We speak with Ambika Pillai and Prakruthi Ananth, two celebrity make-up artists who have worked with the likes of Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Soundarya Rajnikanth, on moving their consultations online and what to expect in the next few months.
Ambika Pillai: “The last thing on anyone’s mind now is any kind of event. I consult via WhatsApp video calls on a daily basis, but [so far] no one has brought up a bridal consultation. This is a frightening phase for me, not knowing what the future holds. My line of work is one where social distancing of any sort will be compromised, as we are always in close proximity with our clients. Also, it is not a profession where working from home is an option. We had taken bookings before the pandemic [monsoon brides, and going into autumn and winter brides] and though everyone is in touch via e-mail, no one has finalised any occasion. In the near future, one can work on a bride with masks on and attention paid to sanitation, but will it be safe for the artist herself?”
Prakruthi Ananth: “I opted for virtual consultations for two brides in Chennai. I couldn’t travel to the venues during lockdown, but they managed with the online help. Going forward, I think weddings will be conducted on a much smaller scale, especially with restrictions on international travel. As long as we can travel to their destination locally, brides needn’t compromise on their dream look. Having said that, hairstyles and make-up trends will not see any changes. I have received enquiries and bookings post lockdown (until September), but with a request to be flexible. Starting May, I will be conducting one-on-one online tutorials for basic make-up. Details: 9884843210