Trendspotting

So our mu Natasha went on air yesterday on NDTV's 'Get Creative' show to give a few quick and easy tips for teens.. keeping in mind the latest trends, we went to trawl the shops before hand to see which brands were most suited to this.... key things we were looking out for were the young, fun and playful colours of the season... and of course...the budget (tres importante non..)... here's what we found...

Lakme - Cheap and not so cheerful for teens... they are trying for sure have to give them that... have some nice new glosses.. Aquashine lip colour... there's a lovely bright red for all you young girls bold enough to carry off that look...

They also have a nice body shimmer(once you finish your struggle with the packaging to actually make it come thru ..) small enough to fit in your purse and great to add a little sparkle for those nights out clubbing....

Great black liquid eyeliner... this one is cheap AND cheerful... if black liquid liner is your thing... or if it's a retro look you're after...

Chambor - A pleasant surprise! Great eye pencils... have some fun colours with a bit of sparkle in them which you can use over your entire eyelid for an impact , as an eyeline flick or just to add a dash of colour by lining your lower lashes. They also have some really nice eyeshadow trios.. the gold family is particularly lovely.. and some fun electric liquid eyeliners in electric blue and turquiose ( not unlike the MAC ones, only much cheaper...)...then there's the lovely creamy gloss cremes.. but they are more lipsticky ( is that a word...?..you get the idea non...) hence more opaque so great for older teens and girls in their early 20's.

Bourjois- Pas mal...! Again some nice long lasting eye and lip colours and some nice shimmery powder blushers and eye pigments... but nothing too wow.....!

Maybelline - WOW! have to say they've got it just right... teenagers this is your brand...! fun bright eye pencils and eye shimmer pigments.... great mascaras.. coloured or black, lovely lip tints and glosses, gorgeous mousses-in blushers,shimmers, bronzers,eye colours (not yet available in India) and foundations (that you just want to scoop and lick...) and all at super affordable prices...! Top marks for products, pricing and packaging...!!

L'oreal- Comme ci Comme ca.... A wee bit more expensive , they have some nice sparkly glosses-'Glam Shine' and sheer lipsticks but a bit old for you young teens.... better for you 20 somethings and older... but they do have some really nice mascaras which are great for everyone and actually really affordable. Overall thought....a tad bit disappointing on the teen front... expected more...

Revlon- Nice! great Colourstay pencils that actually stay on ... lovely creme highlighters that come in 3 shades.. bronze included...( great for bronzing or just mixing with moisturiser and applying all over the body for that lovely sheeny glow....) really cute gloss disks ( more shine than colour tho...) and sweetly packaged pretty little powder blusher squares in pink and bronze... they also have some fantastic little eyeshadow palletes with 4 different shades.. some with 4 of the same colour family or 4 different shades that complement each other... their nude and brown ones are particularly lovely with a hint of shimmer in them...

They are probably also the best ones to go to for powder compacts in darker tones...( although not dark enough...) .. as all the other brands don't have a dark one...period! ( a bit disappointing that ... not to mention worrying in a country like India ...mmmm... the fairness witch strikes again...!) so if you dont want to end up looking oddly white or gray hit their stores or go to MAC....

MAC- You can't go wrong !... they have something for everyone in every possible colour, product and texture... heavier on the pocket but worth it we think.

So hope this helps you young gals ...and boys ( why not)...and if you have any more questions.. Mulain is at your service....

Hope you've had a bon weekend... now get out your make up or go pick some up and like the NDTV show- ' Get Creative'!

Mulain x

Disco is back!

.......actually it never goes away...not for Mulain anyway! People all over London and the global fashionistas are dusting off their disco balls, spangly tops and embracing that 70s phenomenon that swept the world....of course there is a lovely, eclectic mix going on - punk / rock thrown in with some poppy gloss and disco shimmer.....Mulain was telling you about his admiration for the US's Lady Gaga - well....the UK 'as the up-and-coming musical and style icon called Little Boots! This talented one makes music at home, performs it on YouTube and MySpace...she is a super-duper blend of spacey disco with hints of electro pop.....think Kylie meets Blondie. What Mulain loves about Little Boots and Lady Gaga is that they are really talented...they play instruments and write their own tunes. Plus they are tres adventurous with their looks....do check out their make-ups........Great fun!

Who said Disco was dead.....Shame on you!

Mulain.....x

Getting Lippy in London....

Mulain made a quick dash for London-town this week - meeting friends, checking out products and enjoying the buzz in general......whizzed into Selfridges today to discover the new Prescriptive's 'custom-made' lipgloss....was completely taken in by the display of fabulous pop-tastique colours. A creative cocktail of blues, yellows, corals, pinks, berries....loo-ver-ly! Pick a selection of any that take your fancy et voila! the lipgloss is yours - created and made 'by and for' you.....you feel so special.....check it out....http://www.prescriptives.com/custom_blend_lipgloss/custom_blend_lipgloss_highspeed.tmpl

Mulain skipped out onto Oxford Street only to bump into our Slumdog chum Simon Beaufoy....lovely to chat and catch post Oscars. Then Mulain hit Patisserie Valerie only to spot Akshay Kumar passing by - how small the world is my friends....one little global village.

Don't worry, working on my carbon footprint - Mulain is as green as he can be.

Mulain a Londres....x

Lady Gaga!

Mulain is going ga-ga over Lady Gaga - just loving her eclectic pop style - she is likened to Freddie Mercury, hence the name....with a bit of Madonna, MJ (RIP) with some Pop and Disco thrown in. Great music and great fun with her looks - she is really whacky and creative in her get-ups. She has played the piano since she was 4 and can really belt out her songs......Mulain approves and loo-ves what she does with her hair and make-up.....anyone else going Ga-ga?

Mulain x

Fairness overrated...!

So I turned on the telly the other day and was shocked when I saw 2 commercials (frequently repeated) ...both promoting fairness creams.... and BOTH ending with a marriage proposal .... (all of course after the girl becomes all 'fair and lovely' after using their products..and no they are not adverts for fair and lovely but another popular brand which I won't name)...

I am sure many of you have seen these advertisements and I hope are as concerned as I am about the message it is sending out in society....

Does it mean if you are not fair skinned, or have a few dark spots or some pigmentation on your face (very common with Indian skins) you are not worthy of marriage...? Or is marriage only for the fair and pretty ones...? Or is it that men in this society are essentially superficial and only marry women for their looks?.. Is that what it's all come down to... I don't know ... I know times are changing ... but this? It's rubbish non?....I am confused and a bit angry .. especially thinking about the kind of pressure this puts on the young girls out there and the consequences of that pressure on these girls who according to the advertisers are not fortunate enough to be born fair ... and hence not good enough.... why is white better than dark...? and who are these people who sit at their desks and come up with these ideas and actually think they are good....?! Mon dieu.... we live in India, we are indians and we are blessed with beautiful, dusky complexions... why can't we just learn to embrace it and start looking deeper.. beyond colour ..(would solve a lot of problems trust me...)

The West aspires to look like us - via tanning and we in the East like them - fair.... yes we know the grass is always greener on the other side... but just for this once - can't it be greener and stay green on our side.....?

A ranting Mulain x

Max Factor.....

Female farm worker from Yemen!

once said....' A woman who doesn't wear lipstick feels undressed in public. Unless she works on a farm' (see snap above)......Is that pressure for all you females or what? Mulain is sure that Monsieur Factor would have moved with the times and 'approved' of the world of lip decoration and lip choice in 2009 - gloss, balm, Vaseline, 8-hour cream, lipstick, lipsheers...crazy colours, divine flavours. Quite wonderful! But Mulain is concerned .....seems that the fairer sex is still always being told what to wear, what to do and how to behave......and by who? Men? The power-bodies who sit behind their desks and rule our lives and set trends, fashions, and all our social rules and ettiquettes?.....Are you girlies as free as you think you are? Ummm Mulain is not so sure....

I just want what is best for you all my darlings.....be free, feel free, think free and enjoy lipstick....if YOU want to....

Mwah Mulain x

Technicolour!

Without getting too technical my friends (afterall it's a weekend and the mind should be at rest) Mulain is just celebrating his love of the golden age of Hollywood and the joy of 'Technicolour'. Technicolour is the trademark for a series of colour film processes pioneered by Technicolour Motion Picture Corporation. Technicolour was the second major colour film process, and the most widely used colour motion picture process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952. Technicolour became known and celebrated for its hyper-realistic, saturated levels of colour, and was used commonly for filming musicals like The Wizard Of Oz, Singing in the Rain, The Sound Of Music, period film like Joan Of Arc and animated films such as Snow White And The Seven Dwarves and Fantasia.

Being a huge fan of Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals I am going to sit down and enjoy an afternoon matinee of South Pacific and admire the wow-factor of Technicolour.......for all you film buffs and students of cinema you should know about this process and realise how different it is to the high-definition world of today. Zut alor....how times change!

From a 'Bali Hi-ing' Mulain.....

BP Portrait Award 2009

Jamchandra Je by Edward Sutcliffe

Photograph or painting....? What do you think...? Even on close inspection I would say it's a photograph.. but no mes cheries it is a painting...!... cCan you believe it...? I certainly can't .. it is quite literally an 'unbelievable' piece of work.

On display now at the National Portrait Gallery in London.... this piece of art is one of many more amazing works that are part of the Bp Portrait award 2009.

If any of you are in London .. please go and see this exhibition.. what a treat it will be... Mulain wishes he could be there. The exhibition will run till the 20th of September and admission is free.. so no excuses.

For those of you like moi who cannot make it to London .. you can see the exhibition online ..

http://www.npg.org.uk/bp-portrait-award-20091/the-exhibition.php

Enjoy mes cheries...

Mx

Mister Eyebrow!

We all dream of perfectly even and oh-so-natural eyebrows and Givenchy has developed the first transparent eyebrow-fixing pencil that's totally natural. Mister Eyebrow Fixing Pencil is listed on the UK Time's 'mu-st have' make-up products for this year people and it's easy to see why! Whether you are Mulain or Susan Boyle, your brows mu-st be tamed and this little wonder does the trick!

The tech side my friends....it is enriched with emollient, shea, and aloe, eyebrows are immediately and evenl smoothed. Achieve the right movement with only your finger thanks to selected polymers, which reinforce adhesion. A perfectly transparent shade for ultra-natural and subtl glossy eyebrows.

Voila - eyebrows are fixed in place come rain or shine - perfect for framing the eyes - so important for any look my friends!

Mulain x

Brush up...

.... on your brushes....!.... they are the tools of the trade my dears and so today I am going to tell you about a few of them that will help make your life a lot easier in zee world of maquillage and also give your look the finesse of a true professionnelle!

So no more excuses on badly applied make up... as you've probably 'eard the saying ...' a bad carpenter always blames his tools...' ... and we dont want to be one of those now do we...? So look closely at the ones I have selected below and pick the ones that suit you...

Foundation brush: For smooth and flawless application. Can be used with liquid and cream foundations.

Duo-fibre brush: This one's multi purpose. These brushes are great for an overall light buffing of the face after foundation for that glowing polished look... for a soft light dusting of powder or pigment... Perfect for bronzing.... and.. the smaller versions of these can be used to apply cream blushers for a lovely soft finish.

Concealor brush : Yes.. you can apply concealor with your fingertips.. but its good to have this brush to get into all the little nooks and cranny's ... plus its great for spotting concealor onto blemishes and spots.


Powder brush: A must have unless you prefer to press down with a puff. Powder is needed to set the make up so it stays on looking fresh and lovely all day long and of course to get rid of any excess oil and shine. No point having a beautifully made up face only to end up looking like and oil slick non ....

Blush brush:If you love powder blushers this is one for you.... slightly angled to sweep your blusher perfectly on to your cheekbones. Can be used to apply blusher just on the apples of your cheeks too and for contouring (sculpting) those cheekbones...( and jaw line if necessary...)

Eye smudger brush : Whether its smoky eyes you're after, adding a little definition into the contours of your eyes or simply just to blend your eyeliner... this is the brush for you.

Eyeshadow brush: Shadows can be applied easily with fingers too , but wether its a wash of colour or something more intense an eyeshadow brush can give you just the right amount of control and colour needed to achieve your look.

Eyeliner / Eyebrow brush: Dual use... great for eyelining wet or dry and for filling in the brows.

Lip brush: Dont you just hate it when your favourite lipstick is over only to realise that the beauty company has discontinued it...well don't throw away the 'empty' lipstick as there's still plenty left inside and this is one other time the lip brush comes in handy....(other than the obvious first reason which is for precise application).... scoop out the leftovers and put it in a pot and use the lip brush to continue applying as always till you find another perfect match to your old one... you'll be surprised at what a long way it'll go!

Insider tip - I personally also love using lip brushes for applying cake or gel eyeliner .. gives a great sweep and a lot of control- no wobbly lines....!... try it...!

Note: Most brushes are available at all cosmetic counters, for a wider selection try MAC (slightly expensive but worth it), Bharat and Doris and Vega ( cheaper and not bad...)

Mini brush sets are also available from MAC, Vega, Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier to name a few.

Hope this helps...!

Mx

Scent of a woman....

.... or merely packaging....!?......it does'nt matter as long as its not Chanel no 5 you're after...

Harajuku lovers- the fragrances by uber stylish rocker Gwen Stefani are inspired by the street style of the Harajuku district in Tokyo. An ode almost to cuteness-something synonymous with modern japanese women...

The Harajuku lovers come in the form of 5 gorgeous dolls each with a different style and fragrance. From a mix of floral and fruity scents some with underlying notes of musk, vanilla and amber... the fragrance comes in both a liquid and a solid form.....

...and if its not just the cute dolls you're after you're probably best going for the liquid fragrances as they last longer.

For a little fun check out their website:

http://www.hlfragrance.com/

Mx

Alice in Wonderland

Mulain is blown away!! I have just seen the trailer of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and it is simply AMAZING!!! 'ave a look mes cheries....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TfanDv5iRk

I cannot believe we have to wait till next March for this masterpiece to be released...!

Monsieur Burton you are truly a genius and Monsieur Depp... well words just fail me... I lo-ove you... and I especially love your look in zee film and that of your co-stars. We here at fat mu hope to one day get a chance to work with you... just looking at the trailer is so inspiring and it reminds us of the magic of cinema and why we do what we do...magnifique....!

Here above are the looks of Monsieur Depp as 'The Mad 'atter' (love zee eyebrows....), lovely Anne Hathaway as 'The White Queen' (very striking in that platinum wig) and the one and only Helena Bonham Carter as 'The Red Queen' (very queen of hearts.)..... simply fantastique....!

Inglourious Basterds

Mulain had to pop over to London town in the last week and got to meet one of his favourite film people...Monsieur Quentin Tarantino.......Yes, he signed my Inglourious Basterds soundtrack and I wished him well for the opening of his new picture.....what a nice man he is and so talented.....he writes and directs all his films.....j'aime le talent! And the mu-sic in his mu-vies is always too cool - Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Ficton, Kill Bill I and II.....great stuff. Sadly Mulain could not attend the London premiere as we was spending time with Maman Mulain.....family first my friends...

Can't wait to see to it though, out in August and get ready!

Mulain did enjoy London - checking out the fashions, hanging with the 'rude boys', 'emos' and the 'rockers'...sick man sick......that is the lingo my friends...do try keeping up...

Mulain x

P.s. - Mulain is too 'appy as his favourite mu-se is in Mu-mbai......Madame Nomita Morrison is visiting us and all the fat mu team are too excited - what a talent she is.....bravo!

Make up trends - part deux

..... and last but not least to complete our list of favourites from the Autumn- Winter '09-10 make up trends is our absolute favourite by none other than the genius and eccentric John Galliano... gracing the catwalks at Paris fashion week....

Not something we'd recommend you to incorporate into your daily make up routines but definitely something to take tons of inspiration from. A pure visual treat....

Mx

Make up trends - part 1

Good news my darlings... the next seasons looks are out and many of you will be happy to know that ANYTHING goes this Autumn- Winter '09-10 in the world of make -up.....!

From a complete bare faced no make up look to wild and bright 80's punk and everything in between...there is something for everyone and no limits to what you can do this coming season. So let your imagination run wild....!

Whether a strong mouth be your style or smoky eyes... pair them up... or wear them alone.

A retro 40's polished look perhaps...? Or maybe a complete 80's makeover ... take your pick....maybe even one for everday of the week...!

We at fat mu have picked out some of our favourite wearable looks from the season... take a look....and hope they inspire.....

Mulain x

Almost bare faced at Givenchy (sculpted cheekbones and slight metallic colour on the mouth)

Smoky eyes at Versace (note the blue pigment in the corner of the eyes)

Retro feel at Moschino

80's inspired punk at Marc Jacobs

Its all a bit spacey....

40 years ago man made history by landing on the moon. Today is its 40th anniversary and we're already talking of space travel not just for the likes of Monsieur Armstrong but for anyone who can afford it. Monsieur Branson has said his Virgin Galactic spaceships will be completed and ready by December of this year...! Technology....! Never ceases to amaze me.....!

Tomorrow is the longest solar eclipse of the 21st century...! It will last for precisely 6 minutes and 39 seconds... it will happen between 5:28 and 7:40 in the morning Indian standard time and I'm hoping to be up to see it.. the next one takes place in 2132... so really people it's now or never... Bombay will have a partial eclipse... hopefully its not cloudy and raining so we can witness this spectacular phenomenon....but if not...don't fret... you can see it live online ... just visit the following web site for details on how to -

www.mashable.com/2009/07/21/solar-eclipse-online/

Also as you can imagine all the astrologers are going mad...! And so for a little fun I have found this astrological forecast for all the signs as a result of the eclipse... check it out -

www.examiner.com/x-11705-NY-Holistic-Body--Spirit-Examiner~y2009m7d21-Total-Solar-Eclipse-July-22-2009-Predictions-for-all-12-zodiac-signs

Now on to more important things in Mulain's world and the world of Maquillage.... All this space talk has inspired me to think of futuristic, space age make up that we can incorporate into our daily routines... and I'm thinking metallics metallics metallics....

We can take inspiration from the 60's space age fashions or simply just create our own versions of what we want....Wether its a sweep of gold, silver or bronze across your eyelid, or even just a bright metallic eyeliner flick.... a bronzed lipstick on a dusky complexion...or a pale shimmery metallic pink a la the 60's...

Irridescent highlighters to bring out those lovely cheekbones and metallic pigments mixed with moisturisers to give that lovely angelic body glow....whatever takes your fancy my darlings.... the good thing is metallics never go out of fashion and NEVER fail to make an impact....! ..so go play my lovelies and remember to set your alarm to wake up and witness the most awaited eclipse of the 21st century...!

P.s. - We at fat mu have too many lovely metallic favourites to name them all here ... but the one that out shines them ALL is a lovely subtle champagne coloured metallic eyeshadow from MAC called ' Woodwinked '

A must have for everyone professional and non-professional... as it suits every occasion and skin tone... simply loo-verly...!

Mulain x

Semi-Permanent Lash Extensions

Recently I met a friend of mine after a couple of months and for some reason could not tear my eyes away from her lashes... those were'nt there before I thought... but was not sure whether I should ask... what if they were...? But my attention kept going back to them.. they were longer, darker, curved and gave the eyes a very doe like appearance... it just changed her look...! She's a pretty lady.. but that morning she looked particularly lovely and so I asked...I had to! And sure enough - ' lash extensions'....! Aha I knew something was going on.... well I have to tell you mes cheries Mulain was very impressed and immediately I wanted some of my own...

After talking to her I learnt that she had them done in Japan, but it's available in many countries in Europe, and in London and the US.

The process lasts about an hour and is painless... just a bit boring and you have to be patient, because they bond the fake lashes to your own lash by lash....! Don't worry it does not harm your own lashes ... I already checked.....Its semi-permanent... and the extensions can last up to 6 weeks or so and fall out naturally with your own lashes when their time is up...!

The results are amazing... thicker, longer, darker, curved, natural looking lashes.... and you don't need mascara....! Great for all you ladies but especially for the ones going in front of the camera... much much better than applaying those fake lashes all the time... this is a one off every 2 months or so and looks a 100 times better...

Pssssst - An insider tip - Naomi Campbell has them... and she does not wear mascara... doesnt need to because they are so naturally lush and gorgeous on their own...!

So I don't know about you but I am seriously thinking of checking this out on my next trip... will keep you informed..... Mulain x

Trials and 'Tribal'ations.....

For all you Fashionistas who love to experiment with colour... this fall is going to be your season..!

The experts at Shu Uemura have done it again... out of the box thinking that is... where fall make up trends are normally dictated by autumnal colours, namely browns, rusts, golds etc... (more subdued colours that is)... Shu Uemura has done just the opposite and splashed out on colour by taking inspiration from tribal art and paintings... bright yellows, turquoises and fuschias dominate this collection labeled 'Primitribe'... whilst still maintaining some golds and volcanic colours to balance out the tones...
Especially interesting are the multicoloured eyelash strips to complement the seasons look.. and add a touch of tribal funk...!

Not just restricted for the professional make up artist any more...the colours are out there for anyone who wants to play.... so get your goodies early and get experimental people....Collection hits stores mid- August...

Mulain x

... it's enough to make you blush...

Mulain loves 'rouge'...! Non.. not just because it is my last name but because it is the one thing when applied can add an instant freshness and dash of life and couleur to your face...an instant 'perk' me up...!

Rouge or blush as it is more commonly known in today's world has been around for centuries... ladies through the ages have applied various potions of the so-called blush on their beautiful faces to achieve this look .. whether by applying the juice of crushed rose petals or simple pinching ones cheeks like in the Victorian days.

Why so popular you may ask?... Because its amorous mes cheries... it has always been associated as a sign of love, health and happiness... a look we can now get so easily from a tube, a pot or a bottle... in liquid, gel, cream or powder forms...

There's enough on the market today to make you blush and here are a few of our fat mu favourites...

LIQUID BLUSHERS

An all time favourite with the fat mu team... this lovely smelling potion made from crushed rose petals can be applied to the cheeks for a very natural flush that lasts through the day. It can also be doubled up as a lip stain...
After benetint came posie tint... lovely for that 'English rose' look... great on fair skins to achieve that peaches and cream look!

GEL BLUSHERS
Gel blushers! we especially LOVE these... so easy to apply and great for all skin tones for everyday use... adapts to your own skin tone to give you that lovely natural blush that lasts all day long.. perfect for that no make up look! can double up as a lip stain too but can be a bit drying .. so remember to put on your lip balm once the stain sets in.

Screen Face in London does a lovely one called ' Barely blushing'.

CREAM BLUSHERS
Especially good on dry or older skins... but great on anyone wanting a smooth creamy finish... available in various shades....Bobbi Brown, Shisheido, Nars and Stila do some of the best ones on the market. Easy to apply as they glide on... and some come with shimmer too to add a lovely subtle sheen to your skin.

POWDER BLUSHERS
Good 'ol powder blushers.... great for oily skins or if you just want to go for that matt look... can look as subtle or made up as you like... whether its a flush you want to add to the apples of your cheeks or simply to sculpt your cheek bones.. this is the one for you...

So come on ladies ... now lets see you blush....

Mulain x