Chandni Chowk to China!

Fabulous photo exhibit at The Habitat Centre, Delhi...photo by Tarun Chhabra...do go and see if you get the chance

Mulain found a friend in Delhi - MMUUUUUU!

The MUs in the Metro....

.....well not quite China...but Mulain and the MUs Natasha and Virginia hit Delhi at the weekend. Visiting Chandni Chowk on the Metro, finding the biggests bulls in the world - EVER - and attending the opening of Adil Writer's pottery and painting exhibition - inspired by Alice in Wonderland and The White Rabbit....lovely creative and fun experience was had by all. If you are in Delhi it's open all week at The Habitat Centre....well worth the visit.....do pop in and say you know the MUs. We also discovered a lovely photographer Tarun Chhabra who is also showing his work....fabulous stuff my darlings...Mulain so tempted to buy.

Back to Bombay with a bump today....shooting tomorrow at lovely air-conditioned Yash Raj Studios....good to escape the heat my friends non?

Bye for now - off to pack tomorrow and 'ave an early night....Mulain x

Ladies... finally here is a brand which focuses only on ze lips...! So for all you lipstick loving girls out there.. 'Lipstick Queen' is the one for you! Made by a lady who absolutely loves lipsticks... you can be sure of a good product.

Mulain recently visited their counter at Space NK in the UK and was very impressed with the wide array of colours and textures in lipsticks and glosses. My favourite one though I have to say was the 'medieval'... because although it looks very red ( frightening at first) it adds just the right amount of (moisturising and long lasting) stain on the mouth for any skin tone for that lovely rosebud mouth effect... just like the natural look of the medieval times... (hence the name..)

To read more about it you can visit their site http://www.lipstickqueen.com/

Can also double up as a glossy cheek stain for a natural flush (tried and tested... ) great for day or night for that fresh-i'm just a natural beauty - no make up look...... so try and get your hands on one.... this one's a winner!

Mx

Freida Pinto and L'Oreal

Our lovely Freida's new L'Oreal ad for their new killer mascara is out...how proud we are of her....what a lovely canvas her face is....MU's Natasha and Virginia were only discussing yesterday just how beautiful she really is.....her face is just exquisite with or without make-up...like a scuplture from the gods! We were wondering though....does this mascara really give you lashes like these or are there fake lashes involved too?...Mulain thinks a little bit of false lash help here...with photoshop too? Do we trust these ad campaigns anymore....what do you think my darlings?

Mulain wants to know...and if you have n't seen our blog post from yesterday..please do...it's an eye-opener...literally!

Mulain x

Dove self-esteem campaign....

Please just see and watch......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U

Thought provoking non?

Mulain x

Statement lips...

Blue lips at Paul Smith for 2010.....

Mulain enjoyed watched the Paul Smith show for 2010.....the statement lips of blue, pink and orange were great fun,bold and different....not sure that a blue lipstick is easy to wear...but it's your choice my friends.....MAC of course will help you on your way offering a blue lip option....a daring, bold colour.

Of course you don't have to wear this colour alone....layering it with another colour will add a new dimension to your lip world....blue with your pinks...blue with your reds......have a go and try it out...get creative. For those who want just a gentle hint there is always Benefit's California Kissin' Blue Gloss.....very nice, worn alone or over a colour.

Seems Blue is the buzz word in Bollywood too - opening Diwali weekend saw the movie Blue with Akshaye Kumar and the loo-verly Lara Dutta....don't think she'll be sporting blue lippie in this one though my friends...

The MUs are heading off to Delhi for a fun-packed creative weekend and then shooting next week in Mumbai....

Happy Thursday my friends and do drop me a note to say hi....

Mulain x

Make-up in Mumbai...

Mulain did a quick trip into Phoenix mills Lifestyle's store today to see what the High Street beauty brands are selling...I looked at Lakme, Revlon, Chambor, Maybelline, Max Factor and L'Oreal...I asked each beauty consultant to show me what was new in each brand....Here's what I was told.......

L'Oreal

The girl attending to me was helpful and nicely enthusiastic (without attacking) and was keen to demonstrate the new 'True Match Mineral Make-up'...it sounded nice and natural, gentle to the skin and environment but one touch with the brush and Mulain's hand recoiled. The brush hair was as bristly as a hogs....definitely not for me and I would n't think for you my friends...was quite shocked by that one. Can't imagine putting it on my face...was n't in the mood to try anything else after that so went straight to ......

Beware the brush my friends!

Lakme

Again asked the young girl to show me something new...she was very keen to show me the 9-5 lip range...this promises to be a high performance, colour-fix formula that has been developed in Italy; I found this lipstick creamy and quite comfortable to wear plus the sales girl told me it 'survives the day'....let's see....I really liked the three colours below and I find generally that Lakme is very cost effective.

Jewel Pink


Caramel


Satin Ruby

Maybelline

'Maybe it's Maybelline' was next and usually I think they are for the younger generation....I think their products are better for skin that isn't aged, lined, and is generally bump free.....I was shown the Maybelline Mineral Dream Matt Moose (try asking for that after a couple of Cosmos...!?)....now in my opinion this is great for someone who does n't require full coverage but just a light, quick fix. The consistency is light but if you have open-pores, lines etc this product will just sit happily and not very prettily in them, also staying power is questionable. However, if you're a teen or early 20 something with clear, smooth skin it may be great to use...cute packaging and easy to apply it will just glide on and does n't break the bank! Was also shown some new lip balm smoothies, with a tint of colour and flavour.....found these quite sticky and not very comfy for my lips....ummm...jury out on those....

Max Factor

One of Mulains favourites....yes Monsieur Factor's pioneering brand...with make-up guru Pat Mcgrath driving the creative steering wheel...superb. On this counter I asked me to show me their best selling product...and we have.....Lipfinity! Apparently there is one Lipfinity product sold every 9 seconds across our global vill-age! Wow....I like this lipstick, good range of colours, it's a dependable brand and again is totally affordable with staying power galore! Mulain loves Illuminating Fuschia, Brilliant Berry, Glowing Sepia. A good purchase and great for the wedding season!




Revlon

Onto Revlon where make-up artist Gucci Westman designs the products and creatively directs. The 'new' products I was shown were the new 'Beyond Natural' range...seems everyone is jumping on the natural / green band-wagon.....the lip cream seemed easy to wear and a lovely colour to suit all tones....nice clean and non-fussy packaging, an easy product to have in your bag and on the go. I was also shown the blush/bronzer...again simple, discreet box....a nice 'easy to use' product, subtle on application...offers a very natural look...a hint of bronze, a glow for the skin. If it's drama you want this is not for you, subtle rather then startling.





Bourjois

Good old Bourjois...again been around so long you know they'll always have something for you that's new and fun for all ages....so I was shown the new Mineral Matte Mousse Foundation (what tongue-twisters my friends).....very nice pot and packaging....I almost wanted to buy it on the spot...but again I think the mousses are for those lucky and rare people who have skin as smooth as glass! No lumps and bumps, or holes and pits....so for young girls it's fun to try. Mulain recommends buying a foundation brush to apply this one...you 'll get a smoother application. She also showed me the clubhopping range of eye-pencils which I love, great colour range, easy and fun to use, good staying power and to-tally hip!




Chambor

....... was last but by no means least! They were the only brand (apart from Bourjois) who had some really eye-popping colours, so if you're after an 80s inspired look start here.....the young lady so enthusiastically and proudly showed me the new green nail polishes that were just in.....I was impressed by her knowledge of what's new with make-up...I had only just written about green polishes non? I bought two nail polishes Maniac Purple and Electric Metal (a green petrol glitter ensemble)....very cool colours. Application is not amazingly smooth but for Rs 245 it's not a bad deal....also bought the trusty and possibly best eye pencil around...the Chambor Black Kajal, with smudger for a little bit of sultry glamour...

Phew....quite tired with all this chit-chat round the counters....home-time my dears...until tomorrow! MU Natasha will be back from 'The Green Isle'....jet-lagged for sure...then we all heading to Delhi for the weekend for a fantastic pottery and ceramic show. Can't wait...

Mulain x

Pond's perfect matte

Mulain has found a little gem in a tube. Pond's is an established skincare brand dating from 1846....now run by Unilever....so we know it's dependable as it's been around so long (ask your grandmothers) and has the big backing now to push it forward and promote it. I have always used Pond's on and off for years...it's a brand I feel comfortable with. Pond's has been launching lot's of new skincare in the Indian market, mainly for age-ing and fairness..so Mulain has not been keen on that side of things. However I picked up this oil control cleansing foam partly for it's name....Perfect Matt....in hot weather it's sounds very appealing I mu-st say.....Put a pea sized dab in your palm, mix with water and the most luxurious lather appears......massage your face and neck, rinse with luke-warm water et voila your skin feels fantastic! Really refreshed, balanced and free from city-life pollutants. It really felt cleansed. It has anti-oil Bio5 which controls the production of excess sebum, therefore really helping those of us prone to that oily t-zone, and general oily breakouts. Would love to know what you think about it?....Loved using it after this Diwali weekend...so much smoke and fumes and dirt my friends non? Oh la la....drinking pints of water today to try and cleanse the system.....

Mulain also loves this product as it's a wonderful 60Rs ....light on your purse..great on your skin....a win-win situation all round my darlings.

Mulain x

Best of blush....

Good morning people....OK, let's be blunt, it's Monday morning and we need some Rouge in the cheeks....wherever you are in the world.....in cool Canada, melting Mumbai, freezing 'Frisco or hot Hong Kong...there is a blush out there for you. Mulain has picked some fabulous little pots of coloured blush powders for you...(see below)...from some of my favourite brands....high street to the more luxurious....there are some great buys out there. So go on and treat yourself....you know Rouge is the way to go!

Trusty Bourjois never lets you down, affordable with a great colour range - Mulain recommends Rose de Jaspe...quite exquisite

Lovely Shu Uemura's glow-on blushers in fantastic colours - matt and pearlized...this is Light Pink but do check out the Orange...it's fab-U-lous....

I have always been a fan of Barry M...again good high street buy with some bright, bold, statement colours...totally cool for the 80s inspired make-ups still being worn.... this one is Apricot


Bobbi Brown...what a pink, called Peony, you 'ave created here...Mulain just loo-ves anything you do....fat mu salute you!


fat mu fave Benefit gives us Coralista blush....lovely.....sexy packaging too, easy colour to wear for all skin tones.....

A mineral option for you from 'maybe it's Maybelline'...in Topaz Rose...tres pretty!

Had to squeeze another Benefit number in....it's inspired by the 'turned on' look...it's called 'Thrrrob'....what more can Mulain say.......now Mulain is blushing....naturally!!! Oh la la....

So hope you are off to shop and check out the above....of course there are hundreds of blushers on the market....Mulain has just picked up the ones he likes at the mu-ment.

Mulain x

P.s - Mulain is loving the new mood inspired products from cowshed...http://www.cowshedonline.com/....pick your mood.....moody cow, lazy cow, knackered cow, horny cow....hilarious non? After my Diwali party I am definitely in the knackered cow zone.....

Obama's Diwali!

Mrs. Bachchan having a Diwali moment.....

"Happy Diwali" my darlings, best wishes to all and happiness across the globe - wonderful celebration of light and good conquering bad. What Joie-de-vivre! Obama has sent his Diwali message too (please see below).....so tonight wherever you are celebrating...let there be LOVE and LIGHT!

What better way to celebrate Diwali by lighting up one's own face. Make yourself part of the celebrations...make sure you are shining, glowing, beaming.....Mulain thinks there is one product above all others today which won't let you down...one of my ultimate beauty mu-st haves...that's right...Benefit's Highbeam.....

You just cannot go wrong with this little bottle of glowing wonderfulness....dab some on your cheekbones, brow bones, bridge of your nose, collar-bones....watch yourself light-up while others can only admire in awe! Mulain will be swimming in a bath of it tonight...but then I am never one for half measures my friends.

Also recommended is Benefit's Bathina body sheen.....with the lovely, comfy puff inside, spread this delightful cream all over your body...arms, legs....whatever flesh is on display and together with the highbeam you may be likened to a Disco-ball.....you will WOW!

So my dears...Mulain is off to get ready for his 'Ethnic' themed Diwali party ce soir....planning my outfit and my designer Bindi.....celebrations are fully-on!

A shining Mulain x

1920s make-up!

Kylie is a modern 20s flapper...great fingerwaves...

Madonna 20s influenced make-up....

20s inspired Pat Mcgrath make-up...

Lovely Hollywood actress Claudette Colbert...see the eyebrow shape - so 20s




Hindi film star from the 1920s Patience Cooper....Mulain just loo-ves this woman -it's not all Hollywood my darlings.....

20s actress Jean Harlow draw on her own brows...she was a bombshell...oh la la...

Personifaction of the 1920s look - Madame Louise Brooks - she rarely smiled on camera.....

Mulain has been asked to help a friend create a 1920s look for a stage performance.....he is an actor is doing a live art show/performance in New York over 3 days and will at the end transform himself into a woman with a 20s look, how cool is that? He needed to know the basics on what women from this decade looked like....their brow shapes, lip shapes, lash look and hair-style. Great fun to research and show him the way. Mulain loo-ves a challenge and sent him the below video link to help him watch and learn....do see my friends and get some ideas on what to do. The more you research you'll realise that so many modern images are inspired from this decade...the famous smokey eye, never goes out of fashion and women just love as it makes them feel so sexy and alluring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iY0TpoJrfk

You will need the right tools and products to achieve the 20s look....a good black pencil that's easy to blend (try Stila / Elizabeth Arden / Benefit's Bad Gal), good blending brushes, patience and a steady hand is required. Brows is up to you....how bold do you dare go? Shave them off like Jean Harlow and create your own? Or simply draw in a more rounded, bold shape. Have a play around and enjoy yourselves my darlings....that what the 20s flappers did!

Mulain x

Ps - Happy Divali my darlings....

MAC's Woodwinked

One of Mulain's favourite products....MAC's Woodwinked....used on La Pinto and La Campbell below

Woodwinked on Freida Pinto........

Woodwinked on Naomi Campbell

Mulain is always there to pass on info on any good products....so just 'ave to tell you that MU's Natasha and Virginia both swear by eye shadow Woodwinked by MAC....it is absolutely fantastique and an absolute mu-st for your kits - personal or professional - it has a lovely texture, gives a subtle yet positively stunning effect....like a shimmering sea of bronze on the lids....just divine..lifts the eye day or night....very versatile my darlings.....go on-line at http://www.maccosmetics.com/ to find that MAC store near to you!

Caio Mulain x

Rose Water....

Rose water au naturale!

Khadi's Rose Water - just lovely.....

All the fat mu team love using Rose Water on their faces, cost effective and your skin feels just wonderful. Use your favourite cleanser then follow up with Rose Water....we all love the Khadi brand...(available from selected stores in India, we buy from Dhoop in Bandra West, Union Park)......Rose Water is a mu-st for all skin types because what water is to the body, Rose Water is to the skin. It has been used for centuries to purify the skin, and it deeply penetrates to restore the skin’s pH balance and to tighten pores to give your skin the soft petal touch and texture of rose. Now does n't that sound rosy my darlings?

Rose Water has the unique ability to balance sebum production of the skin. If your skin is dry it will moisturize and if oily it will fight excessive oil secretion. Being anti-bacterial it will prevent infections, so you can see we all benefit from it....great news. It is also an excellent after shave spray to restore all the moisture lost through harsh soaps and shaving lotions. Mulain really recommends Rose Water as a mu-st in your daily skin care routine because it clears and improves complexion, prevents aging (awesome non?) and gives your skin the best protection nature has to offer.

If that isn't enough Rose fragrance also calms and soothes the mind and gives you that ultimate feeling of freshness. Why not carry Khadi Rose Water with you so that you spray your face every few hours to keep your skin fresh. Mulain recommends that all make-up artists carry this in their kit, a very useful multi-purpose item to have. It's also a natural cleanser so you can spray your face liberally with it and wipe off with a tissue or cotton to get rid of the grime and dust, basically removing Bombay from your face and keeps you looking and feeling uber fresh.

Do let me know how you get on my dears.....

Mulain x

P.s - Mulain was out partying last night with MU Virginia to the wee hours with the Luck By Chance team and close friends.....Happy Birthday Zoya!....we both had to bathe in Rose Water to recover....a leetle too much air-guitar going on....Ummm......

Laura Mercier and the Flawless Face

Madame Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier is a one-off! A trained artist who then went into make-up, working in Paris with the creme de la creme and then moved to New York in the 80s where she went from strength to strength cementing her name and reputation in the beauty / make-up business (Madonna LOVES you......Mulain salutes you). MU Virginia worked with her in London in 2002 and remembers how passionate she was about the 'flawless face'. She encouraged the idea of individual beauty, skincare being the main ingredient to achieve any look. All the team were told to spend a good time talking to the clients, working on creating a smooth canvas before starting on the creative part...la maquillage. Then what was quite wonderful was that she encouraged each artist to study the client's face and only use what was required....not sell, sell, sell and put all the products on the face at one time like other big beauty companies...who shall not be named. Here is what Laura M says about the Flawless Face.....

"Before applying any colour, I always prepare the skin first. I create a fresh canvas with a flawless finish. Making your skin look perfect is the first and most important thing you can do to achieve a truly great look. The key is to enhance your natural beauty - whether you use all products together one day, or just a little Secret Camouflage and Setting Powder when you are on the go." - Laura Mercier

Mulain suggests you take a look at Laura's 4 simple steps to a flawless finish......http://www.lauramercier.com/flawlessface_whatis.php....get to know the brand and the products.

Mulain 'as to say his favourite tinted moisturizer is Laura Merciers.....it's great because it comes in Porcelain, Nude, Sand, Fawn, Almond, Tan, Walnut.....it has a spf 20 coverage, stays the day and is true to it's colour....you can wear instead of foundation...it really is loo-ver-ly my darlings, a treat for your make-up bag.

Mulain also thinks the Platinum Metallic Eye Creme is just stunning....on all skin tones....it is beautiful....easy to apply and the look is so eye-catching.....great also for make-up artistes to have in their kit as you can use it as a high-lighter too...a leetle gem for sure!

So if you've never tried Laura Mercier, do go and see how delightful her products are. She is a make-up artist for the real woman.....classic, understatedly stylish and sophisticated......not unlike myself!

Voting day today in Bombay, the city is shut this morning to encourage people to vote.....Mulain is off to the office to meet MU Virginia and discuss La Macquillage.......meeting MU Natasha tomorrow morning for a meeting in town then we are off to have a lovely lunch with Natasha's mentor and general make-up goddess / guru Madame Jenny Shircore. Mulain can't wait....she is the ultimate muse......

Mulain x

Marilyn's red lipstick!

Mulain was asked yesterday, what colour red did Marilyn Monroe wear on her lips? Well, her favourite lipstick was Ruby Red by Max Factor. But although that has long been discontinued you can get numerous shades of 'Red' from all make-up brands, in fact you are spoilt for choice my dears. Here are a few which Mulain thinks are good.....

Was n't she just loo-ver-ly!

Russian Red by MAC

Jungle Red by Nars

Estee Lauder's Rich Red

Fire by Chanel Rouge

So go and enjoy a Marilyn inspired pout...red is always a winner, never out of style - a true classique my darlings.

Mulain x