Get the look: Red smoky eyes

To complement Tarun Tahiliani's riot of colours at Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week spring/summer 2015, Mickey Contractor, director of make-up artistry, MAC, used his imaginative streak to introduce a powerful twist to the most classic high-on-glamour look.

"One look at the collection and 'red' is what came to my mind. I wanted to do a modern smoky eye as one of the looks, so I thought, why not a 'Red Smoky Eye'?" he says. Contractor added the little white dots in at the last minute to keep the tribal look going, in keeping with the theme.

Before you try this daring runway trend, the make-up wizard explains, "Red as a colour works on almost all kinds of skin tones. What is important is to use your discretion as to how intense you want the colour to look. Go slow and build up little by little and know when to stop. Intense black mascara on lashes will surely help to enhance a red smoky eye."

Get the look

The eyes

• First, start by using a reddish cream colour on the eyelid. Powder it down completely before using a red eye shadow over it. "Layering shadows makes the colour look intense and keeps it there for a much longer period," explains Contractor.
• Use a fluffy brush for the powder shadow, it gives light strokes and the blending is also a lot easier.
• Next, take the same red powder shadow on a pencil brush and line the lower lid. You can then give shape to the eyes according to what suits you. "For Tarun Tahiliani's show, we kept it slightly elongated for a bit of excess drama," Contractor says.
• To finish it off, curl your lashes and either use multiple coats of mascara or just M.A.C Lashes No#7 on curled lashes. Make sure to apply mascara on the lower lashes too.

The face and lips

With a bold eye, it's important to keep the skin matte, with not too much colour on the cheeks. Just a glowing flush is usually enough. For the show, Contractor worked a bright red pout, "I think even for a red carpet event or a special occasion a red smoky eye with a red mouth could work like magic, you just need to carry this look with panache!" he exclaims.