Mumbai-based makeup and hair artist Elton J Fernandez has spent nearly 25 years across fashion, advertising, celebrity, bridal and film work, from a nine-year run as Maybelline India’s spokesperson to backstage seasons at New York Fashion Week and India Fashion Week. Here, he makes the case for a very different kind of bridal beauty in 2026: less about a prescribed “bridal face” and more about restraint, identity and letting the woman herself remain present in the frame. What bridal makeup trends are defining 2026, versus 2025?The biggest shift is away from a prescribed bridal face. For years, trends travelled uniformly: the same brow, the same contour, accelerated by social media. Now brides want to recognise themselves in their photographs. That means skin that still behaves like skin, colour that responds to the person rather than the trend, and enough restraint to let the woman remain present. 2025 was about the look; 2026 is about the person wearing it. Has grooming for grooms become mainstream?Yes, but the bigger shift is that men are less afraid of being seen to care. Grooming today often means correcting fatigue or balancing skin rather than looking visibly “made up”; the best work is often invisible. The principle stays the same as with brides: understand who’s in front of you before deciding how much intervention is actually needed. How do you approach daytime ceremonies versus evening receptions?Daylight doesn’t automatically mean less makeup, and evening doesn’t mean more; context matters more than the clock. Light, climate, photography, jewellery and ceremony all shape the decision. Indian bridal beauty already carries so much visual information: textiles, jewellery, ritual- that makeup doesn’t need to compete for attention. Sometimes the most sophisticated choice is knowing what to leave alone. After 25 years, what’s changed most in how you see a face?Early

Sarah Sarosh’s foundation lies in her training in Occupational Therapy at KEM, Mumbai, a discipline that shaped her understanding of behaviour, confidence, and well-being far beyond textbooks. “It trained me to look at self-image and lifestyle as more than surface-level experiences,” she explains. That holistic lens continues to influence how she creates and builds today. Raised in a middle-class household, she learned early that stability comes from discipline, not shortcuts. There was no predefined creative roadmap or safety net, which meant resilience and independence were cultivated organically. Her personal struggles with acne and self-image also played a defining role. “It made me more observant of how deeply appearance is tied to confidence and belonging,” she says. That sensitivity now informs her approach to beauty, representation, and storytelling. Where Storytelling Meets Building Sarah describes her work as a blend of storytelling and entrepreneurship. “Content and business may look separate from the outside, but for me they stem from the same instinct, the desire to create something meaningful.” Her content journey began while she was still a student, documenting beauty, health, and self-image through lived experience. Entrepreneurship followed with the launch of Impulse Coffees, born from identifying a gap in how instant coffee was positioned in India. “It was widely consumed but rarely treated with care or storytelling,” she notes. Building Impulse introduced her to sourcing, product development, packaging, and customer experience, expanding her role from creator to founder. “Storytelling helps me understand people. Building helps me translate that understanding into something tangible.” Real, Not Remote “At its core, my work is about documenting life as it unfolds,” she says. Rather than presenting polished perfection, Sarah has consistently allowed her audience to witness transitions, uncertainties, and growth in real time. “It feels less like performance and more like continuity.” She is most

Harlin Sachdeva, founder of House of Makeup, represents a new wave of Indian beauty entrepreneurs blending global standards with local understanding. Armed with an MBA from Gujarat University and over a decade of experience at industry leaders such as Sugar Cosmetics, Unilever, and Nykaa, she developed sharp expertise in product formulation, consumer insight, and strategic growth. Entrepreneurship, however, began much earlier. After losing her father at 17, Harlin co-founded a home linen business with her mother, scaling it 30 times over. That early chapter forged her resilience and independence. Today, she channels that same clarity of vision into building a homegrown brand that is high-performing, clean, and proudly Indian. Raising the Bar for Indian Beauty “I often say this, in India, when we make something exceptional, it’s largely exported. And what stays back is often not the best,” Harlin reflects. That disparity became her catalyst. Her mission is to create high-performance makeup comparable to global standards, but formulated specifically for Indian consumers, particularly those with sensitive, acne-prone, and reactive skin. “Because I am one of them,” she says candidly. “I know what it feels like to scan ingredient lists anxiously.” Every formulation at House of Makeup is research-backed, third-party tested, and built with gentle yet effective ingredients. For Harlin, this isn’t just commercial ambition; it’s personal problem-solving at scale. Obsessive about Product What distinguishes her approach is an uncompromising focus on formulation. “From day one, the emphasis has been on thoughtfully designed products specifically for sensitive and reactive skin,” she explains. The brand eliminates over 1,300 ingredients flagged under the European Cosmetic Directive and conducts extensive non-comedogenic testing to ensure products do not clog pores, a critical factor for acne-prone users. “At the heart of it, we stand for trust,” she says. “Makeup created with care, integrity, and long-term skin

The festive season is a time of joy, celebration, and endless get-togethers. But between shopping, late-night parties, and all the festive indulgence, your skin and hair can begin to show signs of stress dullness, dryness, or even breakouts. While expensive salon treatments may seem tempting, some of the best remedies for glowing skin and lustrous hair are sitting right in your kitchen. Natural ingredients like honey, turmeric, yogurt, and coconut oil have been trusted for centuries in traditional beauty rituals worldwide. They are not only effective but also free of harsh chemicals. Best of all, they’re affordable and easy to use. This festive season, bring out your inner glow with these DIY natural beauty remedies that will leave your skin and hair refreshed, radiant, and ready for celebration. 1. Turmeric & Honey Brightening Face Mask Why it works:Turmeric is a powerhouse of antioxidants and possesses natural anti-inflammatory properties, making it an excellent choice for reducing dullness and evening out skin tone. Honey, a natural humectant, locks in moisture, leaving the skin soft and supple. Recipe: 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 tablespoon raw honey A few drops of rose water How to use:Mix the ingredients into a smooth paste. Apply evenly on your face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Leave it on for 15 minutes, then rinse with lukewarm water. Repeat twice a week for a natural, golden glow. 2. Coffee & Yogurt Exfoliating Scrub Why it works:Coffee grounds are rich in caffeine, which helps improve circulation and reduce puffiness, while yogurt contains lactic acid that gently exfoliates and brightens the skin. Together, they remove dead skin cells, leaving skin smooth and refreshed. Recipe: 1 tablespoon ground coffee 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 1 teaspoon honey (optional for added hydration) How to use:Mix all ingredients and gently massage onto your face