'I just wanted to be a happy housewife...'

Says Ambika Pillai, one of India's top makeup artists, while in Dubai


Her reputation precedes her. So busy is she that finding time for herself has become a luxury. Most sought after among fashion designers, brides, models and socialites for her makeup and hairstyling skills, her two beauty salons in Delhi are bursting at the seams: there is a three-month advance booking on her time at any given point. So it comes as a bit of a surprise to meet Ambika in person - simple, with merely a touch of kohl to her eyes and a down-to-earth demeanour. "This is just the way I am," she says, as if shrugging off the expectation associated with a woman from the world of glamour.

She is quite accustomed to flying into Dubai, Paris, London or New York for fashion shows, or to Riyadh, Kuwait or Abu Dhabi for private appointments with royalty. But she never planned her road to the top. It was, rather, a natural outcome after struggling from one set of circumstances to another.

Tomboyish as a child, coupled with a disinterest in academics, Ambika preferred climbing trees to dressing dolls.

She found herself married at the age of 17 and not very happily either. Seven years and a daughter later, she gathered the nerve to leave her husband. Depressed and with no suitable qualifications, she didn't quite know what to do. A chance look at an advertisement for Shahnaz Hussain's beauty therapy course had her packing for Delhi.

She intended to go back to Kerala, her home state, after the course. However, she landed a small job for Rs 2,000 in Delhi. She had discovered a flair for hair styling during her beauty course. One thing led to another, and she entered into a business venture with Sylvie, one of the instructors at the hair institute, on Sylvie's terms.

As her luck would have it, it turned out an unfortunate alliance, with Sylvie draining out her share of the profits. Coupled with the end of a second, even more disastrous marriage, Ambika was really left tottering on the edge.

She ventured into businesses such as event management with her friend and present partner, her landlord's 24-year-old son, Mohit Aggarwal. He was like the proverbial last straw she clutched, and turned around her life. "He is my backbone and the bulwark on which I built my success," says Ambika.

What followed were shows that earned them name, but not too much money. Quite ambitious and unfazed, both of them pitched in with an investment of Rs 1.4 million and an initial staff of 11 members and their first salon - Visions - opened its doors in Delhi in December 1995.

The rest, as they say, is history. She earned credits at fashion shows. Then from hairstyling, went into makeup artistry. It started with fashion designer Hemant Trivedi, who reluctantly used her services at a fashion show. "Hemant was sceptical but then liked the results. Then came a time when I was asked to do former Miss World Aishwarya Rai's makeup, besides her hair. She was a little nervous about it. After I was through she was quite impressed with the results. Her eyes are very beautiful and need a moderate level of emphasis. Any more will not bring out the best. While defining her lips in bold colours adds drama to her face," says Ambika.

Now she was moving from one pinnacle of success to another. She was selected makeup artist for the film Taal directed by Subhash Ghai. She won the IAAFA award for the best makeup artist of the year 1996 and the Kingfisher Fashion award for the best hair designer of the year 2000.

Publicity from a Cairo fashion show introduced her to the Arabian royalty circle. "It's a totally different experience. They have skillfully combined the finest of their traditional beauty knowledge with the best of international makeup trends," Ambika says.

With her understanding of beauty requirements and quick imagination, it takes her eight minutes to make up a face at fashion shows. Till date, she has done 10,000 faces and counting.

So how does she explain her phenomenal success? Was it training and exposure that were solely responsible?

"God has been kind to me. Success came rather easily. The press has blown me out of proportion. I am good at visualising- that is my gift. When I see a woman's face, I immediately know what will look best on her. She may have her own ideas. But until now I have never had anyone complain if they allow me a free hand."

Her ultimate ambition is to have 200 salons across India.

Is this what she wanted all long as a little girl? "No! I just wanted to be a happy housewife," she says demurely.

Tips from the professional

* Eyes with smoked out kohl and liner looks very trendy with light, glossy lips.

* People who do not like foundation can brush on translucent powder with a big powder brush for a smooth look. And then follow with the rest of the makeup.

* For a dash of evening zest - dip your little finger in shimmer powder and apply to the middle of eyelid. Gold powder compliments red, yellow, orange and brown dresses. While silver compliments purple, green, blue and pink.

* You can match satin eye powders with your dress. Apply a spot in the middle of the eyelid.

* To create an opened up eye effect, with a white liner sketch a tiny horizontal line at the outer point of the eye.

* Floppy eyebrows can be smoothed with mascara gel.

* All colours suit the fair skin, for browner skin cedar wood or rose wood are ideal colours.

* Brown complexioned women can tone down any pure colour with a touch of gold to the centre of the upper and lower lips.

* Eyes can be really opened up if you squeeze eyelashes with eye curlers to the count of 10 and then let go and apply mascara.

* Bronzer blushes with earthy colours on the cheeks can be used in the daytime. A touch of colour on the cheeks always goes in your favour.