I recently attended Lakmé Fashion Week at Taj Palace, New Delhi and trust me, attending it as a journalist is an ultimate experience. Between watching runway shows, meeting fashion designers and makeup artists, interviewing industry insiders and capturing some Insta-worthy clicks for my social media, the day got pretty hectic. And while my primary focus was always on the fashion and beauty stories I was there to cover, putting together a look that makes me feel confident was equally important.
For this edition of Lakmé Fashion Week, I wanted my makeup to look polished without appearing too heavy. Since the weather in Delhi was somewhat pleasant, my idea was to create a chic, understated look for the evening that would complement my outfit and work well in photographs. I did not want anything too dramatic or complicated. Instead, I focused on fresh-looking skin, softly defined eyes and a lip colour that brought the entire look together.
Just in case you want to know how I approached my makeup for Fashion Week, take cues from below:
Step 1: Prepping my skin for a smooth base
For me, good makeup starts with great skin. Since Fashion Week means spending several hours away from home, I wanted my base to feel comfortable and not become patchy or greasy as the day progressed.
I began by cleansing my face and applying a lightweight moisturiser. I believe hydrated skin makes a noticeable difference to how your entire makeup sits on the face. I also applied sunscreen before moving on to makeup, as protecting my skin is an important part of my routine.
I prefer allowing my skincare products a little time to settle on my skin before applying makeup. This helps me avoid an overly slippery base and makes blending easier. I wanted a natural and dewy finish rather than looking cakey or overly done.
Step 2: Creating a natural-looking base
For the base, I focused on evening out my complexion while keeping the finish skin-like. I used skin tint instead of a foundation to create a more uniform and natural appearance and blended it carefully around the nose, jawline and hairline. Rather than applying several layers, I preferred building coverage only where needed.
I avoided the use of a concealer as I thankfully do not have dark circles and baggy eyes, but I did use a little bit on my under-eye area to brighten and even out my skin tone.
I also used a little powder to set areas that tend to become oily, particularly around the nose and forehead. I do not like dabbing powder on my entire face as I wanted a dewy finish, plus the runway event was all under an air-conditioned hall, so I skipped the face powder.
Step 3: Adding warmth with blush and subtle definition
Blush is one of the products I enjoy using because it can make a makeup look appear fresher almost instantly. For my Lakmé Fashion Week look, I wanted a hint of colour on my cheeks rather than an intense, heavily sculpted finish.
I applied blush lightly and blended it well so that it looked seamless with my base. I also added subtle definition to my face, keeping the contour understated.
I dabbed cream blush on my contour area from my cheekbones towards my temple area, giving me a defined appearance.
Step 4: Keeping the eyes defined but wearable
Since I wanted a chic and effortless look, I kept my eye makeup relatively simple. I focused on defining my eyes without making them the most dramatic part of the look.
I went with a neutral eyeshadow! Soft brown, beige and muted shimmer shades can add depth without looking overpowering. I kept the darker shades close to the lash line and blended them well for a more seamless finish. The most important part was that I stayed away from the smoky eyeshadow shades.
I went full on with the eyeliner, as it helps define my eyes beautifully. But I did not overpower it. I kept the lash line sleek and simple. I am a fan of mascara, and that is one thing I would never skip. It helps define the lashes and makes the eyes appear more awake, which is especially useful when the day involves early starts and a packed schedule.
For me, the trick is to make the eyes look defined enough for photographs while ensuring that the makeup still feels appropriate for daytime events.
Step 5: Finishing the look with lipstick
No makeup look feels complete to me without the right lip colour. For a fashion week appearance, I prefer choosing a shade that complements my outfit and the rest of my makeup rather than competing with it.
As it was an evening of glamour, fashion, and style, I chose a mauve lipstick shade that complemented my skin tone and my outfit. I also preferred a smudge-proof shade to avoid any last-minute oops moments.
Since fashion week involves conversations, interviews and frequent photographs, I also kept my lipstick handy for quick touch-ups throughout the day.
Step 6: Making the makeup last through a busy day
A long day at fashion week calls for a few practical beauty essentials. I like keeping compact powder, lipstick and blotting papers in my bag for quick touch-ups. A setting spray can also help bring the different layers of makeup together and improve its overall finish, depending on the formula.
My biggest takeaway was that fashion week makeup does not have to be complicated to look good. A comfortable base, balanced eye makeup, a hint of colour on the cheeks and a flattering lip shade can create a look that feels polished without requiring too much effort.
For me, the perfect Lakmé Fashion Week makeup look is one that complements my outfit, photographs well and allows me to focus on the reason I am there: covering fashion, meeting creative minds and soaking in the energy of the runway.
