Beauty / Pondicherry Glam Meets Paris Chic: 5 Ways To Give Your Beauty Routine A French Kiss

Pondicherry Glam Meets Paris Chic: 5 Ways To Give Your Beauty Routine A French Kiss

Beauty Jul 30, 2019

by Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

French girl beauty is subtle and understated as much as Bollywood beauty is dramatic and glamourous. Both types of beauty are world-renowned and we explore how French girl beauty works on South Asian women. Remember that French beauty is not limited to France, as there was a strong French presence in South India dating back to the late 1600’s. Pondicherry (or Puducherry if you prefer) represents the beauty of French India, which is one that is easily captured by South Asian beauties who wish to traverse from Pondicherry to Paris. We give you 5 ways that Pondicherry glam meets Paris chic.

MAIS OUI, EVEN FRENCH BEAUTY HAS A PHILOSOPHY

The first element of French girl beauty is philosophy, namely the approach is easy and light, yet deliberate in terms of how it is applied. The application is focussed on looking natural, fresh and slightly undone, therefore, the key is to use a light hand and to leave contour on your vanity. In a sense, French girl beauty is raw and entices you into exuding a sexy confidence without using a girdle or displaying cleavage.

SHOW (NOT EXPOSE) YOUR SKIN

The second element of French girl beauty is the skin, as in show reams of it and take pride in its colour. Base makeup should be kept to a minimum and the focus should be on covering the unevenness and adding a hint of dewy freshness. For example, Stila Lingerie Soufflé is a water-based mousse foundation that sinks into the skin but never emphasises lines as it is 70% water. The hydration plumps the skin without encouraging sebum production. It is designed to be applied with freshly-washed fingers, and I love to tap it on areas such as at the top of my left cheek where I have a touch of melasma; around my mouth where I have some discolouration at the corners; and on my chin which has some scars. The foundation is seamless and even after tapping on two thin layers, my face looks natural, as if there is no discolouration.

**Pondicherry Glam Meets Paris Chic: Stila Lingerie Soufflé**. Photo Credit: www.stilacosmetics.com

Base make up includes concealer, and in classic French girl beauty, this step is usually omitted. As someone whose dark circles are a beauty bane, there is no way that I will ever forgo concealer. Nevertheless, when I apply concealer, it is always with the approach of French girl beauty. I recommend using a liquid concealer that is peach-based because this beauty look is about simplicity so layers of corrector, concealer and powder will look overdone. I suggest dabbing on Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Concealer because this product not only neutralizes dark circles, it renders the eye contour luminous. I love the sponge tip applicator because it is gentle on the skin and when you press it against the contour, it delivers the perfect amount of product. Once the product is on the skin, tap it into the contour from the outer to the inner corner of the eyes. I repeat this micro massage twice or thrice, and am awed by how perky I look.

LE REGARD, UNFORGETTABLE AND SENSUAL

The third element of French girl beauty is the eyes, which should be lightly defined. The eyebrows should be brushed into place, and look slightly thicker to denote youthfulness and sex appeal. I love to set my brows with Benefit Gimme + Volumising Eyebrow Gel because it envelopes each hair in product so the eyebrows look fuller, and the sparseness looks less obvious.

The eyelids need to be brightened, and I achieve this by dabbing on a liquid highlighter such as Guerlain Precious Light Rejuvenating Illuminator from the lashes to the eye brows. One droplet of product suffices to cover an eyelid. I take my left ring finger, because it has the least pressure and I tap it into the skin. Note that I never pull the skin in this area because the encourages wrinkles.

The next step is eyeliner but I favour curling the lashes beforehand, so that your artwork will not be smudged. My current obsession is the Laura Mercier Artist Eyelash Curler because it never pinches and creates a beautiful fan-like effect.

I then take a soft eyeliner, such as the Burt`s Bees Nourishing Eyeliner in Soft Black, and draw a soft line across the upper lashes. The emphasis is on soft because the look is slightly undone and suggestive. I love this liner because it glides on smoothly; the colour is intense but not stark; and the wax is soft, so you have enough seconds to take a cotton bud to smudge the line it sets.

I complete the eye look with an all-around mascara that defines, separates and adds a touch of heft to create completed, not finished, look. The difference between complete versus finish lies in that the former shows some drama on the lashes but it is so soft, and relaxed, that it is far from immaculately done, i.e. finished eyes. I recommend two coats of the Laura Mercier Caviar Volume Panoramic Mascara because the bristles capture the tiniest lashes and it opens the eye area with a glossy finish.

LA BOUCHE, IT`S ALL IN THE MOUTH

The fourth element deals with the focal point of the French girl beauty look: the lips. This area is meant to be dramatic, and distracting from the other parts of the face which means that only one powerful swipe of red will do. I recommend exfoliating your lips the night before, and basting them in lip balm, so that your lipstick will glide on seamlessly the next day. In keeping with the light-handed approach. forgo the liner and lip primer, and swipe on a gorgeous red lipstick. I recommend these two:

Laura Mercier Rouge Essentiel in Rouge Muse straddles the fine line between rhubarb and raspberry so it is strikingly sophisticated.

Nars Velvet Lip Glide in Le Palace resembles a ripe strawberry.

BLUSHING (NOT REALLY,WE’RE FRENCH)

The fifth element is the cheeks, and it is about dabbing on a hint of colour. The cheeks are to remain free of contour and highlight because a dab of mousse blush will add the necessary equilibrium to flatter the vibrant mouth. I recommend a mousse blush because powder blushes might end up looking like racing stripes, and liquid stains set quickly so it is challenging to blend it without risking droplets from creating a deeper stain. I enjoy the Shiseido Minimalist WhippedPowder Blush because it melds with the skin without emphasising lines. The pigment is true to the pot and it is easy to apply. A few taps of Sayoko (dark skin tones) or Setsuko (medium and light skins tones) along the cheekbones, adds a freshness that completes the beauty look on a perfect note.

ARRIVING IN PARIS

French girl beauty is about a state of mind, not geography. The application of the few products employed in this look focus on tapping and blending so that your true physical beauty comes to the fore, rather than the makeup. French girl beauty allows every woman to embrace her inner Parisienne.

Main Image Photo Credit: www.lauramercier.com, www.shiseido.com

Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

Author

Meena (@meenalaregina) always loved the idea of exploring the non-conventional idea of beauty. Having grown up as a pimply chubby teenager, she wanted to see the change in the world that best reflected your uniqueness as well. Her well-received collection of blogs where she tries on various beauty p...

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Pondicherry Glam Meets Paris Chic: 5 Ways To Give Your Beauty Routine A French Kiss

by Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

Meena Khan | Features Editor - Beauty

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