Bombay Velvet opened to mix ratings from audiences across the world, but if there’s one thing we can’t deny… it’s that Anurag Kashyap‘s retro flick’s got style! It’s got lots of retro inspiration and one of the most stand out factors in the film is Anushka Sharma‘s look as Rosie Noronha, the jazz singer. Unlike everyday characters in movies, this character requires an extensive makeup look… so much so, that it caused a certain lip controversy during the filming last year.
And as Beauty On Duty at Team MissMalini, this look, I absolutely had to recreate. I thought, why not ask the makeup guru & Youtube sensation, Elton J Fernandez, to… well, give a girl an over-the-top makeover with his party-night take on the jazz look, minus the lip plumpers!
The Professional Prep Method
I started with a completely bare, clean face. It’s important to start with a clean slate or blank canvas when you’re building a heavy look.
Elton primed my face with Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream. He took a minute to massage it into my face to the point where my face felt fresh and full of life, but he made sure there was no extra cream left on the face.
Foundation
This look requires a full coverage foundation and there’s nothing like Bobbi Brown’s Skin Foundation, liquid foundation for the job. It spreads on super smooth, especially when used with an amazing Real Techniques makeup brush.
Use gentle circular motions to apply foundation to your face. He used a warm natural 45 on my skin.
Concealing & Highlighting
Since I didn’t need much coverage over or under the foundation, Elton moved straight to highlighting. And let me tell you, this is THE technique. Apply a lighter, illuminating concealer as demonstrated in the picture above and use a fluffy concealer brush to gently blend.
Blend all over your under eye area, downwards and across in a triangular motion. Blend up and down on the bridge of your nose towards your forehead and slightly above both your brows (don’t go too high). On your chin, blend from side to side, but don’t blend out too far.
We used Bobbi Brown’s Tinted Eye Brightener in Peach 8 for my skin with a Real Techniques concealer brush.
Powder
Powder keeps the look in place. We went with BareMinerals Pressed Powder on my face, concentrating on my T-Zone area. You don’t want to overdose on powder or your makeup will look flaky.
Contour
We went with a flat, but loosely packed brush to apply NARS Bronzer in Casino to the hollows of my cheekbone, along the lower part of my jawline, and along my hairline.
Elton used a small blending brush to apply it down the sides of my nose and blended it ever so lightly for a more sculpted look.
Eyeshadow
With a blending brush apply a matte, dark brown to the outer corner of your lids and then into and over your entire crease.
This look required only one extensive eyeshadow palette.
It was a Sivanna Colors eyeshadow palette in 04 Pastel.
Elton brought the brown eyeshadow color down below to my lash line, smoking it out all over to create an intense eye look.
Use a tightly-packed, flat eyeshadow brush to apply a shimmer shade (from the same palette) all your lids.
Liner & Kohl
Line the lower lash line and lids with Bourjois Kohl Pencil. It’s thick, dark and stays on really well.
We created a retro, winged flick on my lids and Elton lightly smudged it outwards with his fingers.
The Brow Guru Does My Brows
Elton worked my brows from the corner where my brows meet my nose and started out it slanted strokes, slowly filling the entire brow. Always work in the direction of the hair with light strokes.
Then, use a spoolie brush to comb the hairs in place and blend out the color.
And now my sparsely filled brows are on fleek! Of course, if you’re going for an everyday look, you can go a little lighter.
A MAC Brow Pencil was used on my brows, in Deep Brunette.
Make Your Eyes Look Bigger!
In the movie, Rosie’s got shimmering white liner on her waterline that extends outwards below her winged liner. For a less costume-y feel, apply nude pencil on your waterline that still makes your eyes look wide, but in a more natural manner.
The Drama Lashes!
We start by using a lash curler, then move onto mascara. Elton advised me to curl them from real close to the roots.
He then applied mascara from the roots to the top, making sure the lashes are really engaged for full effect.
Obviously, for this look, we had to put on some falsies. Once you’ve applied them, coat your lashes with some more mascara, so the falsies stick with your real lashes.
The Bottom Lashes
You can’t miss out on your bottom lashes.
This mascara is made for your lower lashes! It makes it so much easier to get those tiny bottom lashes without getting mascara all over you. Work it from one end to the other, almost like liner for your lashes.
Lipstick
We opted for an extremely pigmented, brick red on my entire lip.
The Too Faced Melted Long Wear Lipsticks are perfect for the job. They’re so easy to use and I’m a big fan of liquid lipsticks.
Elton then lined and added more color the corners of my lip after he applied lipstick with a more brown shade.
The final step for my lips was the application of a brown tint on the lower part of my bottom lip and the top part of my upper lip for an ombre effect that makes your lips look fuller and bigger. See, no plumping required.
The Hair
Instead of opting for an up do, we decided to settle for a middle parting and I had my hair pulled back for a sleek, sophisticated look. Elton added an accessory for that jazz touch!
And voilà, we have a big-night-out take on Anushka Sharma’s ’60s makeup for Bombay Velvet. Whenever you plan to give this a try, do send us pictures.