By Alia Raffia
A name synonymous with beauty, Mickey Contractor is not only the Director of Makeup Artistry for MAC India; he is also Bollywood’s most renowned make-up artist. Mickey has been magically transforming faces for more than three decades with his brushes. The pioneer of the ‘no makeup look’ in India, Mickey is the man who has witnessed and influenced the transformation in makeup from the cakey 80s to glam 2000s in the Bollywood industry.
I was fortunate to attend the Mickey Contractor Masterclass at Selfridges in Birmingham on May 5 to see the man in action. Mickey created two beautiful looks, a classic Bollywood Smokey eye and a daytime look with a bold lip. The hairstyles were created by Toni & Guy to complement and enhance the overall looks. After the Masterclass I was able to catch up with Mickey and ask him to share some of his tips with all my Be Beautiful readers…
Alia: What is the most common makeup mistake made by women?
Mickey: Not everyone needs to be fair to look beautiful and many Asian women still make the mistake of trying to make their skin look lighter by wearing the wrong shade of foundation. This only makes your skin look grey so it is really important you invest in a foundation that is closest to your skin colour.
Alia: The modern British Asian woman is busier than ever. What is the easiest way to turn a day/work look into something that works for a night out?
Mickey: Add a pop of colour on your lips and some mascara. This is so easy to do and so effective.
Alia: What are the Spring/Summer 2015 MAC Trends?
Mickey: You don’t contour as much as you highlight and let the natural shadows on your face create a gently sculpted face by highlighting the right points. It’s all about big lashes so a lot of mascara and fake lashes on the top and bottom. Red is still very on trend, so a bold lip. Deep reds look amazing on Indian skin tones and you can mix it up a bit by using different lip liners to slightly alter the colour of the lipstick.
Quick-fire with Mickey:
Alia: Product you cannot live without…
Mickey: Eyelash curler – don’t underestimate the difference using this tool will make to your eyes.
Alia: 3 essential pieces every girl needs…
Mickey: Eyelash curler, MAC conceal and correct palate and a good lipstick that can be used as a blusher and eyeshadow as well as the lips.
Alia: Hot beauty trend we will see more of…
Mickey: A lot of lashes and mascara, this is one of my favourite trends. I double up my lashes sometimes to get a really full beautiful look.
For inspiration this summer check out the flawless beautiful looks he created.
When interviewing the outfit I wore was by Khwaab.com. For more information check out khwaab.com and maccosmetics.co.uk
