EXCLUSIVE: Makeup artist Reshmaa Merchant reveals some of the BEST hacks used by celebrities like Esha Gupta, Surbhi Jyoti and more
Celebrity makeup artist Reshmaa Merchant has been in the industry for quite some time and has worked with both film and television actresses, leaving us all mesmerised by her strong and perfect brush strokes. Working up close with the celebrities sure does sound fun, giving Bollywood Hungama an exclusive insight of her experience of working with celebrities like Esha Gupta, Radhika Madan, Hansika Motwani, Surbhi Jyoti, Aamna Sharif, and Warina Hussain among the others, Reshmaa Merchant reveals some of the best hacks and the easiest ways to look like a celebrity in a matter of minutes.
Most of us admire the celebrities for their all-time perfect looks that manage to leave us drooling. There have been times where even no-makeup looks have a lot of effort behind them since they are always under the spotlight, they need to look presentable at all times. When asked about her experience of working with the celebrities, Reshmaa said, “Working with celebrities is always fun. It’s a new experience every time you work with a different celebrity.”
Since she has been in the industry for the longest time, we had to ask her about some of her favourite looks that she has curated. Speaking of which, Reshmaa shortlisted, “Esha Gupta – FabLook Magazine, Radhika Madan – Mard Ko Dard Nai Hota Promotions, Hansika Motwani – Editorial shoot with Subi Samuel”. Since she has a first hand experience in handling celebrities and their looks, she elaborated on the must-haves in a celebrity’s makeup kit. “The essentials have got to be – a) Mascara, b) All over face colour, c) Compact powder, I can go on and on, but a good eyebrow fix is also a must.”
One of the most important aspects for a celebrity’s look is to ensure that they have it all planned beforehand. From the outfit to the hair to the makeup, so Reshmaa was asked about the celebrity’s involvement in finalising a look, she said, “It depends, to be honest. If it’s a movie shoot or for a promotional shoot, it’s decided beforehand. I also always do my research on their latest looks and accordingly prepare a mood board knowing which colours would look best on them.” Elaborating on the backup plans, she said, “Yes, I always have alternates ready. If three looks are decided for a shoot and one of them doesn’t work out, I always have alternatives up my sleeve.”
Now that we’re aware of the basics, we asked Reshmaa about the secret behind the celebrity’s flawless skins. While we were left wondering what the actual secret mantra is, it turned out to be, “Cleansing is a must, followed by some moisturising.” In case you were wondering what is that one product that the celebrities use, she gave us an insight on it and said, “A night repair serum or cream. One of the best is the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum which is something I personally use and vouch for.” “A hydrating face sheet mask as skin prep is extremely essential”, when it comes to a product that she never fails to use.
Knowing that she has a good contribution in ensuring that she keeps up with the latest trends, here are the three beauty trends according to Reshmaa that we should follow, “Three beauty trends to follow: a) Make your foundation look like your second skin, b) Flushed cheeks, c) Classic winged liner.” Speaking of trends, Esha Gupta, Sonam Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and the three most trendsetting celebrities in the industry according to Reshmaa.
The last minute hacks to salvage a look were also described in detail by her where she mentioned, “Puffy eyes: This is basically the simplest and easiest hack to get rid of puffy eyes. Take a cloth napkin and wrap an ice cube in it. Hold it under each eye for 3-4 minutes before you start applying your makeup.
Voluminous brows with your mascara: If you don’t have a brow enhancer in your kit, you can use your dark brown or black mascara to give it that extra volume and strength.
Eyeshadow for hair: Black, brown, red or blonde; you can easily make your hair parting look voluminous by dabbing a similar shade from your eyeshadow palette.”
And lastly, speaking about putting together a Bollywood Bombshell look in 5 minutes, she said, “Here’s how you can pull of a dewy skin look easily – Start with using a hydrating moisturiser. Then use your foundation. Curl your lashes. Use your lip and cheek tint, which can easily go on your eyes, cheeks and lips. Groom your brows – a good eyebrow fix is key. And finish it off with a dewy setting spray, so that your makeup lasts for long.”
Also Read: Celebrity makeup artist Florian Hurel talks about creating his favourite look for Deepika Padukone
