Simplicity is beautiful

When famous Renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci came up with the quote, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” he would have hardly thought that even 500 years later, it would be so apt in modern-day fashion. And while in the sphere of fashion, much is talked and written about clothing and accessories, the art of make-up usually ends up taking the backseat.

First things first, in order to look pretty, applying oodles of make-up is a big no and does not symbolise  sophistication in any way. In India, while most celebrities go overboard by ‘painting’ their faces, those who keep it minimal, and still look gorgeous, are Kiran Rao, Genelia D'souza, Mira Rajput, Nandita Das and Amala Akkineni to name a few.

Mira with Shahid

Talking about celebrities abroad, American actress and model Meghan Markle, who is in the news these days for dating Prince Harry, is usually seen sporting a natural and simple look in all her photographs. She is neither overly dressed nor does she ever use too much make-up on her face and is always a delight to look at.

Even experts say that less is more when it comes to looking graceful and presentable. “Meghan or Mira are naturally very beautiful people to look at and they don’t need much make-up to highlight their features. But when one wants to look great with minimal make up, at first they must know what looks good on them,” says Meenakshi Dutt, a make-up expert.

Mira with Shahid

Explaining how to keep one’s make-up uniform and consistent, she says, “The foremost thing that one should be careful about is to have an impeccable base coverage which should be set with a light compact. You can use earthy colours very subtly with the eye shadow or the blush. Also, one should be careful not to use both kajal and eyeliner at the same time; otherwise it will make the eyes very dramatic.”

According to another make-up artist, Aashmin Munjal, in the Indian scenario it is very important to match the base make-up with the skin undertones and use water-proof products. She explains, “India is very humid. So, use a make-up locker, because touch-ups will only add layers, which you don’t want.” 

So although going minimal and ditching the layered make-up seems to be the trend this season, according to make up artist Sandy, the look will only work on people who have a clear and healthy skin.

However, when we talk about the overall picture, minimalism is not just important in make-up. A person tends to get noticed more when he or she is not well-dressed. “The first thing is to understand what works on your body. A basic white shirt, a black dress or a simple kurti can do wonders if the silhouette flatters your body. Even a simple slip dress with open hair will make you stand out,” says celebrity stylist Indrakshi Ria Pattanaik.

According to another celebrity stylist, Archa Mehta, keeping your style sophisticated always pays off. “If you see Mira, you will notice that she wears a lot of pastel shades, moving away from loud colours whenever she is attending an event. Avoiding loud colours is one way to keep it minimal. Also, one can use retro prints, combine classic combinations like white on white,” concludes Archa.