Creating star looks

He is the make-up man to Bollywood actors like Raveena Tandon, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Shilpa Shetty, Vidya Balan and Aamir Khan, among others. Cory Walia, who was in Dubai recently, tells Ritu Raizada what sets some actors apart.

For those familiar with the Bollywood scene, Cory Walia needs no introduction. He is one of the few make-up artists to have had a chance to work on the faces of some of the most popular stars in India.

From Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Raveena Tandon, Salman Khan to Aamir Khan, Cory Walia knows their faces like the back of his hand. Not known to be a man who minces words when it comes to advising stars on skincare, Walia credits former Miss World Aishwarya Rai with having good skin. "But she is so hyper and does not rest enough," he says.

Of the former Bollywood actors, he rates Late Divya Bharati's skin as the best he has seen. ‘‘She had gorgeous skin. Hema Malini still maintains great skin and so does Dimple Kapadia," he says. As for male stars, Walia says Dino Morea has great skin. ‘‘He is careful about his skincare regime and is paranoid about it.''

Here, a few excerpts from our exclusive interview with the master make-up artist, wherein he dishes the dirt on Bollywood beauty…

How much has make-up on the big screen changed over the years?

It has changed drastically and dramatically! There is a new crop of internationally-trained, sophisticated make-up artists. (I am a great contributor in that sphere.) Then there is the opening up of the Indian economy, and especially the cosmetics industry. Cosmetics were considered frivolous and heavily taxed. Today, it is the other way round. It is a hungry and growing market: big money, an influx of producers, globalisation, sophisticated directors, producers, technical crew, the stars themselves and make-up artists, advances in lighting and camera technology and equipment have all contributed to the change! Today, the make-up that a socialite wears to a party is easily translated to a Bollywood look.

Which actors have really good skin?

There are quite a number of them. Raveena Tandon, Malaika Arora, Amrita Arora, Tabu, Manisha Koirala, Kareena Kapoor, Sushmita Sen and Dia Mirza.

[Of the actors of yesteryear,] Hema Malini still maintains great skin, and so too does Dimple Kapadia. Sarika, Poonam Dhillon and Jayalalitha have such beautiful skin. But Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Asha Parekh did not. Nor did Madhuri Dixit Nene have very good skin.

When it comes to skincare, many of the present day actors are lazy. They over-work and don't give their skin time to revitalise. They do not take enough vitamins, drink enough water, eat a balanced diet or exercise; it's a combination of everything. A lot of people rely on genetics but like everything else, skin is prone to the effects of gravity. The new advances in technology are helping a lot of women, and hopefully everyone will care enough about themselves and not about their bank balance.

In fact, male actors are more conscious and aware of skincare than many of their female counterparts. Examples? Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapur and John Abraham. Salman Khan had good skin, but it's not so now. Arjun Rampal has got naturally good skin.

Are there any companies that make make-up products for teenage skin?

There is no such thing like a range of make-up for teens. In today's world, all make-up brands emphasise skincare strongly and, if the quality of make-up is good, anybody from 16 to 60 can use it.

Are there actors for whom make-up has really worked wonders?

[If an actor's features] are in the correct proportion and if the person is really talented, he or she can look like a million bucks – just look at Konkona Sen Sharma. Nargis Dutt used to have very masculine features but look what great camera work, lighting, styling and sheer acting talent made her look like on screen. There were so many unglam roles that the late Smita Patil took on, but even in them she looked gorgeous. My muse is Chitrangada Singh; I love her looks. She is such a wonderful girl with earthy demeanour and sophistication. She is very intelligent too.

What colours work best on people with dark skin tones?

Why do you think that there are some colours that look good only on a particular skin tone? If used correctly, every colour looks great on any skin. It is important to learn about proportions. I am into nice, strong deep metallic eye colours. I swear by the kajal [kohl] and I also like very classic, deep, matte red [lipsticks]. When combined with a basic eyeliner, you get a great look.

How best can one translate reel life make-up to real life?

Find an identifiable person that you actually resemble. Do not just go chasing your dreams and desires; be realistic. Then emulate and observe, emulate and observe. Remember, this is the web age. Look at magazines, check out interviews and find out where your personal individual styling stands. Read tips and learn more about them.

You have a strong view about the role of eye brows in make-up...

I feel they are the welcoming features of our face. The way you shape your eyebrows can make or mar a look. If your eyebrows are untidy and unkempt, your eyes may not look attractive. Sadly, there is a new trend of shaving off eyebrows. Imagine, actors shaving off their eyebrows! Do you know it is illegal to shave off your eyebrows in USA without prior permission of the Federal government? You can get jailed for that. Changing your ear shape can also land you in non-bailable jail for a minimum of two years.

Which Bollywood film stars' life completely changed after you gave them some tips?

Raveena Tandon, for one. I did her eyebrows for the very first time in her life. I told her to not to worry about her nose. I told her how to combine dark eyes and light lips and light eyes and dark lips. The other person who took my advice seriously a long time ago was Salman Khan. I told him how he needed to hold himself taller. There are a few things a man should do to look sophisticated, like use a deodorant, mouthwash, and make sure not to wear contrasting or white socks. Only children under 10 are allowed to wear white socks.

How much make-up do you use on yourself?

I used to apply a lot of make-up in my personal life on a daily basis and even at night. Now I use it only when I am preparing for television shows. When I was younger, I used to wear make-up when heading to discotheques (which used to be almost every single night). In fact, I was the pioneer of the make-up on men movement in India.

So are actors using make-up in their day-to-day life?

I do not know of men who use make-up in their day-to-day life but I can tell you for sure that in old Bollywood, it was a norm. Before Eastman colour hit the big screen in India in the 1960s, actors like Shammi Kapoor, Jeetendra, Rajendra Kumar and Pradeep Kumar wore foundation base in purple and, over this, pink make-up. They always wanted to look fair. When you see some of the old films Jeetendra's acted in, you can't miss the way his face was painted.

Tells us about your tie up with Inglot?

My association with Inglot is pretty new but for the last couple of years, I've been a big fan of the brand – of their quality and of the payoff. Payoff is very important; what you see in the container and what appears on the face usually differs hugely. But I am very happy with Inglot. Besides, they have a huge range available. It gives a lot of choice to people in this ultra cosmopolitan city of Dubai where people from around 70 to 100 nations work and live together, and like to look groomed and made-up.

Finally, what are a few things every woman must keep a check on?

Water intake (eight glasses a day), shapely eyebrows, regular skincare and maintaining a good body posture. If you have a good posture and carry yourself well, even an average person can look enigmatic and dynamic.