One thing was certain with the surge in new indie and international beauty brands in India: the jurors of the 12th edition of the ELLE Beauty Awards had a challenging task ahead. A spread of the best beauty releases—including make-up, fragrances and gadgets—was put to the test at Olive Bar & Kitchen, Mumbai. While dermatologists Dr Jamuna Pai and Dr Kiran Lohia meticulously read the labels on every skincare product, make-up artists Deepa Verma and Cory Walia weighed in on the latest trends and picked easy-to-use formulas to achieve them. Turns out, liquid lipsticks win over traditional bullets, and feather-light, dewy foundations over matte ones. Hairstylist Natasha Naegamvala discovered new essentials to add to her kit. Her checklist? The products had to be sulfate-free and packed with amino acids to make hair healthier.
FJoining them was influencer Kayaan Contractor, who picked out minimal make-up essentials for everyday use. And fashion designers Krésha Bajaj Zaveri and Masaba Gupta knew their fragrance notes and beach-hair hacks to a T. After a long afternoon of swatching, the experts went home with tableware from Suite No. 8 to enjoy their evening cuppa, with crunchy Japanese cookies from Yoku Moku on the side.
[Gallery id=”1618″]
Photographs: Kedar Nene
Inputs: Trisha Chawla
