Ambika Pillai dishes out some hair and make-up advice

Celebrity make-up artist and hairstylist Ambika Pillai is all set to open her salon in Dubai.

Voted one among 25 of the most powerful women influencers in India by Marie Claire in 2013, Ambika is a known name within the beauty industry in India with salons across Delhi and Kerala.

Considered the go-to make-up artist and hairstylist for celebrities like Bipasha Basu, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Sushmita Sen and Sonam Kapoor, Ambika made her mark in Bollywood when she did the make-up for Aishwarya Rai in Taal. Though the artist has chosen to stay away from films after that, today she is known for her mastery of textures and colours, which has stood her in good stead while drawing discerning clients to her salons.

In Dubai recently to promote make-up brand Inglot’s new products, Ambika spoke to City Times about how readers can brighten up their look this season with a few tips from the style maverick.

A little goes a long way as far as make up goes

Blush - gives you a healthy look, as if your cheeks are just pinched.

Red lipstick - goes with Indian colour tone. Once you get hooked on to it, you cannot go wrong.

Waterproof mascara - Especially in Dubai during summers, waterproof mascara is a must; you don’t want black kohl running down your face now, do you?

Nail polish - Go for citrus or orange coloured nail paints. Everything has to be pleasant to look at.

Remember to smoke out your kajal and liner - Either go dark on the mouth or go dark on the eyes, but never do both.

Concealer - If you want to conceal something on your face, use spot concealing. Avoid full coverage unless it’s a special occasion.

Take good care of your skin. You are not putting on make up to hide blemishes. Your make up goes on top of beautiful clean skin. Always do basic skin care routine like cleansing, toning and moisturizing. You don’t need anything more.

Finally, be yourself and be natural.

HAIRY ADVENTURES

• People have huge issues with hair fall. And there is usually a reason that is happening - you are probably going through stress or have a thyroid problem.

• Regular hot oil massage helps maintain the hair’s natural shine and keeps the scalp moisturised.

• Straight hair is out of style. Have a lot more texture. Braid it overnight, if you want, with style products.

• Avoid hardcore gel. If you want the texture to hold for longer, it will be a little stiff, so scrunch it with your fingers. Mousses works beautifully well with hair.

• City Times