How important is it to look beautiful at your wedding? Very, you would say. But often times, we forget that it largely depends on how your makeup is done. From the length of your eyeliner to the shade of your lipstick, the risk that the makeup artist takes for you is the quintessential example of talent that usually goes unacknowledged.
Here, The Week unveils the story of some makeup artists so that you get to know more about the people behind the beautiful work that ends up being you.
Bipashi Tuladhar
Barely two years into the business, and Bipashi has already created a niche for herself as a skillful makeup artist. From magazine covers to her own blog that provides tutorials to makeup enthusiasts, Bipashi has garnered loyal clients and admirers for her colorful work.
But this was not what she was planning for. "I was trained to be a commercial pilot," says a happy Bipashi. Though she had an interest in the art of makeup, her family thought that she would be better off pursuing aviation. But things took a different turn in 2013. Since she usually helped her friends and cousins with makeup and they liked what she did with them, she was approached by a cousin's friend for bridal makeup. "In January 2013, a cousin's friend insisted on having her bridal makeup done by me," she says adding that since then there has been no looking back.
Bipashi specializes in all kinds of makeup: From casual to party and bridal makeup. For her, every project is a trial, and her only competition is herself. "The most gratifying aspect of the work I do is the happiness the brides exude when they see themselves when I'm done with them," she says. She credits her successes to her clients who have fervently recommended her to their family and friends. She says it's because of them she has had a taste of success so early in her career.
Bipashi's makeup tip
Her tip to protect the skin against pollution is to use a basic compact. "It shields the skin pores and avoids acne," she says.
Shama Karki
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Shama knew what she was getting into when she stepped into this business 12 years ago. During her SLC break, her mother enrolled her in a makeup course. After that, she took a series of makeup courses which made her confident of her skill in making one beautiful.
As a child, she used to closely observe her grandmother when she used to put on the bindi and homemade kajal while getting ready for parties. “She looked beautiful with those kohl highlighted eyes,” she says. So ever since she was old enough to start using makeup, kohl has always been her staple. Not only her grandmother, but the interest in makeup is shared by her female family members, which made her foray into this career easy.
For Shama, her work is all about making people feel beautiful. “Beauty gives birth to confidence,” she says. She is well aware of the technology nowadays, as site like YouTube is making the medium to accentuate beauty accessible. “The more they know what kind of look they want, the better it is for me. That way I can give them exactly what they want,” she says. Though the makeup industry is becoming a booming business nowadays, she is not worried about competition. “I believe in my work,” she says.
Shama’s beauty tip
As she believes in the power of good eye makeup, her suggestion is to focus on the eyes more than anything else. “If you want to, you can even experiment with colors,” she says.
Ranju Thapa
Although Ranju had not started out with the intention of becoming a makeup artist, she was someone who was familiar with this side of things. Shy and quiet by nature, she wanted to break out of her shell. She was interested in being a model, and she took part in a number of photo shoots. But it was the makeup world that struck her hard.
“I used to see models being prepared for photo shoots. I found it fascinating. Even though someone looks beautiful naturally, makeup made them look like a different person altogether,” she says.
So it was then that she thought of venturing into this field. After taking a basic training, she started assisting professional makeup artists in their projects, so that she could learn the tricks of the trade from the masters. “I wanted to know how they worked. I thought that starting out under the wing of professionals would give me a proper idea of how to do things right in this field,” she says.
That was five years ago. Now, though experienced, she stays humble, and says, “I try to improve everyday and the only way I see that happening, is by challenging myself to try new things with each project I take up.” She thinks that this is a wonderful field for those who are creative, and feels blessed to be a part of it.
Ranju’s trade secret
Her simple trick to staying beautiful is to drink lots of water. She also believes in investing in good products rather just going by the brand name. “Good makeup is fundamental,” she says.
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