........and the Bafta for Best Hair & Make-up......

.......goes to Jenny Shircore for ' The Young Victoria'!!!!!!!

We here at fat mu HQ are dee-lighted!!!! As Jenny is not only a close friend and mentor of the MU's but an incredible talent who works her magic in the most unimaginable way.... Sheer genius .... thinking out of the box and coming up with the most extraordinary designs that leave us thinking .. WOW.....How did she do that!!!.... is what we associate her with... So bravo Jenny and all her team for the lovely, lovely work... you continue to be an inspiration for us here at fat mu....Mx

P.S. - LOVE the hair decs!!!!

Step by Step: Freida Pinto's Red carpet look!

So hope you've all had a fantastic weekend.... Mulain had a lovely chilled Sunday and on Saturday he accompanied MU Natasha to see her working on the lovely Ms. Pinto for an award function at the Waves concert held in Mumbai.

See the picture above to see the look Natasha created for Freida to match her lovely Rohit Bal ensemble whilst taking care not to mask her natural beauty.

Once again... we have a breakdown of the products that Natasha used and the application steps broken down for you should you wish to have a go and replicate the look!

Products used:

Base - Estee Lauder Double wear foundation (we MU's just loo-ve this foundation... such a lovely flawless finish - like you've been airbrushed!)

Concealor - Bobbi Brown

Powder - MAC NC 20 (lovely on most Indian skins)

Brows - Brow fix by Ben Nye

Eyes - Uber soft glide-on eye pencil by Urban Decay in 'Stash', in ' Chocolate' by Waterproof and in 'Duck' by MAC.

-Neutral matt eye shadow palette by Screen Face

-Givenchy mascara

-Shu Uemura lash curlers

Cheeks - YSL cream blush in 'No1'

Contour - YSL cream blush in 'No 3' and powder blush by MAC in' Blunt'

Highlight - Highbeam by Benefit

Lips - Lip pencil by MAC in 'Plum' and a mixture of 2 lipsticks by Bobbi Brown in 'Blue Raspberry' and 'Plum'

Application - start by prepping skin... cleanse and moisturise... using the right products for your skin type. Once done apply the base evenly all over your face and neck.... this time we would recommend you dot the base over your eyelids as well to prep them for the colour to stay on longer. Conceal where necessary and then set with a light dusting of loose powder. Next groom brows and define with shadow if necessary and set with clear brow gel.

Onto the eyes...using the 'Stash' pencil (a lovely dull khaki gold), colour the entire lid neatly starting at the root and going right up to the socket line (like colouring-in really)....once done blend out edges with your finger to achieve a soft smoky look and then go over with pencil again for depth of colour... then taking the same pencil line the lower lash line with a zig-zag motion to really get the colour in there. Now you heavily contour the socket line... dip your MAC 217 brush or anything similar into a medium brown shadow and work it just above your socket line in a back and forth motion, following the shape of your eye leaving a small space for the highlights.... then you take the Waterproof 'Chocolate' pencil or any dark brown pencil and work into the roots of the lashes - top and bottom..... once this is done.... dip a brush into dark brown shadow and press it into where you've just lined with the pencil and blend in an upward motion on the lid and a downward motion on the lower lash line. This action sets the colour and also softens and blends out any hard egdes whilst creating depth at the lashes....now taking the eye pencil in 'Duck' or any soft brown line the inner rim of your eyes ... this frames them to complete the look beautifully......finally curl lashes and apply lashings of mascara, top and bottom....

Once the eyes are done apply the creme blusher on the cheekbones working out into the hairline... then contour under the cheekbone with the powder blush... and now add lots of sheen on top of the cheekbones with the highbeam... this gives the skin a beautiful radiance....to finish the highlighted look take a matt bone coloured shadow lighter than your skin tone and highlight just below your brow bone and outer corners of your eyes in an upward slant . This is just playing with light and shade and helps in bringing out the eyes even more.... lastly line lips with the 'Plum' lip pencil and fill in with the same, once done gently dab a mix of the 2 lipsticks on the lips... apply a small amount as we want the lips to be matt and have a contrast with the sheeny skin for a prettier different effect...et voila... you're done!

It is a good idea to contrast looks this season... if keeping skin matte go glossy on lips or vice versa like done on Freida.. creates a lovely look... oh and if you notice us MU's using a lot more browns... it's because brown is the new black this season my darlings!.... something different is always a welcome change non?! ..less harsh too if you ask me.....ok.. so have fun playing mes cheries and do let Mulain know how you got on...

Mmmmmuah x

Step by Step: Look like Freida Pinto!

Bonjour encore mes amis... as promised today I will reveal to you the make-up our MU Natasha did for our lovely Slumdog lolita Freida Pinto for a lovely charity shoot just the other day. The charity is run by Emma Thompson and some of the top actresses in the world have taken part in it... we are so proud that our lovely Freida is a part of it.... if you'd like to know more about it you can visit www.mysafeplace.co.uk.....and bravo Ms. Thompson for the good work....!..and we love your picture!! ooh la la......

Ok.... back to le maquillage........ so the brief for make-up was to keep Freida looking like a natural polished version of her lovely self.... so keeping that in mind... here's what Natasha used...

Base- Estee Lauder double wear foundation

Concealor- yellow toned Bobbi Brown cream concealor

Loose powder- NC 20 by MAC

Eyes- Eye pencil by MAC in Coffee

-Screen face matt neutral eye shadow palette

Mascara- L'Oreal Voluminous in black

Blusher- YSL creme blush in Velvety peach- see pic

Highlighter- Shisheido cream stick - champagne tone- see pic

Contour - MAC shadow in Blunt

Lips - Spice pencil by MAC and 8 hour cream by Elizabeth Arden

So as you can see there is a mix of a lot of different brands... something we MU's pride ourselves on - our product knowledge and picking out the best from the best... great colours and textures that just glide on and make the make up application easy and flawless...

Application......

- Prep the skin - tres important... cleanse and moisturise well for the make up to go on and stay smooth...

- next apply the base with a foundation brush all over the face and neck.

- conceal under the eyes and nose area - be careful not to rub but gently pat into your skin using you finger or a sponge.

- then set with a loose powder... just a small amount should do...

now you move on to doing the rest of the face...

Brows - brush out using a brow brush or mascara wand to take of any excess powder and to groom..then fill in using an angled brow brush dipped in eyeshadow just where needed.. the colour should match the brows.. lastly set in place with clear mascara..

Eyes -a bone shadow was applied all over the lid up to the brow bone area ... next sweep a brown all over the lid and slightly take it out to give the effect of elongation... then using a MAC 217 brush dip it into a deeper brown and sweep it into the socket line to create definition...now take the coffee pencil and really work it into the root of the lashes on the top and lower lash line and smudge and set with a deep brown shadow... the curl lashes and apply mascara top and bottom right from the very root to the tip...and lastly use a soft brown kohl pencil to rim the inside of the eyes...

Cheeks -apply creme blusher along the cheek bone into the temples ... and then slightly contour under the cheekbones using powder blusher in Blunt ...next add highights on the

brow bone..cheek bone and apples of the cheek with the lovely shisheido cream stick

Lips - line and fill with the Spice pencil and add a touch of 8 hour cream on top for a wee bit of shine and moisture....

Phew! hope this helps you peeps... any more questions let me know and I will be happy to answer... now go practice and soon we will give you another breakdown as MU Natasha will be getting the lovely mademoiselle ready again for an awards night... a leetle more oomph in the next one... until then....enjoy..... Mx

Estee Lauder in Mumbai!

Mulain is de-lighted to tell you all about Estee Lauder coming to India....Yes there is a store in Delhi, in Bangalore and our very own Mumbai (The Palladium Mall next to Phoenix Mills). It's a luxury brand for sure, but worth every single rupee in your purse my dears, they also have lovely, cosy seats to rest your tired-city feet ;). They have some great lip glosses, face powders, superb undereye concealors / brighteners...magic wands similar to YSL's Touche Eclait but for Indian skins! And we are not talking about being fairer and whiter we are talking the 'real' Indian skins. So pleased to find a brand which is not trying to make Indian women look pink and fair and rosy! Mulain and MUs Natasha and Virginia, happily tried out the double wear liquid foundations....so happy to see a good, healthy range of shades for all the ladies of the land. Has excellent coverage and stays put for a long time...great in our tropical climate! Gives a lovely finish and a lot goes a long way, so it's a worthwhile investment!

Will get MU Natasha to write and tell you about the make-up she used yesterday on her shoot with a certain Slumdog Lolita.....

Take care my darlings....

Mulain x

Faces!

Mulain and the gals had a fab time yesterday checking out make-up in the Palladium shopping mall, Phoenix Mills...to those of you outside of Bollywoodland, this is a mall right in the heart of Bombay where you can literally shop-til-you-drop! Zara and Topshop coming too which will be fantastique! We filed our way up the escalators til we reached Clinique, Estee Lauder and MAC back to back.....Wow! we thought....super easy shopping.

Have to say to enter the Clinique shop you need to have your sunglasses on...it's so bright! It's like being in Star Trek, or something totally futuristic....very 'clinic' like...guess that's the idea. If you 're a Clinique lover you'll lap this place up....it's a sure-fire, dependable brand with good quality make-up and skincare too. Do check it out. We moved onto the fabulous Estee Lauder store (want to write about this tomorrow so won't divulge too much detail)...essentially fun-***** - tastic...great liquid bases...for Indian skins!!! Hurrah! Not cheap, it is a luxury brand afterall....will let MU Natasha tell you all about it tomorrow as she used them on the lovely Freida Pinto today for a shoot. Then came MAC...always good...always inspiring...always hard to walk away without spending anything!

After the Palladium experience and MU Natasha went off into the puff and smoke of Bombay traffic to get home. I wandered around with MU Virginia checking out other stores in the Mills vicinity......one of our lovely blog followers told me to check out Faces (thank you Susie Q).....so MU V and me spent a good 45 mins trying out their products and buying a fair bit to try out. I was quite impressed with the colours, textures, price...it all seems too good to be true......they seem to be a great fashion high-street brand...can't afford MAC then Faces could be the answer...I am trialling all week so will keep you informed on how I get on with my liquid shimmers, pigments, eye shadow quads, lip glosses......all priced I mu-st say very well....cute nail polishes for 99Rs.....great colour range too.....Let's see my dears......this brand is in Canada, Honduras, Ireland, Kosovo, Mexico and now India.....rather random...but am definitely curious. And they seem to have a great range of liquid bases for Indian skins, and empty palettes so you can pick your own colour shadows......very impressive.

Off home now, another day, another rupee...

Mulain x

Luxury shopping in Mumbai

Mulain and the girls are off for a shop today at the Palladium Mall at Phoenix Mills....squeezing a bit of retail therapy in and a make-up reccie between meetings. Our lovely MAC is there but we want to check out the beauty scene in thorough detail...so looking forward to telling you all my darlings. Would love to hear where you all shop for make-up in India? Are you Shopper's Stop people, Lifestyle shoppers, MAC devotees....it's getting better and easier than ever before...the MUs are just waiting for Benefit and Bobbi Brown to come....don't stress am sure they will be coming to our shores soon...seems the whole world is! India has arrived....

Mulain x

Bourjois's foundation brush...

Mulain braved the crowds on a busy Saturday afternoon to head to Mumbai's shopping mecca Phoenix Mills. Always good to check out what's new on the beauty scene...only for you my darlings......It was so busy my god and jammed with so many products Mulain could n't believe his eyes. Bumper to bumper.....and got cornered by the perfume army who sprayed me to high heaven and left me for dead...they don't take no for an answer!!!!

Anyway...found myself in Lifestyles cosmetics and trawled the counters of Revlon, L'Oreal, Maybelline, Chambor, Lakme, Bourjois to see if there was anything that would make our life that little bit better....Have to say was a little bit disappointed with the sales staff.....far too aggressive....the Chambor girl was great and showed me all her pencils....love the eye-pencils with smudgers and the new waterproof ones....superb, good colour range and affordable at around 400 Rs. Revlon did n't really have anything new, the matt shades we had seen before. Lakme did n't rock my world, nor did L'Oreal offer anything new......Maybelline offered me the 'yellow' mascara that I had seen last month, great buy but I wanted something new!

Bourjois showed me new foundations which looked great but was so disappointed as for Indian skins they were simply too ashen....Bourjois's 10 hour Sleep Effect Foundation is anti-fatigue, aims to make your skin look like it's had 10 hours of good sleep.... seemed nice but has only 5 shades! ....There was a great all in one foundation with brush.....easy to use, with a pump action (like a pen)...but the shades were not for Indian skins unless you want to look like a dead body...ummmm what to do?...Mulain is going to write to these companies and tell them.

I don't think people want to look like a mime-artist...or do they?

What do you think my friends?

Mulain x

Celebrated even in death.....

Today Mulain is sad....yes we know Mumbai is full of 'MNIK' news and 'up-the-revolution' antics....but we lost one of our favourite designers.....Alexander McQueen passed away, very tragic....today we remember his designs and images and imagination....what a talent.....enjoy and remember. And yes...go see 'MNIK'....we know life goes on....Mulain x

Statement lips....

Cyber lips from MAC!

Morange lips from MAC...truly divine!

Mulain was with the MU girls this morning, working the MAC counters....what colours, what textures, what fun! Such a great make-up brand for professionals and non-pros. Well done MAC HQ. Mulain was so entranced by the two colours above that he bought them. 'Cyber' for my dark, dangerous, mysterious moods. 'Morange' for my stop-the-traffic, I want attention, 'are n't I fabulous?' mood.

So Mulain says go have a play yourself and see what colours jump out at you. We are all different my friends so other colours will appeal to you. That's the beauty of the world and we should embrace it. Love each other, love the planet, love lipsticks, love freedom of expression, of speech.......maybe someone should remind a certain political party in Bombay that India is all about that.....a lovely, wonderful, bright, colourful, talented masala....all rolled into one!

Mulain x

Are you sitting comfortably?

An artiste at work mu-st always make sure his actor / model / client is comfortable while being painted, pinned, poked, preened. Tres importante my friends. Plus....you yourself mu-st be relaxed and at ease while working. No point breaking your back and contorting yourself into 'cirque de soleil' positions while working only to find you can't walk the next day. Let's think long-term my friends and think sensibly. A make-up chair should be the right height for you to create your designs at leisure. It will free you up so much and let you concentrate on working. The MUs are finally investing in some lovely chairs found at the Kryolan shop in Bombay, Beauty Palace. They are worth every rupee my darlings...totally ergonomic (Mulain's buzz word of the day) and look pretty cool too.

We need to know how long our actor / model / client will be in the chair for...for a heavy-duty prosthetic job which can take hours....their comfort and your comfort are vital.

Lon Chaney nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Faces," was an American actor during the age of silent films. He was one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema. He is best remembered for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and his groundbreaking artistry with film makeup. Mulain loo-ves him......His look below for 'The Phantom of the Opera' took 10.5 hours!!!!! Let's hope he had a nice pink, comfy chair and music to listen too.....a true cinema soldier for sure.....

So know Mulain is lecturing you ...but think comfort for all involved in your work......and a have a wonderful day my darlings...off to meet the MU's at the Dynamix Mall, Juhu...make-up shopping on...my favourite.

M x

academy on the mu-ve!

Mulain is super excited for the fat mu team...today we launched our 8 week pro make-up course....bookings are open!

fat mu’s 8 week professional make-up course

‘PUTTING THE ART INTO MAKE-UP'

april 20th – june 11th 2010 / 120 hours of teaching
monday – friday
2pm to 5pm
3 saturdays for photoshoots
15th may, 22nd may, 5th june
at
windchimes school, hill road, opposite st.andrews church, bandra west, mumbai 400 050

HIGHLIGHTS

what will YOU get out of this course?

* 3 photoshoots to start your portfolio / working in a professional, shooting environment
* intro to airbrushing
* excellent product knowledge with placements from mac / kryolan / ben nye / onyx
* development of design / business skills for an indian and international market
* you will learn to think for yourself and develop your own individual style

So my dears..call the MUs if you're interested!

fatmuadmin@gmail.com

9821174351 / 9820657194

Mulain x

Do you dare to wear?

Mulain had a lovely day yesterday with a beauty journalist who came to have a make-up lesson with MU Virginia. What fun we had, going through her make-up kit and dividing it into two sections for her.. 1) neutral, day products and 2) party / night / glamour ones. Our guest was super comfortable with doing her face for an everyday look...the generic/neutral glamour....she came to us because she had in her kit a host of colours / textures that she did n't know what to do with. One colour we found was an acid/lime green eye-shadow from MAC. Looks completely scary in the box and most people don't know what to do with bright, fantastic colours....do not fear....fat mu are here!

Firstly we had to get the colour out and get a feel of it. So we had a play on her hand, mixed it with other colours and then eventually decided to have a play on the lids. We went for a bold, solid shape on the eye, supported by a dramatic black eye-line to set it off. It looked lovely and unusual and wonderfully 'non-frightening'.

So Mulain's advice today is not to get scared of colour and textures - get out your kits / make-up bags, find the bright colours, be it lipstick, blusher or shadows and start to have a play. Remember make-up is fun and very theraputic my darlings.....so dare to wear!

Mulain x

A thank you from the Big B...

At the 2010 Star Screen Awards our MU Natasha got a thank you from Amitabh for helping him with his amazing look. How kind that he thanked the whole make-up team and said without the make-up he would n't have been able to do the job! Mulain loo-ves a make-up acknowledge meant....please watch.. Bravo make-up team for helping an actor feel the part and win an award!

Mulain would like you to watch...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oLgiRo0iKg

And the Oscar for best make-up 2010 goes to.....

Drum roll please.......well of course Mulain and the fat mu team want 'The Young Victoria'...Make-up Design by the legendary Jenny Shircore!!! Jenny is a favourite fat mu muse and is MU Natasha's mentor...wonderful and talented goddess of le maquillage........we will be loudly applauding you for maybe your second Oscar....the best make-up nominations are...

"Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
“Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
“The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Last year MU's Virginia and Natasha were in LA super-excited with the Slumdog team...how time flies eh my friends?

Who do you want to win? Check out all the Oscar nominations at http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/82/nominees.html

Mulain x

Step back in time....

Mulain wants you to feast your eyes today my friends.....yes it's 2010 but wanted to take you on a journey back in time .....Vogue covers from 1920 to 2000....have found every decade to show you below...also do check out the Vogue archives for your referencing...http://www.vogue.co.uk/magazine/archive/ .......there is a lifetime of inspiration there! Enjoy...Mulain

2000

1990

1980

1970

1960

1950

1940

1930

1920

The perfect blush.....

YSL limited edition creme de blush.......3 fabulous colours.....





Powdery Pink


Velvety Peach

Silky Praline

Mulain spotted these little gems in Shoppers Stop, Linking Road, Bandra...Mumbai....yes deep in the heart of 'Bollywoodland' think we 've found the perfect blush.......3 great shades....a light creme applied to the cheeks (a little goes a long way)...and it sets as a powder, meaning that in the heat it has more staying power on the face. This is excellent news my darlings for those of you who find their rouge does not stay put. This product is not cheap, and is a limited edition....but I assure you it's worth every rupee, penny etc...it will last a long time and give the perfect pop of colour on the cheeks.

Marvelous non?

Mulain x

P.S - these are available wherever you are in our global village my darlings...don't fret :)

IMATS!

The fabulous IMATS....London 2010...

Alex Box make-up artist demo-ing

Make-up industry's current IT girl...Alex Box...

Examples of Alex Box's work....lovely non?

Loads of SFX too.......

Ok...so it's been an IMATS weekend in London....hope some of you went.....as their website says...http://www.imatsshow.com/london/london_index.php......"Four shows. Five countries. One show....the IMATS". For those of you unfamiliar with what this is let Mulain explain.....organised by Make-up Artist Magazine this is an International Make-up Artist Trade Show...it travels the globe from LA to Vancouver to Sydney to London to Toronto showing latest techniques, products, demonstrations and great speakers. It's not just movie make-up it's bridal, beauty, fashion, special effects, body art / painting, theatre..etc etc....an all-round make-up exhibit.

Alex Box who co-founded new Brit beauty brand Illamasqua (Selfridges) was a highlight this year in London. She really is the current make-up artist around town.....putting the art into make-up....tres importante my darlings .....that's what our professional make-up course (starting April 19th...plug plug) is all about.

So do get a chance to go to them if they are in your neck of the woods......your exposure to products and experienced artists is essential for your professional growth......off for a meeting now with Hi-Blitz magazine.....very exciting project coming up...Mulain will reveal all soon....

Caio for now...

Mulain x

Grammy Glam!

Rihanna Rocks!

Grammy girls together....uber glam non?



Lady Gaga in another league altogether....


Never one to go for understated chic na.....

Well hope you had a wonderful weekend my friends.....we have been so busy in wedding world, 'Disney-world', skin-care TVCs so catching up with the rest of the planet and checking out all the different looks at the 2010 Grammies....So many popstars / rockstars to look at...Mulain's head is all a-spin this morning. I have to say Rihanna (as per usual) looks amazing, she seems to set a new trend as soon as she steps out of her door non? Great style, hair and what lashes.....short hair, great skin and big lashes is definitely a look for this year.....big and bold my darlings. And like last year, Lady Gaga did not disappoint....slightly fewer costume changes this year....but great fun and so different....sort of a Cyndi Lauper / David Bowie tribute I feel. Don't think she's a shy girl somehow.....(or boy? not sure that issue was ever cleared up....never mind her talent speaks for her/himself). Dying to see the Elton John duet she did...mu-st be quite spectacular...

MU Natasha was holed up in studios and doing another skin ad....look out for the up-and-coming Genelia Garnier TVC she did....should be running soon.....will get her to write a leetle skin lesson for you all this week....as we know my darlings...your make-up look starts with skin.....so you mu-st know all there is to know....

MU Virginia did her first Irani Bride....and what fun! This bride is a London gal by birth and wonderfully eccentric and wanted a traditional Bridal look with a twist. Make-up was subtle, with lovely fresh, glowing skin and a slightly 60s smoke look on the eyes....we were all set with the nail polish being a dark, vampish red when the bride changed her mind last minute and said she wanted pink! So on we popped a new brand called Wet 'n' Wild, a crazy eye-catching pink called 'Pink Pearl'...http://www.wnwbeauty.co.uk/nails/wildshine.html....it just popped the look and added a bit of funkiness....pinky lips completed her look and she looked just fabulous.....a happy, glowing bride!

Mulain is off to the Disney shoot now to check all the MUs are doing ok.....

Mulain x