Green carpet glamour

With the Indian film awards in town, it's all about getting that Bollywood look

NOKO

MAC senior artist, Pornpichit Khumnguen will be busy backstage during the 9th IIFA.

The 9th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend kicks off today in Bangkok and a green carpet ready to welcome Bollywood beauties. Want to be a Shilpa Shetty lookalike and catch the camera flashes at this star-studded event? After slipping on a sleek red sari, pull out your cosmetics palettes to create a dramatic look. For those who want to tone it down, Bollywood make-up trends now allow you to go glam without going heavy.

MAC senior artist Pornpichit Khumnguen has noted changes on the green carpet, saying that young Indian stars may not follow the old school style of bold and beautiful Bollywood make-up.

"With the traditional make-up style, the complexion was very matte with full coverage foundation, to the point that it looked powdery," he says. "The eyes were intensely defined with black and dark grey smoky eye make-up, and longer-than-normal brows were very much a trademark. Lips were also sharply defined and matte with a rich colour lipstick."

Today's Indian celebs might instead go for a more natural look, with a glowing complexion, alluring brown or light-grey smoky eyes, as well as glossy lips. Pornpichit, however, makes it clear that Indian ladies still believe in contouring and highlighting to emphasise facial features and bone structure. One beauty technique is to use different shades of foundation on different parts of the face - like cheeks and jawline - to provide a contouring effect.

"Contouring and highlighting give the face a deeper dimension and a photogenic advantage," says the Thai make-up artist, who will be busy backstage during this year's IIFA. MAC has been the official make-up sponsor of the IIFA since its first awards spectacular and its team of make-up artists has been behind the beautiful faces of Bipasha Basu, Vidya Balan and Sonam Kapoor.

But with their flatter faces and noses, can Thai gals achieve the Bollywood look and brush shoulders with these stars? Pornpichit thinks so.

"It wouldn't require an extreme makeover to achieve the facial frame of Indians. But I think Thais can follow the Bollywood look very well by going for brown smoky eyes, dashed with black eyeliner, followed by a coat of black mascara. And to contrast the stunning eye make-up, use nude tones on lips."

The Bollywood look is especially applicable to Thais with dark complexions, adds Pornpichit.

One common concern among many Thai and Indian ladies is darkening at the borders of the lips. Pornpichit's advice is instead of foundation, use MAC Spice lipliner to shade the lips and even out the colour before putting on lipstick. And a trick for a sexy pout is to put more lip gloss on the lower lip and leave one drop in the middle of both upper and lower lips to catch the spotlight.

A brown palette to create the Bollywood look.

Geeta Basra looks lovely in yellow at IIFA; Young Indians prefer a natural look; The dazzling Shilpa Shetty with the iconic Bollywood eyebrow make-up.