Karva Chauth is a special day for all married women. Mehndi, sindur, glass bangles, bindi, are all part of the Karva Chauth festival.
If you have clear skin, leave out the foundation. After cleansing, apply a sunscreen with a built-in moisturizer. For oily skin, apply astringent lotion. Then apply powder. Or, use powder compact. Avoid applying too much powder and pay more attention to the oily areas of the face. Press the powder all over the face and neck, with a slightly damp sponge. This helps it to set and last longer.
If you wish to use foundation, apply a water-based one. Add one or two drops of water for a lighter coverage. The foundation should be as close to your skin colour as possible. Then apply powder, as mentioned.
Highlight the cheeks with a blusher, blending well, so that it gives the face a natural glow.
For eye make-up line your lids with eye pencil or kajal. Over this apply a line of brown or gray eyeshadow for a softer effect. Then, apply mascara. This helps the eyes to look brighter, but prevents the “heavily made-up” look. Mascara should be applied in two light coats, rather than one heavy one. Apply one coat. Allow it to dry. Comb out the lashes with an eyelash comb or brush. Then apply the second coat and repeat the procedure.
For lipstick, avoid very dark colours, like dark maroon. Go for shades of reds or pinks. A Bindi is an integral part of make-up for karva chauth. Look for a decorative bindi, to match the colour of your bridal dress. A bindi, studded with small sparkling stones, combined with colour would be most attractive. Lastly, apply perfume.
New brides and young wives like to wear their bridal dress for Karva Chauth. It gives them the opportunity to look like a bride again. Today, apart from red, many other colours are popular, like magenta or pink, or out-of-the ordinary colours like sea green, turquoise blue, lavender, strawberry, fuschia, rust, copper, purple and so on. Two colour combinations are also popular.
Lehenga cholis are popular, or one can go for fashionable salwar-kurta, with richly embellished kurtas. As for saris, instead of the traditional way, it can be worn in a way that shows off the decorative choli and the heavy “aanchal” to advantage. Traditional wear is usually favoured during Karva Chauth, because it is also associated with fasting and puja.
About Shahnaz Husain
Shahnaz Husain, pioneer of the Ayurvedic beauty movement, heads the Shahnaz Husain Group, with a global network of franchise ventures and 375 Ayurvedic formulations. A Case Study at Harvard for Brand Creation, she is now a Harvard Subject for “Emerging Markets” She was honored with the Padma Shri Award and is the first woman in 105 years to receive the World’s Greatest Woman Entrepreneur Award from Success, the U.S. business magazine. Indeed, Shahnaz Husain is a leading international beauty Icon!
