Make and Beauty world fantasy on the Durga Puja Celebration

Mumbai: On the auspicious day of Ashtami, Bengali women offer prayers to Maa Durga and dress up to the hilt to celebrate the ongoing Durga Puja. The traditional attire which includes a stunning saree with heavy eye make-up, a big bindi and ornaments, is the norm for this day. Bengali or not, if you too wish to enjoy the festivitives of Durga Puja, here are tips to get your look right.

Make and Beauty world fantasy on the Durga Puja Celebration

Make-up

For the day puja or one at home, it’s best to keep the look rather subtle. To stick to a simple and not-so-glam make-up, professional make-up and hairstylist Swati Dedhia explains, ‘Ensure your face is well-moisturised and clean, because it’s more about the natural look here. You could brush on some loose powder and highlight your cheek bones with a sheer blush for that radiant glow.
‘Since it is the day, the eye make-up shouldn’t be too dark or bright. For this, you can simply use the the sheer blush and apply it lightly for a thin coat of shimmer as an eyeshadow. Then, use the eyeliner or kajal pencil to shape your eyes well. Use a red lip colour or a shade of nude on the lips.’

If you are attending a Durga Puja in the evening, then your make-up and hair are bound to be heavy. As for heavy traditional make-up, your eyes have to be given the most attention. Swati suggests, ‘You could use warm shades of eyeshadows with gold, copper, bronze, for a heavy look. However, the most important thing is to shape your eyes well with kajal or eyeliner on the eyelids.The best way to make your eyes look bigger is by extending the tip while applying the eyeliner from the corner of your eye. This defines your eyes better and looks great for a traditional look. You cold use the classic red lipstick or try on a plum red.’

Hairdo

‘You should be particular about the way your hair looks for this festive occasion. To be hassle-free and simple, just pin your hair into a neat bun and wear a fresh gajra. You could choose to leave out a few strands of hair near your face and curl them. Or simply puff and back comb the front of your hair and pin it tightly,’ says Swati.
If you want to try out something other than a basic hair bun, then opt for a messy bun that looks modern and will blend in well making a good combination with the rest of the ethnic look. Swati suggests, ‘Another style you can try out is with a bun behind but with a twist in the front section of the hair. You could braid your hair from one ear to another into a regular plate or a French braid. For this, begin with side parting your hair and braid the hair from either sides, and move to the other. Then take the rest of the hair and tie it into a neat bun. Secure the bun section with pins.’

Traditional attire

Your look is going to be a miss if you don’t pick a cotton, silk or the traditional tant saree. You could stick to the classic red and white colours but if you are in a mood to experiment then look for borders in bright colours like pink, yellow, green or orange.
There is nothing like it if you can manage wearing the traditional red and white Bengali saree with puffed sleeves. Or traditional silk borders against basic or neutral colours would look elegant as well. Ensure your saree is well-ironed as a creased one will only look shabby and spoil the appearance of your attire. You could also wear a printed ethnic blouse or opt for bold dark colours in contrasting colour of your saree.

To keep the ethnic look in tact, don’t forget to wear a big bindi. A basic maroon or red one will do the trick. Wearing a bindi also helps draw attention to your eyes. For a more grand look, you could wear a maang tika, one with a single band or a tri-band covering the sides of your head. Many married women also wear sindoor in addition to the bindi to add an ethnic touch.