Deepika Padukone's makeup artist thinks these should be your next luxury makeup investments

Will it be YSL, Dior or Armani for you?

Investments. The word dangles in front of every adult’s eyes like a pendulum, hypnotising you to divide your paycheque into mutual funds, stocks, gold bonds and fixed deposits. Today though, an investment portfolio goes beyond just financial savings. People are increasingly investing in experiences and things that bring joy like buying your own home (even in this economy), travel, luxury bags, shoes and even makeup.

Makeup may seem like it doesn’t fit in this list but for women, luxury makeup products can be a worthy investment. It’s a door to creativity and self-expression. A perfectly done winged liner and smoky eye can give your confidence a much-needed boost, a creamy, high-quality red lip will instantly give you main character energy. Sure, there’s a plethora of perfectly good budget options available, but sometimes, watching your hard-earned money, sitting in gorgeous packaging in your beauty box or in your hand as you touch up your make-up can be a reminder of your success. And that feeling is worth every buck you spend.

Of course you’d hate to buy something upwards of ₹3,000 only to have a disappointing experience. So to help you navigate the world of luxury makeup products and brands, we asked celebrity makeup artist Sandhya Shekar who’s the go-to expert for actors like Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Aditi Rao Hydari among others, to recommend some worthy makeup investments where the ROI is pure delight.

Top luxury makeup products worth investing in

Foundation

If you love to regularly step out with the full taam-jhaam (we have some makeup tips), investing in base makeup is essential. Shekar suggests considering your skin type and desired finish before adding any product to cart. If you have dry skin, a matte foundation can make your skin drier and cakey, for example. “I’d recommend tinted moisturisers and luminous foundations for a dewy look,” she says.

Shekar’s recommendations: For those with dry skin, the Dior, YSL and Armani luminous finish foundations will offer a dewy glow. If you have oily skin, mattifying finishes from YSL or Dior will give you a cleaner look. Those with combination skin can use a primer on oily zones before going in with a foundation of choice. Alternatively, if you prefer skin tints, YSL and Laura Mercier have some great products.

“I like makeup that looks like second skin. These brands are worth splurging on because they make skin look like skin, their quality is exceptional, there’s a wide range of shades to pick from and the colour payoff is great,” says Shekar.

Concealers

Concealers are like the fairy godmothers of makeup; they can fix panda eyes, cover up stubborn acne spots, hyperpigmentation and fine lines. If we really looked, we suspect, they may just fix a broken heart too. For all the concealer enthusiasts, Shekar has some advice — “If you have evident dark circles, invest in a colour corrector before choosing a concealer shade, otherwise the colours can look very different. For those who like brighter undereyes, opt for a lighter concealer shade and if you have dry undereyes, pick a moisturising product or apply an eye cream before makeup.”

Shekar’s recommendations: Armani Beauty and Pat McGrath liquid concealers are great, especially for those looking for yellower shades she says. And NARS, though not luxury, is a premium brand with a wide shade range.

Blush

If you’ve aced the skill to not look like a circus clown with your blush, and mastered every application technique, luxury blush products can be worth every penny. ​​Shekar recommends liquid and cream blushes for Indian skin as they hydrate and create a supple, luxurious look. They also give you more control over the application.

Shekar’s recommendations: Rare Beauty liquid blush, Armani Beauty liquid blush, Pat McGrath blush sticks for their balmy texture and ease of use. And Fenty Beauty blushes for their wide shade range and multiple options for deeper complexions.

Highlighter

Actor Janhvi Kapoor in an interview once said that her brief to every makeup artist is, “Mujhe highlighter mein dooba do.” Do you relate to that on a molecular level too? We know we do. Highlighter is a great way to give yourself a dewy look and turn up the glam factor. Shekar says having one to two highlighters in your kit is a good investment. “Go with products that are less pigmented because you want the highlighter to settle into your skin, making it look like you’ve got the inner glow. Champagne hues with warmer undertones work best for fairer skin tones, while deeper complexions shine with warm golden tints,” she explains.

Shekar’s recommendations: Pat McGrath highlighter sticks for their cream highlighter and balm duo, Smashbox X Becca for their finely pigmented powder highlighters and wide shade range of shades, and Westman Atelier for highly pigmented formulations with different textures.

Setting Powder

Our makeup is in constant battle with sweat, heat and humidity and if it stays in place for longer than 15 minutes, we say a solemn prayer. Setting powder can be the hukum ka ikka in supporting your makeup A game, ensuring your glam look stays on for as long as you want without threatening to melt right off your face. While Shekar isn’t a big fan of using setting powders, the makeup artist recommends using one if you’re being photographed or need your makeup to stay longer. “Setting powders are great to use in areas where we tend to sweat, like around laugh lines and the T-zone,” she says.

Shekar’s recommendations: Armani Beauty setting powder, Pat McGrath setting powder and their pressed powder for the undereyes (available in three shades).

Eyes

Eye makeup is where you can truly experiment to show off your personality. Whether you’re a holographic eye shadow experimentalist or a liner-kajal purist, high-quality eye products will always be worth the investment. Shekar recommends using cream or liquid eye shadow formulations because they offer subtle pigmentation and a sophisticated finish. “With creams, blending is also easier and faster and you need fewer tools and time to apply the product,” she says.

Shekar’s recommendations: Armani Beauty liquid eyeshadows, Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow pots because their shades are great for Indian skin tones, Chanel liquid eyeshadows and Bobbi Brown eyeshadow sticks for their good colour payoff and easy application.

For sensitive eyes, Shekar recommends choosing products from clean brands that use natural ingredients, are free of toxins, and are vegan. “If you have sensitive eyes, you can choose products from homegrown Indian brands that are hyper-clean like Ruby’s Organics, Asa, Juicy Chemistry and Kiro for eyeshadows, and our own brand Mokae for kajal and mascara.” Though these brands don’t fall under the luxury category, their easy availability in the country and formulations make them a top recommendation from the makeup artist.

Lips

Your makeup pouch will always have a few red, brown, nude and pink lipsticks in different shades. But beyond colours, you should focus on the textures. According to Shekar, you should have one matte, one satin and one moisture-rich lipstick each, one gloss in a neutral or nude shade that you can add as a top-up, and balms on the day you want colour but don’t want a full-blown lipstick. “If you have dry lips, go for moisturising lip products. You can always matte it down with loose powder if you’re someone who likes a matte finish. Avoid liquid lipsticks because they may make your lips look unhealthy.” If at all you want to use a liquid lipstick, use a lip mask to get rid of dry skin before applying the lipstick. Alternatively, you can use a wet toothbrush Shekar suggests.

Shekar’s recommendations: Gucci for their rich moisturising lipsticks, Chanel for classic reds, MAC Cosmetics for lipsticks of different textures like matte, satin and moisture-surge; Clinique and NARS liquids because they have a light texture and don’t sit in a thick layer or the lips or dry them out.

Shekar suggests you can avoid splurging on a luxury lip gloss or balm. If you have a good moisturising gloss or balm you swear by, it would work.

Tools

Makeup tools to us are what paintbrushes were to Picasso, the medium for magic. But it’s important to take care of them. “If you use makeup brushes regularly, wash them once every week. Invest in a good alcohol cleanser so you’re cleaning your tools and not applying micro germs-filled brushes on clean skin. Your hands are the best makeup applicators, they also warm up the product which helps it set on your skin smoothly.

Shekar’s recommendations: Anastasia Beverly Hills for brow tweezers and MAC Cosmetics brushes because they’re the best in the Indian market.