Make up for India?

Hi, I don't know if this is the right place - please move if not! I wear a little bit of make up here in the UK - nothing really major, bu just to cover up. Will that be OK in India? If so, is it worth me bringing mine?

Thanks

Hi Katie,
It is fine to bring it with you and wear it - but won't it melt in the heat?

At home I usually wear make up everyday but was worried about the heat in India melting it off my face or being just uncomfortable.
I brought a loose mineral powder with an spf in it.I thought the compact mineral powder cakes would break in my back pack being tossed about.Liquid foundation is a bit to heavy.I also bought a loose mineral blush,and one eye pencil,a lip pecil and one tinted lip gloss.I tinted my eyelashes before I left so I didn't need mascara.

I used the mineral powder everyday,it was a double whammy with my spf face cream to protect my skin.As for the rest I used only twice when I was invited to 2 weddings and I wanted to look a little nicer.

Dont bother bringing loads,If your walking around all day looking at the attractions you want to be comfortable.

Only if it can stand the Turkish bath test

I knew that Nick-H would have something to say

Really, don't bother bringing makeup. Indians love the white skin regardless of how you feel you look, they look at people with white skin as a superior race. No wonder, SRK and others promote skin cream products that whiten the skin.

Cheers


Nattusbs

forget about bringing lots of makeup, will just melt off your face and I have found that certain things just kind of melt and/or come apart inside my toiletries bag because of the heat. a not inexpensive powder blush got ruined that way.

I usually only wear makeup if I'm going out at night with someone. but during the day I am not wasting time with makeup when as soon as I step outside the sweat starts...

The usual consultancy fee comes in very handy

Now, watch what you say, or I'll launch into my feminism and cosmetics rant. You wouldn't want that, I'm sure

that won't stop me from bringing my bronzer with me.

After a decade and a half in Florida (97 degrees F and 97% humidity), I'm pretty much an expert at this Tinted moisturizer and mineral makeup (including eye shadow, even for those of us with Mature Skin) stay on pretty well AND provide SPF, as somebody upthread noted. Remember SPF lip balm - lips are tender things. Also keep in mind that sun will strip the color right out of your hair (I'm therefore using the time to grow out my color and go grey), and that if you part your hair, the parting is just as liable to burn as your nose. There are some SPF hair products available but I'm not sure what's on the shelves in India.

Very good point about the hair Sixrivets. The Indian sun is brutal on your hair,and does stip the color out and frizzes and dries it out.I put coconut oil in it every night.The thing with the coconut oil is you have to wash it every morning,and you need warm water to do so,I tried with cold water and it doesn't work so well.I only stayed at 1 hotel that didnt have hot water. Next trip I will opt for bring a good quality conditioning hairmask that I can leave on all night,and doesnt matter to wash it out with cold water.
Mineral makeup is the way to go. Tinted moisterizer is a great idea!

question: would the heat and humidity affect the consistency of the mineral makeup (I'm assuming like Bare Minerals brand)? only because I had a powder blush (granted, it was pressed powder not loose) get all funky in my bag.

I always carry an eye pencil and a lipstick; that's enough makeup for me anywhere.

If you normally use mascara, I would say, definitely bring it with you, and / or get your eyelashes tinted before you go (do not try to get an eyelash tint in India - Indian women all have dark eyelashes so you will struggle to find a beautician who even knows what an eyelash tint is...). Loose powder or tinted moisturizer is a good idea, depending on your skin type. Best is, if you can get a tinted moisturizer with SPF. I also use a moisturizer for my face with high SPF - do not forget, you will need sun protection for your face, more important than covering up!

It can be difficult or impossible to find good quality make-up outside major cities in India (also, the colours locals prefer might be different from what you are looking for), so I think it is a good idea to bring these things from home.

Finally, you ask if wearing light make-up will be ok in India, as in: will it be considered 'decent'? As far as I can tell, it will be perfectly ok. (As you may have realised already, some people might see you as 'easy' simply because you are a white female - wearing or not wearing light make-up will not change this in any ways.)

I finally switched to cake mineral makeup after spilling too many containers of the loose stuff. Never had a problem with humidity affecting it in FL; you can always snag a couple of those little silica packs from shoe boxes (or food - my favorite brand of mochi always comes with one in the package!) and slip one into your cosmetic bag.

I have some old scarring on my face from a car accident and always wear makeup to tone it down a bit.

My tips for making it stay on in hot and humid weather:
1) Aim to create a light 'illusion' rather than using makeup in the usual way.
2) Moisturise really thoroughly before applying makeup.
3)Use about half the usual amount of liquid foundation. I've found it best applied with fingers to keep the smaller amount smooth (I use a brush when it's cooler!)
4)Liquid concealers work better than cream concealers.
5) Use old-fashioned loose powder (with a screw top lid to avoid spills) to 'set' makeup. Apply with a brush, rather than a make up pad.
6) You can get away with refreshing the powder a few times through the day and the colour stays more-or-less in place. having said that, there's always a limit to its durability and the more humid it is, the more likely it is to not last so well.
7) If you must wear mascara and eyeliner when it's hot (I don't), use waterproof ones to avoid panda eyes the second you step outside.
8) Cleanse extra well at the end of the day. Keep the moisturiser up to your skin over night. You're more likely to get outbreaks in hot weather.

For hair, you can get conditioners that contain sunscreen, protect the hair from fading, and also provide a barrier against things like chlorine. Personally, I don't like them as they make my hair feel heavy and yuck. I tend to try and lightly condition my hair daily, and get whatever treatment the locals are using about once a week. You may find that you need a different type of shampoo and conditioner in hot areas than you do when at home (probably a lighter one than usual).

If you know you're going to be out in the sun, avoid putting reds and dark colours in your hair as they're the most likely to fade.

Cheers,