‘Touch n glow’

Metamorphosing from the jet-lagged weary traveller to the radiating corporate go-getter is merely a make over away says Tanya Siqueira

A tiring 36 hour flight halfway around the subcontinent and you step off the plane feeling a little less confident with your entire ensemble which is less than perfect. No time to dilly-dally on long hours at the hotel salon as you have a client to meet and your already running 30 minutes behind schedule… Sounds familiar?

Imagine now a ravishing, 6 foot blond Brad Pitt look alike with that gorgeous killer smile across the aisle or the tantalising tan skinned beauty Bipasha...voila! You suddenly find yourself thinking 'how do they do it?'

Lets face facts, all those brains and brawn, curling tresses and sun kissed skin don't come without a certain amount of work behind the scenes if you know what I mean? The beauty regime has moved past being the hobby of the female half of the population to carving a niche for itself in the tighter knit male domain. With the ever-increasing importance being placed on having a presentable appearance or the added bonus of being the brand ambassador of a large, medium or a small firm, the focus is steadily shifting from the models and stars right into the chic high rise offices and leather upholstered boardrooms.

The corporate workplace is becoming increasingly competitive, the savvy businessmen and women have much more to contend with than meetings, travel schedules and quarterly targets. With women leading the way into this new generation men too want a piece of that `femme fatal’ tonic.

Have Mercy!

While exploring a myriad of routes down the boulevard of the beautiful and polished I stumbled upon something that was a revelation in itself to me but not to the latest entrants into this generation. Metrosexuallity is a trend fast entering the domain of the day to day parlance of the city folks.

Men spend hours every week working out and taking care of their bodies, but they now figure that alone isn't enough. Contrary to popular belief, men are in fact far more concerned with their appearance and those way up the corporate ladder are now considering investments of a different kind.

Says Rishi Bhatena, regional manager at a Bangalore based marketing and advertising company, "I do a lot of domestic travelling and meet with different clients. Tweezing my eyebrows and getting a facial and oil massage every month is not a maybe anymore. In fact I think it's a must as first impressions are important, I definitely won't risk making a bad start with a client just because I have a uni brow or very pale complexion." Although this market is relatively new, experts predict cosmetics for men are the next big thing in beauty products. Cosmetics companies are still unfamiliar with which products men are willing to try and which ones they are avoiding.

Beauty for men is not about lipsticks and eye shadows. It's about highlighting the attractive features and concealing imperfections. A man's skin is thicker, oilier and it is shaved on a regular basis.

Among those ahead of this growing trend is the Kaya Skin clinic, which offers treatments such as skin polishing, and a whole range of products that deliver subtle but visibly noticeable results. Biotique is yet another company, which has a range of products specifically for men.

Says Vivan Jain, brand manger of Delhi based Kognot, an IT establishment, "Being the face someone associates with products puts a certain amount of pressure on me. Although I never quite liked the concept, I now make it a point not to leave on one of my trips without a basic moisturiser and gentle face wash like Pears."

Mickey Contractor, make-up guru to the stars advises, "Skin gets really dry and dehydrated on flights and to combat that use an oil free moisturiser. I strongly recommend Clinique Dramatically Different. Ideally you should wet your palms, keep them moist, use one or two drops of moisturiser and dab it on.

Fearlessly Feminine

Most women are familiar with all the necessary do's and don'ts related to the whole cosmetic genre. What's `in’ and in vogue and the latest colours to hit the Parisian runways are always there as subtle guides.

But what works for the lanky, Caucasian teens on the runways may or may not be applicable for Indian skin tones or your usual workday schedule. Sure you have all the equipment but do you know how best to optimise it, especially if time is a significant constraint?

Bag Pack

When you are travelling, it does not make sense to pack your entire range of make-up. Here's how the experts travel light. When it comes to packing up a beauty bag for a few days or a week away, no one does it better than a make-up artist. These experts are always on the go and can be found on desert islands with just a tube of gloss and still manage to make someone look gorgeous. How do they do it?

“By travelling light and sticking to the essentials,” says Mickey Contractor. 'You will need a few basics such as moisturiser, mascara, lipstick, kajal pencil and a compact that matches the colour of your skin. Almost everything else can be worked around that and serve a dual-purpose,” he adds.

“For men a few basics would be a good moisturiser, so choose one that you can wear a little or a lot of depending on what your skin needs at any given time,” says Contractor. He further adds, “a handy brow kit as a little tweeze here and pluck there could make a world of a difference. You can also mix moisturiser with foundation or concealer to create a lightweight base that's more comfortable and beats the parched, dry air of an airplane. “

Asian men and women need to look out for foundation that has yellow undertones. These will enhance the natural colour of the Asian skin tone. Make-up for black or Caucasian skin has pink and red undertones, which are unsuitable for the Asian complexions resulting in a look that is either too orange or chalky and ghost-like.

Straighten Up and Buy Right

Canada based make-up artist Ann Kishore says "Selecting the right colour foundation is about choosing a shade that is as close to the natural skin tone as possible. Trying to darken or lighten the skin tone with foundation will only result in a mask-like finish that will leave the skin looking dull." Men need to be extra careful, so use expert advice and preferably buy a stick foundation as it's easy to carry and application is much easier and less messy.

Says Vandana Luthra, Chairperson - VLCC, "Frequent fliers face a lot of pollution problems and since stress levels are also very high, they need to take extra care of themselves with hydrating and age defying treatments. Special care while on the go like a quick exfoliation and a simple five minute moisture retentive routine specially for the hands and feet are very important."

Sonali Mirchandani, make-up artist, hair stylist and owner of Sonali's Beauty Salon, Mumbai says, "Buying make-up should depend on the kind of climate as well as the skin type. People with oily skin need to buy water based products, those with dry skin need to buy oil based products and those with sensitive skin need to be very careful and require to buy products that are hypo allergenic or dermatological tested." Clinique, Vichy and Neutrogena are among the few that have an entire range for sensitive skin. Also herbal products are now the latest rage and products from Biotique, Shannaz Hussain, Lotus Herbals also have sufficient options to suit most skin types.

The 5 minute routine

When it comes to a foundation base, a few drops of moisturiser plus a few drops of foundation makes application very easy and stops it from getting patchy. As Mickey Contractor says, "Keep it simple. Stay clear of overdone make-up. Use a light compact as skin is very tired and a kajal pencil to freshen up tired eyes. If you are in a rush, a quick fix for dark circles is simply sweep a concealer stick under the eyes before applying the foundation base. Ann spends half her year working on photographic shoots around the globe. “Whether I'm going to Hawaii or skiing in Switzerland, I never forget waterproof mascara. I would specially recommend Maybelline and Definicils Mascara by Lancome as it miraculasly opens up tired peepers and helps give your face a final polish,” she says. The Kaya Face Rejuvenator is perfect for anyone seeking an advanced skin care services that's quick and effective.

It's been a hard day's night?

Feeling like the under dog, the beau's and belle's of the party after business hours, find it easy to create a whole plethora of looks starting from a variety of textures for lips by simply mixing lip balm with lip colour to go to ultra sheer for day to more intense for the evening. Lakme, Maybelline, Yves Saint Laurent and Revlon have a veritable feast for colour palettes.

"Women who smoke heavily should skip the only gloss look and use a tinted lip balm (The Body Shop) for an evening look or nude lipstick for the day. Cream blushers make great three-in-one travel products.

Another good idea for light complexioned men is tinted moisturisers because they add a subtle glow to the complexion and can help even out the skin tone in a jiffy. Says Pravin Vaze, a senior executive at Bangalore based, Dizzy, real estate firm, "With the Latino craze catching on I love what tinted or glittered moisturiser does for me. I also love the lip balms by Body Shop, subtle yet not too over done. I think it's a great way to kick back and relax after a gruelling day on the job."

Stressed Tresses

You've been asleep for most part of the flight and wake up with your hair in an absolute mess. Not only is your scalp oily, the rest of your hair is dry…Help! The situation is common place with those travelling frequently.

For those occasions when your hairstyle flops and you haven't time for a complete wash and dry routine, Colleen Khan, noted hair stylist and owner of Chi Kaba, Khar, Mumbai says, "Most hotels provide you with a hair dryer. If you are having a bad hair day simply tie it up if you have a long mane or slick it back with a little soft wax for a sleek corporate look. For hair that is a very oily and seems flat simply use a dash of a little talcum powder and blot it dry. For curly or wavy hair carrying an anti frizz or a hair serum like Sunsilk's Silk-n-Shine is very essential." Something that both Colleen and Sonali agree on is that a `leave in’ conditioner does wonders for hair especially if one is moving from one type of climate to another. Colleen recommends Moisture by Schwarkopf, Spritz on some (preferably with your head tipped upside down) and your hair will feel immediately revived and volumised.

Older men and women need to treat their hair with as much care as their skin. "Hair tends to get elastic and breaks easily when one gets older and colouring has a drying effect on hair in addition to the fact that frequent flying dehydrates the hair." Adds Colleen, who recommends a trim every 6 to 8 weeks, an oil massage with a basic coconut oil like Parachute Coconut Oil and ofcourse regularly shampooing and conditioning. y

With all of these little tips and tricks stuffed up your sleeve, getting through all the myriad of business trip should be a breeze. So gear up and get gorgeous!