08 November,2020 07:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Nasrin Modak Siddiqi
Mickey Contractor working on his daughter pre-pandemic. PIC/Farrokh Chothia
When the shoot for Yash Raj film Bunty aur Babli 2 resumed in June, makeup stylist Mickey Contractor donned a personal protective equipment (PPE) suit, while working on actor Rani Mukerji's makeup. With the sessions lasting for two hours each, he'd be left with an ache to tear the PPE apart. "I am claustrophobic and it's uncomfortable to work in a PPE. I prefer the mask and face shield, and taking precautions like stepping away when talking to the client, sanitising hands and work surfaces frequently and using a good quality brush cleanser," says Contractor, adding, "When I started out in the industry - more than 30 years ago - every actor carried their own vanity kits and had their personal makeup artists." It's best, he feels, if actors, models, even brides-to-be carried their own basic makeup products, such as kajal and a few lip pencils.
With shooting for films, advertisements and fashion shows having resumed after an enforced break due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the beauty industry has had to take stock of its safety and hygiene protocols to ensure that, being a profession that requires close proximity, transmission of the virus is reduced as far as possible.
Daniel Bauer at work
French makeup artist Daniel Bauer says, "Sanitising and washing kits, brushes and products daily is something we did even before the pandemic and will continue to do.
At our makeup academies, we focus on teaching these protocols. We use alcohol wipes with 70 per cent isopropyl hand sanitiser for foundation sticks, lipsticks and the eyeshadow palette." He says shampooing the brushes and beauty blenders in hot water is the best way to sanitise. "I spend around 90 seconds per brush and blender to ensure they are thoroughly cleansed. Once washed and dried, I store them in a sealable plastic bag to minimise cross contamination." He adds that the Daniel Bauer Academy has invested in UV-light boxes for sanitising small tools, such as mascara wands, spoolies and eyelash curlers. Bauer also has a travel-size sanitiser gun to prepare to sanitise vanity stations and counters where he may be asked to do makeup for clients.
Florian Hurel with Sarah Ali Khan
For fellow French makeup artist Florian Hurel, who often works with Deepika Padukone, nothing promises the protection of a PPE kit. But, he also advises, "Before heading for a shoot or makeup session, isolate yourself for at least 24 hours. Avoid social gatherings and sanitise your workspace before beginning work. Wash the brush with brush cleansing soap, dry it and make sure that the same brush is not repeated twice until sanitised. Spray lipsticks, eye shadows, stick foundations, powders and palettes with isopropyl alcohol, 99 per cent, post each application."
Bianca Louzado
Even before the pandemic struck, Bianca Louzado says she would cringe seeing makeup artistes using the same lip brush and mascara wand on different models at fashion shows. "Cross-contamination was evident but not spoken about until it became a global health concern. The pandemic allowed me the time to work on developing a vertical that puts the emphasis on 'hygiene first, beauty later'," says Louzado, who, last month, launched her lab-tested cosmetic sanitising label Code Beauty, consisting of an anti-bacterial cosmetic disinfectant, a vegan brush-sponge bath soap and anti-bacterial cosmetic sanitising wipes.
The disinfectant can be sprayed on eyeshadows, powder blushes and bronzers, pressed powders, makeup brushes and hair styling tools, without cracking the product. "Since it has 70 per cent alcohol, these wipes can also be used to disinfect electronic items that probably carry more germs than makeup. We should be vigilant, considering they frequently come into direct contact with the eyes, nose and mouth areas," says Louzado.
The luxury vegan brush and sponge bath is an anti-bacterial hand-poured solid cleanser that cleans, conditions and sanitises beauty blenders and brushes. One of its variants is infused with charcoal, orange oil, grapefruit oil, vanilla bean oil, sea salt and citric acid. The other has Bulgarian rose, Ylang Ylang goat milk soap, sea salt, citric acid and sucrose.
Daniel Bauer: Shampoo brushes and beauty blenders with hot water.
Florian Hurel: Before heading for a makeup session, isolate yourself for at least 24 hours. Avoid social gatherings.
Mickey Contractor: Take your own basic makeup along, including lip liners and kajal.
Bianca Louzado: Spray a good quality disinfectant lightly on eyeshadows, powder blushes and bronzers, makeup brushes and hair styling tools.
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