Make-Up Mavens Virginia & Natasha Give Us A Masterclass
Only the vain believe they know it all. Smart girls make no such claims and are always listening, grasping every last nugget of information about make-up tips and tricks to make their beauty obsession that much more legit. So when I got the opportunity to catch up with make-up mavens Natasha Nischol and Virginia Holmes, I did a little happy dance around the office.
The co-founders of Fat MU are celebrating the nine-year anniversary of their make-up academy, and 15 years of working on some of the biggest movies, campaigns and editorials in India. Their film credits include Slumdog Millionaire, The Phantom of the Opera, Paa, Luck – By Chance, Vanity Fair, Dirty Pretty Things and Dil Dhadakne Do, where they’ve worked their magic on Bollywood biggies like Amithabh Bachchan, John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra and Alia Bhatt. They’re a regular feature in editorials by Vogue and Elle, and even count brands like Flipkart, Dove, Garnier and Google among their regular clientele. Naturally I wanted to put them through the grinder with my questions on make-up tips, tricks and best products – here’s what they had to say!
1. What is your style of make-up?
Natasha Nischol: The classic make-up look is my favourite. Good skin, basic eyes with a nice crisp eyeliner or an invisible liner, and a dark or natural lip. The key is to have make-up on without it looking overly done or distracting, so I guess minimalist is more my style. Then again, sometimes you have to experiment as well!
Virginia Holmes: I love being experimental and whacked out as much as possible. Coming up with conceptual make-up designs is challenging and fun, and keeps you on your toes. It can be minimal and intricate and/or extreme, depending on the brief.
2. What is your go-to make-up look?
NN: When in doubt, bring out red lipstick! Some concealer, powder, eyeliner, mascara and a red lipstick can be worn anywhere and for any occasion, be it casual or formal.
VH: Any retro look is my preferred make-up. I love the 70s and 80s in terms of the colour and different textures used back then.
