachute Coconut Oil in equal parts – it’s the best thing for my skin.

Using beetroots on your cheeks? That's a first

My best beauty bargain is
Beetroot! If you want a natural flush, boil some beetroot in the microwave and rub a bit on your cheeks over your moisturizer. It always comes out the right color.

Shilpa is always seen with pink-nude lips

My beauty addiction is
Collecting lipsticks. I’m quite a freak about them. I have the same pink shade in every make, but I can’t stop buying them. I especially love Estée Lauder lipsticks.

Her fragrance, S2 is her baby

My fragrance reminds me of
Happy times. All the notes in S2 are favorites of mine. At its heart it contains jasmine, which reminds me of home, and when I smell it, it instantly takes me back to India. It’s very special to me.

My worst beauty disaster was
wearing bright blue contact lenses and red lipstick. At the same time. I have no idea why I did it – I must have been about 21 and colored lenses had just come in big time. It was a complete disaster.

Mickey Contractor's Make-up Tips

Mickey Contractor with Shilpa Shetty

Mickey, who has given actresses like Shilpa Shetty (above) and Preity Zinta in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (below) a fresh and stunning new look, spells out common mistakes we tend to make while applying makeup.

Preity Zinta

More is less
When it comes to makeup, many women just wear too much of it. They don't know when to stop, especially the ones who don't know how to wear makeup. You can easily learn how to apply makeup by looking up magazines, books etc if you are the artistic type. One good way to learn how to apply makeup is to visit M.A.C. They have trained makeup artists, who show you how to use the right makeup.

Using the correct foundation
Secondly, some women don't use the right color of foundation. Finding the perfect shade for you is a must. Women also tend to copy other women as well, and then end up looking the same. That's why I tell the actresses I work with that they must create a style of their own, which will make them an icon.

Shape Your Eyebrows
Some women don't look after their eyebrows. The shape of eyebrows changes one's face; it frames your face. Eyebrows must be neatly done AT ALL times. If you have sparse eyebrows, make sure you fill them in with M.A.C Brow Finisher.

Rainy Day Makeup Tips
On rainy days, for women who cannot avoid foundation, use M.A.C Face and Body Foundation, which is water-proof and provides long-lasting, natural coverage for face and/or body. Waterproof eye makeup like M.A.C Powerpoint Eye Pencils and M.A.C Splashproof Lash Mascara are a good investment. M.A.C Tinted Lipglasses are your safest bet for rainy days.

Holiday Make-up Trend: Dramatic Eyes

Line the eyes with a black kohl pencil (M.A.C Eye Kohl in Smolder). Start the line small at the inner corner and lift it away from the lash line as you reach the outer corner. Brush a mixture of silver pigment (M.A.C Pro Pigment in Silver) and pale blue shadow (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Moon's Reflection) on the upper inner eyelid and followed that with a deep purple shadow (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Purple Haze) from the outer corner, swept in. Add lavender (M.A.C Pigment in Mauvement) to the center of the lid and blended all the shadow shades together to create a silver smoky eye." Finish with mascara: three coats of black (M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara) and then one coat of violet (Lancôme Fatale Mascara in Violet) on the lower lashes.

An Interview with M.A.C Make-up Artist Vimi Joshi

Vimi Joshi

Start in make-up
1994

On the art of make-up
Makeup is a form of self-expression that enhances the beauty within.

Creative influence
Celebration of cultures, people and life itself!

Most important tool
Imagination

Favorite Technique
Blending

Favorite M.A.C product (Consumer)
Smolder Eye Kohl and Zoom Lash Mascara

Favorite M.A.C product (M.A.C Pro)
Reflects Glitters

Favorite feature
Skin

Most admired make-up artists
Val Garland, Mickey Contractor, Sharon Dowsett

Most respected designers
Gucci, Versace, Elie Saab, Manish Malhotra

Vimi's Tips on the latest M.A.C Stylistics Collection:
Celebrate femininity and emphasize the sensuality of your lips. Smoldering colors are used on the lips like Stylistics Lipstick in The Scene with Stylistics Lipglass in Tastemaker for that Femme Fatale mouth. Then define by using Burgundy Lip Pencil to give you the ultimate pout.

Some gorgeous faces Vimi has worked on:

Rani Mukherji

Katrina Kaif

Preity Zinta

Neha Dhupia

Shilpa Shetty

Holiday Make-Up Breakdown by Make-up Artist: Prabir De

The most exquisite designer gown will fall flat if the colors you're flaunting on your cheeks, eyes and lips are not in sync with the makeover mood of the season. So as you get set to make an impact at the Christmas Eve/Christmas/New Year's Eve/New Year's party you're hitting, focus on your face more than anything else. Even the simplest outfit can be carried off with oomph if your eyes and lips are sending the right messages.

Since chances are you will end up wearing either a flamboyant evening dress or a pair of slacks, the accompanying colors shouldn't be too loud. Opt for shades of brown or a dusky pink. These hues are eternal winter favorites and also gel well with Pakistani/Indian features. For the eyes, the trend this season is to ignore the black kohl-lined look in favour of a smudgy effect with eyeshadow.

Says ace make-up artiste Prabir De: "The kohl-lined eyes and nude lips that were a rage for almost the whole year are passé. The no-kohl look is in, with dark lips. And for this years soirées, dark lips with midnight hues of maroon (M.A.C Lipstick in Spice It Up), brown (M.A.C Deep Love) or red (M.A.C Lipstick in Dubonnet) are a must. The eyes can be lighter with a smudgy look."

Skin
Keeping the weather in mind, moisturizing the face (M.A.C Studio Moisture Cream) before applying make-up is essential. This should be followed by a foundation (M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid) that matches the skin tone. Blend this well and top it with a pressed powder (M.A.C Select Sheer/Pressed Powder) in the same tone.

Cheeks
Shilpa's high cheekbones have been accentuated with dusky pink blush (M.A.C Powder Blush in Desert Rose). This has been applied just below the cheekbones and blended well, while a silver (M.A.C Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo in Family Silver) highlighter, that has been dabbed on the cheeks.

Eyes
The first step towards beautifying the eyes is to curl your lashes, then apply an eye primer (M.A.C Prep + Prime Eye). Next, the shadow has to be done with care. De applied a dusky pink shadow (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Sushi Flower) on the upper lid, blending it well, to give a pink tint. Highlight with a mix of silver (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Silver Ring) and bronze eyeshadow (M.A.C Eyeshadow in Bronze) just below the eyebrows. Slap on the same mix on the inner corner of the eyes as well.
Line the eyes with pink (M.A.C Lipglass Pencil in Pink Edge,use a pink lip pencil as an eyeliner, to sanitize as a lip liner again, just sharpen pencil), and brown pencil (M.A.C Eye Kohl in Costa Riche). Give it a sexy yet smooth smudge with a brush. Since the lined look is no longer in fashion, you have to use pencil liners to give the eyes some definition and then smudge them totally so that the lines don't stand out.
Layer on the mascara (M.A.C Plush Lash Mascara) in three thick layers to give the lashes as much length as possible. Without the kohl, this is a must to make the eyes look dark.

Lips
He applied a deep brown lipstick (M.A.C Lipstick in Photo). "Even if you are using lipstick, avoid lip liner. This look requires a smudged look instead of a well defined one," he says.

Make-up Trend: Nude Lips

Call it decent exposure: stars like Shilpa Shetty have been going nude—with their lips, that is. Wearing nude lipstick is always chic and fashion forward. It shifts the focus to the eyes, which can be made up in a sexy, playful kind of way.

Line lips with a rose-tone pencil to give your mouth a distinct boundary between the rest of your skin.

Rec: M.A.C Lipliner in Whirl

Rec: Prescriptives Colorscope Lip Color in Nude

Make-up Trend: Subtle Teal Eyeshadow

Bright eye makeup done right is flirty—not freaky. Shilpa Shetty blends a bold aqua hue into a neutral shade. Brush pearly beige shadow over lids, then add shimmery teal on the outer half of each lid.

Line your lower lashline with the same color. The greenish tint will minimize the appearance of any redness in your eyes.

Rec: M.A.C Eyeshadow in Haunting

Make-up Trend: Green Eyeshadow

• Green is a universally flattering shadow color. Keep the face subtle so the green is the focus. A soft blush and a peach/pink or golden lip compliment the green beautifully.
  
  
• When wearing green for the first time, keep it simple. For greens, smudge them around the eyes to create subtle smokiness or apply it just on the upper lids.
  
  
• Green shades are seasonally versatile and transition well from summer into fall. It looks beautiful with a tan, and can be pumped up in fall with green or black eyeliner applied to the inside of the eye for a dramatic evening look.

• Green is a universally flattering color that works on all skin tones from light to dark. Leave the browbone clean and accent the corner of the inner eye with a little shimmer powder to make it pop even more
  
  
• When selecting a shade that best compliments your skin tone, keep the following in mind: pastel greens work best with fair skin; emerald green for medium skin; blue green for olive skin; and forest green with gold for dark skin. Of course experimenting with shades is the best way to go.
  
  
• Green is a color that makes a statement, as opposed to a neutral everyday shade. Rec: Urban Decay Deluxe Eye Shadow in Graffiti.
  
  
• Look for metallic-flecked shades like this one from Too Faced. Shimmer adds a bit of a modern kick.

• Shades of green have replaced the typical browns and charcoals as fall's hottest shadow hue. Keep the rest of the makeup minimal. Let green dominate and draw attention to your eyes.
  
  
• Experiment with more drastic colors and placement for nighttime. Smoke it up! Rim the inside of the eye with a shade of green, or wet your shadow brush before dipping in the pigment to give extra intensity. It gives an exotic, confident look.
  
  
• Use emerald shadow with flecks of gold in it. Layer green over a brown base to give a look more dimension. With your finger, press the emerald tone on the center of the eyelid and roll your finger back and forth to achieve a 3-D effect.
  
  

Make-up Trend: Berry Lips

This season's vibrant colors of raspberries and plums are the hottest thing. The bluish tones in berry lip color make your teeth look whiter

Dab a lip balm with natural oils on top of lipstick—it'll melt into color pigments and create a sexy sheen.

Rec:
Lip Balm: Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm
Lipstick: Sephora Maniac Long Wearing Lipstick in Berry Mauve Shimmer

Make-up Trend: Rosy Cheeks

To get a sheer, gorgeous glow of your own, use a creamy formula (shades like burgundy for dark skin and a shade like rose for paler skin). Swirl your index finger over the color and apply to the apples of your cheeks, using circular strokes to blend.
Rec: Stila Convertible Color in Petunia

Make-up Trend: Purple Eyeliner

Shimmery violet eye liner takes makes our eyes look sexy in a minute. Use loose powder shadow so small flecks fall under the lashine and create a blurry glow.
First rim your waterline with a charcoal pencil, then use a stiff eye liner brush to pick up fluidline and line your lashline.

Rec: MAC Fluidline in Iris Eyes

Make-up Trend: Bronze Cheeks

One look at the Spring 2008 collection the models looked like they had been at a beach and back, all of them sported gorgeous hair and sun-kissed skin.
Brush coral-tinted bronzing powder over cheeks, then sweep a light dusting across your forehead, nose, chin and shoulders.
Rec: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in So Ceylon