Happy New Year!

Mulain and all the fat mu team wish you a very Happy New Year tonight! Enjoy with your friends and family. Look your best, appreciate what you have, be retrospect on the last year...let's all have a great and peaceful and compassionate and forgiving and nurturing and utterly successful 2010. Phew....exhausted already.....off to buy some bubbly for tonight....and get my party gear on.

Enjoy my darlings and we'll speak soon...

Mulain x

Beauty Flashbacks from the 00s....

The Beckham Bob.....

Loo-verly Lashes...

Porn-star glamour....!!!

La Botox!!!!!!!!

Le Highbeam!!!!!!!!!

You 'ave been tangoed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Retro-ed!!!!!!!!!!

Retro-ed again....big, big hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ghdsssssssssss!

Lip-glosses..........gloss heaven...

Think Paris Hilton, Victoria Beckham, Christina Aguilera, Giselle, Lily Allen, Jordan, Cheryl Cole, Kate Moss, Rihanna, Beyonce and Britney of course......these 'lay-dees' have been our 'style' icons / clothes horses / trend setters from the noughties....God 'elp us says Mulain. So plastic I feel....all big lips, big lashes, big flesh on display, big nails....quite porn star if you ask me? It's all a little cheap! The ghds bought us all straight, glam hour at the flick of a switch. Lip glosses became a mu-st have in everyone's handbags. Lashes were and still are big and high fashion and as for the tanning trend....could we have a leetle less orange? Botox has become normal, fixed in smiles are there for sure.....

What a decade....Mulain loves the glosses, ghds and highbeam (plastic surgery in a bottle!) for sure....looking forward for the next ten years.....what will it bring us.....peace and new lip colours, prosperity and fab nail paints.....2010! Chalo...

Mulain x

A decade of tan!

Plastic beauty - I'm a Barbie Girl..la...la....la....

From the post-Y2K no-makeup makeup look to the over-the-top eyelash craze, Gisele's sexy beach waves and the craze of '07 for the bob cut, the past ten years have given us some memorable moments. Mulain is asking you what do you remember about beauty trends from the last decade.....I think the over-riding theme for me is the fake tan /bronzed skin/ orange perma-tan look from Hollywood to Bollywood - from J-lo to Hrithik.....and very Barbie like beauty.....think Paris Hilton...all very plastic Mulain thinks......

What do you remember my friends?

Mulain x

Discovering a new brand....

lots of colours......

......and a pink brush!

Virginia MU was chatting with Mulain last night and telling him about the 'Westfield' experience.....wow....what a huge, huge, overwhelming number of shops and people. You need good shoes for walking, a sense of humour and a will of steel. This centre is so well done I can't tell you....the Las Vegas of shopping centres.....great lighting, warm, great shops, helpful staff and modern designs surround you making it a very progressive and 'arty' place for all. Discovery of the day was 'The Make Up Store'...a Swedish brand, very 'MAC' like in their design and colours....lots of lashes and glitter on display and coloured powder brushes!!!! Pink, blue, orange, green...all goat hair, non-synthetic. It's the first store in the UK....check out their site, they offer courses, make-up tips, skincare, haircare, bodycare, fab nail colours....www.makeupstore.se...

Virginia MU bought a new flashy, disco brush holder and a pink, glittery lip gloss....

Any of you spotted any new brands out there?

Gearing up for New Year....wishing peace on earth and goodwill to all....may your God be with you my darlings....wherever you are.....

Mulain x

Shoppers Paradise

Dubai .....

London......

Virginia MU is in London town this week and has told / promised Mulain that she will check out Westfield shopping centre, the largest shopping centre in Europe! There are over 20 health and beauty shops so am sure she will be super busy checking out new things to buy....so excited for her. Natasha MU is in the land of Dubai, another place for malls......so excited to see what the girls bring back for me.

Spending today thinking about the last decade - the Noughties!....what it will be remembered for....the icons, the fashions, the lipstick shades.....it's been a crazy/busy one for sure.....

Off for a dip by the pool and a massage for sure....

Mulain x

A new face for the New Year?

Just look at La Madonna.....ageless it seems...

Mulain is definitely feeling a little party-ed out after the merriment of the last few days....and we still 'ave New Year to do too. Oh la la...looking for a pick-me-up or quick recovery medicine...something please! Well it seems Madonna 'as a new face to pick her up (makes me feel worse).....does this lady get stressed? party? get depressed? Know the land of photoshop takes away the little blips one does n't want to see but what about all of us seeing these images.....Jemma Kidd says to look fresh and 'take a decade off' your face, do the following 5 things 1) Switch to a lighter base 2) Groom your eyebrows 3) Change your palette 4) Brighten your eyes 5) Even out your skin tone....sounds straight forward non? For those who don't want to be cut, pumped, filled etc this looks the better, safer, cheaper option...thank you Ms. Kidd.....For those of you however who DO want to go the Lady Madonna way get ready to be plumped!! The new face out there is not pulled taut...think bad 80s face-lifts...now it is lovely, plumped, filled skins that are staring out at us....Demi Moore, SJP, these faces are everywhere non, staring back from magazine covers, the tv screen.....we 'ave no chance to escape this bombardment of beauty icons....

But as Mulain always says...smile, don't get self-obsessed, look outward, be kind to people and puppies, drink some bubbly, drink some water, listen to a little dis-co, wear some lip-gloss and be yourself....or the best you can be....'ave a feeling you'll be happier.....and to cheer yourself up, go to www.awfulplasticsurgery.com ...it'll make you feel a whole lot better.

Mulain will go for a walk, listen to some music, eat some yummy food and 'ave an early night...sleep I feel is the answer...then I shall plan New Year.....and looking fabulous.

Mulain x

Boxing day!

Family and friends day again.....ho ho ho....still celebrating....hope you are all enjoying your holidays...

Mulain x

Christmas Day!

Mulain wishes you all a very Merry Christmas - all with family and friends today - too much eating and drinking and opening of gifts..

Wish you all a happy day...

Mulain x

Stockings!

It's Christmas Eve and Mulain is too excited! What will he get in his Christmas stocking? Love the little gift items that will be coming my way.....lots of little make-up goodies I hope...a new lip-gloss? a coloured eye-liner? oh la la...too excited. But we all know it's about giving not receiving (I 'ave to keep reminding myself)......I am very happy to gift people too....I have given all the fat mu team lots of goodies and am reminding myself to be kind, good and giving today and every day from now....let's see how I get on....

Am off for a quick last minute shop to New Beauty Centre, Khar....Beautiful, Khar......shops packed full of beauty goodies.....off I go...so chalo my friends...enjoy your Christmas Eves...I know I will.

A very merry Mulain x

Kiehls!

Mulain was hearing from MU Virginia who arrived in London to a white Winter wonderland....so beautiful....all England's fields and trees covered in snow....but so, so, cold! Her skin has apparently just dried up and cracked and that's inside so you can imagine what outside in the elements is going to do to her! So Mulain has told her to invest in Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream....4 Hour, light-textured hydrator that reduces moisture loss, gives a continuous water replenishment throughout day, and is not tested on animals...which Mulain appreciates! They have been since 1851, so they know their stuff!

So for anyone else in a colder climate this Christmas and New Year....lather it on and wrap up!

http://www.kiehls.com

Mumbai is still melting so can't imagine freezing temperatures....might go for a quick pool dip to appreciate our climate...maybe a cocktail too!

Mulain x

The wonders of olive oil!

Mulain overheard a certain tennis celebrity with Virginia MU yesterday telling her that he uses good old olive oil in his hair, on his body to prevent drying out his body. Have to say his skin was superb ......think a combination of oil and genetics to play...but we all know how good olive oil is for you, plus it's yummy to eat...good inside out. Availibility is global so noone needs to be left out....it's a win win situation...ahhhh except it's not super, super cheap...umm....but to-tally worth it Mulain feels. MU Virginia is off to freezing London town so off to help her pack and give her my make-up shopping list....so many new things to buy too!

New Year is coming and Mulain is being retrospective about the year...it's been super busy for sure....will be looking back over the next few days on products of 2009, and the fat mu team of course.

Off to get some Zzzzzzs as we have all been shooting round the clock!

Caio for now,

Mulain x

Madam Brown does it again....

Mulain has been chatting with MU Natasha over the last few days and she has been working with the de-lightful Genelia, one of Bollywood's current 'it' gals, for a Garnier campaign....can't wait to see the images! Natasha has been raving about the Bobbi Brown base palettes and lip palettes she has been using on the shoot. They are designed for all the 'pros' out there - fantastic range and easy to work with...what more could you ask for? It basically consists of 9 shades of Corrector for extra dark circles, 12 shades
of Creamy Concealer for average undereye darkness, and 17 shades of Foundation Stick to give skin a smooth, even finish. Superb non? Not cheap but worth every Dollar / Rupee / Pound / Euro / Yen. Limited edition so make sure you buys yours quick!

The lovely lip palette is the same - great textures and great finish with a fantastique colour range. These palettes are light-weight, sleek and so easy to use.....they are a real winner!

Check out http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com/ for any other palettes which might catch your eyes....any working artist will help you with your work and the efficiency of it.

Do hope your Mondays were good my darlings....remember 'tis the season to be dolly, so if you're partying this week, attending events, weddings, do remember to dazzle, sparkle, sheen, glisten, glow wherever you go.

Remember...Mulain is out there watching you all....

Mulain x

Ben Nye in India!

Ben Nye Senior worked on this classic Hollywood film....

And one of Mulain's favourites.....what a legend and what a film!

Virginia MU popped into New Beauty Centre, Khar, Mumbai (022-26052947) yesterday and was picking up some last minute products for Natasha's shoot on Madh Island today....another Garnier Ad!....While Virg was getting squashed and butchered by the mad shoppers inside, Mulain managed to find a quiet corner to himself to breathe when low and behold he spotted make-up brand Ben Nye!!!! Was so excited as it is such an amazing brand for the professional make-up artist and it's here in Mumbai. The MUs just love the products, so to have them at our fingertips on Indian soil....huge wow factor.

For those of you unfamiliar with Ben Nye here's a little background. Ben Nye was a contemporary of Max Factor..i.e. one of the Hollywood's oldest and most renouned make-up artists....he worked for years in the film industry from the 1930s to the 1970s and in 1967 he retired and created Ben Nye the make-up company.....His company aimed to provide fellow artists with the right materials and products for straight make-ups, theatre make-up, film make-up, special effects, beauty......it's an all-round brand and one that the fat mu team really respect! Great products created by a great man. Fat mu love his stuff and on Slumdog used Ben Nye's bronzing tint on 2 of the boys to help build their character looks...(See left).

So a call to all you professionals (and non) head to New Beauty Centre, Khar to check them out! Or visit their website www.bennyemakeup.com ...you will not be disappointed! Here are a few pics of a few of their products below...great palettes, wheels for different effects...old age, bruising, burns, death. Tints, cremes, matts, metallics, coloured powders, translucent powders, lip pencils, eye pencils, transparent mascaras....it's too exciting really...

Mulain off to meet Natasha MU soon to have a company catch up....gearing up for our academy....enjoy your Sundays...

Mulain x

On your toes!

Mulain spotted these funky, DIY nails at film city yesterday - what fun!

Mulain visited Virginia on the set of her TVC yesterday at the 'exotique' film city location, in the heart of Bollywoodland, man it was hot! Tried to stay in the air-con as mu-ch as possible...not a fan of a sweaty upper-lip look. Anyway got chatting to the stylist for the shoot and happened to glance at her feet.....she had painted her own designs onto her toe nails in a to-tally cool, 80s way...colours and shapes took me back to my 'appy childhood of 1984....cool and the gang for sure. I am digressing.....back to the point....she told me that she just dabbles on her nails when she is at home and creates her own looks...has a creative play around! Wundarbar non? Have posted these pics below to give you some ideas of what you can do at home or even in the toe parlour.....chalo!

If you're into cutesy this may suit?

Only in China eh? Nail art printers.....what fun.....

A design breakdown to get you started.....

Lots of detailing.....for those who have time.....

and even more elaborate work for those obsessed!

Whatever you choose - have fun....so many exciting colours to choose from.....try OPI's Monsooner or later, Moon over Mumbai, My Chuihuahua Bites, Tropical Punch, Hearts and Tarts, Clubbing Til Sunrise, Friar friar pants on fire (a personal favourite)....and of course Revlon, L'Oreal, Chanel all do fab colours...so go play and enjoy. Obviously toe nail art is best done in hot climates where toes can be on display....so Bombay boys and gals....no excuses, flip-flops and chappels to be worn and dazzle people with your toe talent.

And Mulain says for inspiration head to Cheap Jacks on Hill Road, Bandra West and feast your eyes - it's a visual treat and you're bound to find something to help you get started.

Mulain x

Let's get Pro-active!

Ok - Mulain is on a mission today to find out about Pro-active skincare that all the celebs are raving about....a la Jess Simpson above (also click on this link to read US celebrity testimonials..http://www.proactiv.in/Celebrity/Default.aspx)...... MUs Natasha and Virginia have both encountered very bad acne skins on shoots recently and honestly people they are really very difficult to look after, maintain, especially in melting Mumbai. Some people are totally on the wrong medication and treatments thus their skins sometimes suffer bad side-effects......like dropping off...an artist's nightmare I tell you!

So for all your sakes Mulain is on the case and off to investigate....might head to Hill Road too for a leetle Christmas shopping must get my hard-working team something.....so excited ...only a few days to go....

Mulain x

Last minute Christmas gifts...think make-up

Ok - Christmas is one week away and for those of you who are super busy....you might want to think about shopping on-line.....http://www.cdwow.com/beauty has top make-up brands Chanel, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier and delivers free of charge...sounds good na? Especially in these times when we are all penny/rupee watching...they also have sites all over the world not just the UK...so go have a look and am sure you will find a useful little stocking filler or two (or three, or four...).

All the MUS are out on shoots today - such a busy time of year.....Natasha MU on Garnier, Virginia MU in film city on a Virgin TVC...both outdoors, facing the heat! Do remember your sun cream my dears....

Mulain might slip off to the loo-verly Sun 'n' Sand pool side for a relaxing dip, a mental recharge and a bit of on-line shopping too.....Merry Christmas my dears....and ho, ho, ho (in the traditional, non-rapper way)....... :)

Mulain x

Avatar...it's the future...

Mulain is eagerly awaiting the Indian release of James Cameron's Avatar with such excitement...this movie, claimed to be the most expensive ever (don't they always say that?), is ground-breaking in it's 3D technology and is maybe paving the way for others films to work in the same way....Mulain is asking...if computers are doing all the make-up and effects what will happen to film and TV make-up artists? Even now on fashion shoots and TV ads the phrase...'don't worry we'll do it in post' sends chills down most make-up artists' spines....what does the future have in store for us.....are computers taking over the world?

We are living in interesting times my friends....technology in all industries is moving and advancing at such a fast pace....but we mu-st all try and keep up. My advice to artists is to understand as much as you can about 'post' so that you can on a shoot say confidently...'No, it's ok, no need for post...I am here'.....take control of the situation as much as possible, try and stay ahead of the game .

And remember there will be always be work for make-up artists. The lesson is to adapt my friends....so get your brains in gear. Think brides, real people, make-overs, people will still need le maquillage...it's been around for thousands of years and will not disappear now...no need to stress.....

Have a great day and remember the future's bright, the future is make-up!

Mulain x

Sleeping Beauty

Traditional Sleeping Beauty.....wise gal got her 8 hours in!

Mulain was with Virginia and the MU gang this morning and we all agreed that 'sleep' is the ultimate beauty ingredient. All were super tired from a long shooting day, the models were tired too....everyone lagging and looking and feeling drained. Sleep deprivation! Just terrible....the affect it has on your skin, eyes, immune system, relationships...shall I go on? So Mulain is asking you are you getting enough?

Those in the know say adults should be getting around 7-8 hours a night (pregnant women exempt...you need lots more!)....and preferably before midnight. Now everyone is different and can survive on less or more than required....Mulain would love 9 hours a night...dream on cowboy!

Without getting into what the scientists say about Rapid Eye Movement sleep etc...get to know your own sleep patterns and do what is right for you. Living in a noisy flat or neighbourhood then try ear-plugs? Room too light....try a fancy pair of eye-masks? Mulain finds that a winner....do try it my darlings...

Audrey Hepburn looking cool in her mask!

So get some sleep, kip, rest, zzzzzzs, 40 winks and see the results - you'll feel better, perform better, have clarity of thought, good memory and be a happy, chirpy little soul.

Hope I have changed your lives for the better my friends....off for a quick power snooze myself....

Mulain x

P.S. - Below are some other cool masks...Mulain loo-ves....

Nail it

We here at fat mu love O.P.I nail colours.... great colour variety... easy glide on texture and nice brush just the right size for an even application. O.P.I is a fairly new brand and it's amazing how fast they've become No.1! What's great is that you can now test colours on their site to see what they look like... no its not some virtual scan your hand in kinda thing... but they do have a hand on which you can change the skin shade to match yours and the nail size to test what the colour will look like on you!.. clever is n't it?.... Below is a picture of what the page looks like... so to try it out just click on the O.P.I link below and then click on 'try on this colour'. I randomly chanced across a colour called 'Moon over Mumbai' (see below)... not sure what I think of this colour... a bit blah if you ask me.. maybe it's the colour of the moon over smoggy Mumbai......? Who knows... but I love the name and love the fact that they thought of Mumbai.... maybe a brighter colour range for Mumbai Mr. O.P.I?... it is India after all and we are known for our colour..... but none the less.....great colours... quirky names and a fantastically wide range..... check it out .....

http://www.opi.com/

Enjoy.........Mx

The Power of the Make-up Artist!

Le maquillage!

Ok.....ranting today my darlings....make-up artistes the world over have to constantly fight to gain recognition, respect, understanding.....people think doing make-up is 'easy', 'non-intelligent' and it sits low-down in the pecking order of jobs......Mulain gets so cross!!!!! Such ignorance...really.....make-up is a huge, vast industry from special effects, to beauty, professional to non-professional. It is one of the few industries that not only survived the recession but made profits. To be a good make-up artist takes technical know-how, patience, endurance, talent, lots and lots of training (which never ends in your lifetime..you always keep learning) and it's an ultimate multi-tasking job, dealing with people while doing your job...and sometimes under huge pressure. Mulain says don't knock it til you try it......here are some make-up giants for you....inspirational figures....

Madame Estee Lauder at work....

This 'make-up artist' became the only woman on Time magazine's 1998 list of the 20 most influential business geniuses of the 20th century! Make-up a no-brainer....I don't think so!... Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of skin care, costmetics, perfume and hair care products. They own Bobbi Brown, Aveda, Clinque, Bumble and Bumble, La Mer, Jo Malone, MAC, Donna Karan, Origins and more! All started from a make-up artist's dream.......thank you Madame Lauder!

In the world of special effects make-up, Dick Smith has pioneered, created and lain the path for sfx in an extraordinary way....starting his career in 1962 he has worked solidly in films like 'The Exorcist', 'The Godfather' and in 1983's 'Amadeus' he creates the most life-like 'age' make-up ever done. Check out Salieri below, the old and young look....just superb and he won one of us many Oscars for this make-up. Where would sfx make-up artists / actors / directors be without him?......Do check out his site http://www.dicksmithmake-up.com/...... He also is kind, generous and open with his information and incredible knowledge....an icon for sure......thank you Monsieur Page!

Older Salieri

Young Salieri

Max Factor was Maximilian Faktorowicz (1877–August 30, 1938 a Polish-Jewish cosmetician and 'make-up artist' who became the artist of the Hollywood Sirens from Harlow to Hepburn, Crawford to Colbert, Garbo to Garson. He made make-up accessible to everyday women, through his work on the stars in their films and through creating products that could be sold to the masses. Max Factor pioneered the high-street make-up brands, Max Factor started make-up trends, Max Factor dreamt up fabulous products....La Lip Gloss! Another giant - thank you Monsieur Factor.

There are many make-up artists out there in today's world also pushing the boundaries, creating great products and education centres, creating magic on screen, designing cosmetics and setting trends.....think Rick Baker, Bobbi Brown (she is even starting her own make-up course for University level), Pat Mcgrath, Gucci Westman, Trish McEvoy, Laura Mercier, Jenny Shircore (Natasha's mentor).....there are hundreds, thousands more.....fat mu! :).......

So whenever you hear someone 'dissing' our wonderful world, get your facts and figures out there and tell them how wrong they are. Very wrong. The power of make-up is totally misunderstood on all levels.....we are artists, who through our medium of make-up create characters...on screen, on stage, on tv, on ramps and never forget the real woman....she has many sides to her character we which can be brought out....it is a fantastic art!

Ranting always makes one feel better.....thank you for listening and have a wild Saturday night!

Mulain x

Trend - Colour of the year 2010 - Turquoise

Pantone the global authority on colour and the provider of professional colour standards for the design industries recently announced Turquoise as the colour of the year for 2010...!.. will this translate in the cosmetic market... well it already seems to be a trend.. whether the trend has sustainability we have yet to see. We here at fat mu love the colour turquoise.. it's a happy, calming, cool colour and reminds of holidays.... white sand beaches and turquoise waters.... ...wish I was there right now infact...!...

Here are some of our favourite turquoise make up picks for you... they do translate beautifully on Indian skins....

Nail colour 'Muse' by Illamasqua

Pigment by MAC

Liquid Liner by MAC

Glitter by MAC

Eyeshadow Quad by Guerlain

Cream eyeshadow by Shisheido

....beautiful colour and lovely textures.... can't go wrong. Let's see what the rest of the world thinks.... Mx