If you know your Bollywood and are big on make-up, you wouldn’t have missed the latest to hit M.A.C stores. We’re talking about the limited edition line from the brand’s director of make-up artistry for India, Mickey Contractor.
For the uninitiated, he is the reason most of our stars have flawless skin and lips on screen, in magazines and on calendars. Here’s what he has to say about his near sell-out collection - foundation, concealer, finishing powder, eye shades, lipstick, lipglass and blush - launched in the country late last month.
A work in progress
I have been creating this line for a year and a half. It’s been a long process, with me colour correcting the samples and sending them back to New York. The Indian names do not represent heroines: The Rani eyeshadow, for instance, is named so for its Rani pink shade. The lipstick, Mehr, is after my wife, and Yash, after Yash Johar, who I worked with on many films. The eyeshadow, Jaan, is courtesy my daughter’s nickname. And the whole quad is named Athma, for my son... the colour used here forms the soul of my make-up.
I say my USP is ‘skin’
Skin is such a big part of your look and you must concentrate on flawless skin. When it comes to skin tone, we have gone up to 45.5; it’s hard to go beyond that as you have to find a meeting point for commerce and art. Also, common skin issues with Indian women are pigmentation around the mouth or an under-eye problem. My concealers tackle this.
Mehr is a sell-out
Another hot lipstick is the bold Gulabi, which is doing very well in North India and abroad, where women are more adventurous with make-up. The double-ended coral-yellow corrector is equally popular, and you can mix the yellow and orange to suit your colour.
The smoky eye, still hot
It is always about eyes in any Indian city. So smoky will always be in.
Why isn’t my signature on the products?
This is a limited edition collection, and people have been asking me why I haven’t put my name on it so it makes for a good keepsake. But that’s for MAC to decide, hopefully soon.
While most of the products are sold out at stores in Mumbai and Delhi, you’re in luck as some of these products are still be available here. But they are moving really fast, so if you’d like to get your hands on any of Mickey Contractor’s magic dusts and potions, you’ll have to hurry!