Unlike what Disney will have you believe, most schools in India have a no-makeup policy. Even some junior colleges, internships and work-places frown upon obvious make-up. Here is the Gloss! cheat guide to getting away with … just a little;)
Eyes
- Kajal is hardly considered make-up in India since everybody and their 6-month old babies wear it. Experiment with the traditional variety that comes in little tubs or with kohl pencils to see what suits you best.
- Also experiment with liquid/gel eyeliner/surma along the top lid and try out a subtle tail or cat’s eye style (totally in right now!)
- A style that isn’t too popular in India but is fairly common abroad is to use white eyepencil instead of your usual black kajal. Try it- it really makes eyes (especially dark ones) pop.
- See if your school/workplace allows coloured eye-pencils. Grey, navy blue, deep green (especially if you’re green-eyed) and brown (especially if you’re brown-eyed) pencil are all excellent options.
Lashes
In most schools, you will get into trouble for wearing mascara since its too obvious. But who says you can’t sneak your way through this one? Buy an eye-lash curler (available at most beauty shops for about Rs. 70) and after curling your lashes (it makes an amazing difference), top it up with clear mascara (we recommend the one from Revlon Street Wear as it is inexpensive and doesn’t clump). Voila! Doll’s eyes!
Lips
We sincerely hope you already carry some sort of lip balm to school (BTW, it’s unhygienic to stick your fingers in your friend’s tub!) Clear, flavoured, tinted.. the options are endless! If you’re low on pocket money, there’s always Vaseline and the Himalaya which keep your lips moisturized and looking lush. If you can get away with gloss, do for a nice, clear one. For college/workplaces, try a peach, coral and pale pink shades of lipstick.
Skin
Given the climate in which we live, we recommend going really easy on this for a sustainable everyday look.
- Wash your face twice a day either with skin-type appropriate face-wash or your grandma’s secret ingredients (watch out for our article on this!) and follow the usual rules: drink enough water and skip the fries if they make your face break out. Exfoliate once a week.
- Moisturize both face and body right after you bathe to give you that glow. A little trick we learnt to make our legs look all long and shiny is to rub Vaseline in a straight, thin line from knee to ankle.
- We’re not discussing concealer/ foundation here as this is an article about no-make-up but we recommend you skip it if you can help it and go w/a tinted moisturizer with spf. Let that skin breathe, lovers!
Nails
Keep them short and trimmed or long and filed but keep them clean, push back the cuticles and buff if you want to. If possible, apply clear nailpolish or go for a French manicure.
Smell delicious
If you’re showering regularly (read: out of your 4th grade phase of competing with the family dog to escape weekly washes), wearing clean clothes and moisturizing, you probably smell fiiiiine already. For that extra punch, spritz on some with fresh or fruity smelling deo, body mist or perfume. The rule is generally deo for hot climates or those days when you have P.E. , body mist to smell fresh and perfume for sure if its a special occasion. Whatever your choice, make sure it isn’t too overpowering. There are really no “trends” as far as this one goes. Go with whatever makes you feel fabulous.
Picture Sources:
- http://gbmoon.net/verzierungen/71-verzierungen/7526
- www.thewonderforest.com
- simplethings-aino.blogspot.com
- Gloss Archive
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