In this article, Makeup Guru Lekshmi Menon FRSA, who is the creative director of Face Palette, lists out 5 tips that makeup artists should keep in mind while doing their makeup on a South Indian Bride.

Every makeup artist who needs to work with a South Indian bride should first do a consultation with the bride to understand various aspects of the wedding, the ceremonies, their during and timing as well as understanding the client's personality and taste. This is important to frame which look can be put across where and when, based on the ceremony and the client's individual preferences. When it comes to South Indian marriage ceremonies, there are instances where the wedding gets over in a few minutes to those that last for hours at a stretch. Just doing a basic trial of makeup is not enough; therefore, it is important for the artist to build a rapport with the would-be-bride to take every aspect into consideration. Most South Indians often express concern about getting their base too light as well, as many have quite warm complexions leaning more towards Yellow / Olive and Brown tones and often makeup artists lighten their skin to make it "brighter" which is a major concern these days among brides since they do not wish to look ashy during their wedding. Another major concern is the humidity which can cause many foundations to oxidize due to excessive oil production in the skin. Therefore, doing a trial and giving the base routine time to settle down into the skin and observing its finish and shade is mandatory.

Majority of the South Indian Brides often have few questions that are most frequently asked and that is:

• Is the makeup routine going to be too heavy since they prefer to look natural and not cakey?

• Will the makeup last long all throughout the ceremony without budging since most South Indian states are either extremely humid or rainy throughout the year.

Following are the Pro tips which makeup artists should keep in mind while doing their makeup on a South Indian Bride.

1) The first important point and one that is most overlooked is the Client's skin. Study client skin well and get the right base which is appropriate according to the client's undertone without making them ashy.

2) Match the Formula of the foundation and primer based on the skin type to make it last longer even in humidity. Every primer does not suit every skin type. Some need to be applied as a base before foundation and some needs to be mixed with the foundation to suit skin. Work it accordingly.

3) Kohled eyes and lashes are key elements!! South Indian women are known for their dramatic eyes and thick lashes so work with these. Most South Indian brides do not prefer a lot of colour eyeshadows on their lid and generally lean towards Neutral tones but if the bride is ready for it, work with dramatic eye routines that match their varied sarees and other outfits.

4) Do not over-use powder!! Powder should always be used strategically and not randomly. They have the tendency to absorb moisture from the skin and make the area heavy and cakey. Only set where it needs to be set using a very light hand. BLOT rather than CAKE!

5) Age old remedy of makeup artistry – Always start your makeup on clean skin and prep the skin using a CTM routine that suits your client's skin type. Makeup routine can last longer depending on how well the skin is prepped in prior.

Face Palette has a team of Makeup Artists called Face Palette Makeup Angels, who have been trained by Lekshmi Menon. We deliver makeup services to our clients across Kerala. In case of any queries, please do reach us on 9847074073 or email us at hello@facepalette.in