Our Instagram feeds are filled with celebrity fashion moments and even bridal looks which look almost too good to be true but the reality is, it's their glam team hustling behind that lens to ensure each detail looks on-point, especially the makeup! The makeup pros are the ones packing in the skills behind the scenes for making your favourite fashionistas and real-life brides look heaven-sent. So, it's absolutely essential that you follow them and who knows, maybe pick a trick or two to ace your makeup game. Here are our ten favourite Indian MUAs that you absolutely can't skip on.
Best Indian Makeup Artists You Must Follow On Instagram
Mickey Contractor
With celebrities like Sonam Kapoor calling him an institution of makeup in India, you know you can't doubt the skills here! Mickey Contractor's muse's makeup base is always undetectable in pictures which is a flex not everyone has, harsh contours and flashback from powders are nowhere to be seen on his IG feed. Additionally, you won't spot any graphic eyeliner looks or something too experimental since his makeup game is all about staying classic with a filled in brow and emphasis on the eyes with eyeliner or smoked out kajal with slight shimmer (inserts picture of Alia Bhatt from RARKPK .)
Daniel Bauer
If you are one for having fun with makeup and cannot stop binging on trendy makeup looks then Daniel Bauer's IG feed is just the place to head to! He's immensely creative when it comes to playing with eye looks, so you will see fun add-ins like emerald eyeliner or bright inner corner in a lot of the looks. From what we could see on his IG, he usually opts for a clean base with minimal blush and contouring but lots of (natural-looking) highlighter which we don't mind since it's all about the glow!
Namrata Soni
For those wanting to learn tips and tricks for the perfect no-makeup makeup look that looks like second skin, Namrata is just the person to follow! Namrata Soni is a makeup pro who is known for her famous #NamGlow — bright, lit-from-within skin that looks luminous rather than shiny. From muted nude lips to OTT winged liners, you will spot every element on your favourite celebrity divas (Rani Mukherjee, Sonam Kapoor and Banita Sandhu to name a few). She even has her own beauty brand named 'Simply Nam' which does the most gorgeous liquid lipsticks in a variety of shades to suit all Indian skin tones with stellar formula.
Puneet B Saini
If you too are someone torn between the no-makeup makeup and editorial-like full beat, Puneet B Saini is the glam fairy godmother you should turn to for inspiration! You will spot her doing a minimal strawberry-girl like makeup on a celebrity one day, and a bold metallic eyeshadow the very next, so clearly she's not one for playing by the book. What's more to love is that she constantly shares her favourite products on IG so you won't have to look elsewhere for fail-safe beauty recommendations.
Meera Sakhrani
Meera Sakhrani is a celebrity and bridal MUA who will give you a dream-like makeover for all your special occasions without failure. She has dolled up the most sought after folks like Jacqueline Fernandez, Mrunal Thakur, Sania Mirza and almost half of the brides in the Delhi's shaadi circuit. We love how each of her brides have a different makeup look according to their outfit and how she goes all out to ensure each detail is perfected for your D-day.
Sandhya Shekhar
Deepika Padukone's go-to makeup artist, Sandhya Shekar's Instagram page will be your go-to for festive and wedding makeup inspiration. Even when everyone else was going for dewy skin, Shekar stays true to her signature matte, clean base. Even when she uses eye-catching makeup elements such as a copper eyeshadow, or a hint of blush, Shekhar keeps it simple and classic. On the flip side, her dramatic makeup looks for fashion campaigns are something to look out for as she goes all out with the details like feathers, swarovskis and everything you would look forward to in a dopamine makeup look.
Pompy Hans
Pompy Hans is an ace makeup artists as well as hair stylist working his magic on almost all Bollywood A-listers like Kareena Kapoor han, Karisma Kapoor, Ananya Panday and Tamannaah Bhatia off-screen as well as on-screen. His go-to makeup look is the perfect softly-sculpted base work with loads of dimension that still somehow manages to look like skin, a soft brown-toned smokey glam and the perfect nude pout — all the right things you need for the perfect soft glam.
Vardan Nayak
The MUA behind Isha Ambani's stunning wedding makeup, Vardan is a connoisseur of the soft glam. His makeup style is all about matching all the elements for a perfect seamless makeup that looks super fresh and put together. You will spot him doing a lot of fun pink eyeshadow looks with Sara Ali Khan and slightly OTT look for Rashmika Mandana but the monochromatic seamless approach for the colours remains the same for all of his looks.
Samaira Sandhu
Samaira Sandhu is every bride-to-be's dream MUA. She is the first-ever makeup artist in India who collaborated with Charlotte Tilbury for a makeup masterclass that took place earlier in May, 2022. As one of the leading bridal makeup artists in the country, you can pretty much consider her the trendsetter for bridal glams. Also, if you are someone who aspires to be a makeup artist or just someone who wants to learn the skill for themselves, her makeup academy should definitely be on your radar if you want to learn from the pro in depth.
Jasmeet Kapany
Understated glam with barely there makeup is Jasmeet Kapany's USP. A few scrolls through her Instagram feed stands testament to her love for fresh-faced dewy makeup with oodles of drama for the eyes. Based out of Delhi, all of Jamseet's brides look like a dream with glamorous beat faces, blended to the T and happy faces, thanks to Jasmeet's impeccable makeup skills.