MakeUp Addicted

When Chanel creative director of makeup Peter Philips got the word from Karl Lagerfeld that this year’s Métiers d’Art show was to be a nod to classic Indian decadence, his mind went to one place: black kohl. “We wanted a graphic interpretation of an iconic Indian beauty ideal,” Philips said of the almond-shaped black-rimmed lids that were the focal point of the beauty look he created backstage at the Grand Palais. Once Philips built a base out of his Perfection Lumiere foundation dusted with “a touch” of Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Brume d’Or for a hint of cheek color, he devoted his attention to that eye, which he described as “something between mysterious and rock ‘n’ roll.” Key to skirting that line was a new shade of Philips’ ultra-luxe Illusion d’Ombre in Nirvana, a deep onyx shimmering cream eye shadow that he blended beneath the lower lash line and through the crease, dragging his brush upward into a slight wing toward the temples. Chanel Le Crayon Kohl Eyeliner in Noir drawn along the water line and its Inimitable Intense Mascara in Noir achieved what Philips called a “pitch black” finish.


To keep the focus squarely on the eyes, lips were painted a muted shade of pink courtesy of Rouge Coco Shine in Empreinte for a natural dewy effect before Philips got to work on gilded accents, which he used to bring out the metallic embroidery and lace in Lagerfeld’s collection—not to mention the sparkling pieces of Chanel Fine Jewelry peeking out of hairstylist Sam McKnight’s dread-ed updos. “At the last minute I added some golden highlights on cheeks and eyes,” Philips said, dipping into Chanel’s forthcoming, limited-edition Route des Indes Palette due out in June. Fingertips were treated to a few coats of a golden lacquer fittingly named Diwali “in homage to the famous ‘celebration of light’ that takes place in India,” according to Philips. It’ll likely prompt a similar excited frenzy when it hits shelves this summer.

This is not the first time that a major company has been inspired by India when developing a new fragrance, Kenzo and various other companies use Indian notes such as sandalwood and jasmines in their fragrances regularly. Escada Taj Sunset is a limited edition fragrance for 2011. As per Sephora, Escada is described as a scent of tropical sensuality, it opens with a burst of citrusy blood orange and the exotic, fruity aroma of the Alphonso mango—the first fragrance to capture this unique note. Next, floral and fruity heart notes emerge, including watery blossom, sweet primrose, and raspberry. The scent lingers on a sexy, beach-inspired base of coconut cream, musky notes, and sandalwood. This fragrance takes you on an exotic and sensual adventure, evoking a summer spent in Goa, the region in southern India known for seducing visitors with stunning beaches, white sand, and a feeling of relaxed warmth. The fragrance has notes of Alphonso Mango, Blood Orange, Watery Blossom, Sweet Primrose, Raspberry, Coconut Cream, Musk, Sandalwood. The bottle has a gorgeous henna-flower paying homage to India.