Tanvi KG started doing professional makeup quite early in her life. By the age of 20, she launched her own brand of a salon, Myra Maybn in NCR. She has trained with the industry’s top-ranked global experts like Namrata Soni, Roshar, Alex Box, Chris Malone, and Jessica Powers to name a few. Also, she holds certifications for her advanced skin treatments from ISAC London and has trained with Mumbai’s FatMu Academy in Airbrush and HD makeup, and advance Creative Hairstyling with Jawed Habib. Her makeup styles are timeless and elegant. Her USP is the understanding of skin and facial structure. She pays a lot of attention to what the client needs and how to deliver it in her signature flawless style. Tanvi KG is a trained and experienced artist specializing in Bridal Makeup, Airbrush, HD makeup and movie makeup. She is the most preferred editorial and print media makeup artist in Chandigarh. Her celebrity clientele includes Bollywood’s Nargis Fakhri, Raj Kumar Rao, Hazed Keech, Shivani Saini, Ravi Aneja, Wamiqa Gabbi, IPL team Kings 11 Punjab, Ashly Lobo’s Danceworx, Ayushmaan Khurana’s Manchtanra and many others. Tanvi KG has a personal record of having done 32 party makeup and 12 bridal makeup within a day. She is the only artist in Chandigarh to have worked in Hollywood movies (“5 Weddings” slated for release in 2017). Other than working as an independent artist, she also takes one-on-one personality grooming sessions on Skincare, Makeup, styling, Accessorising, etc.
Tanvi KG was featured on the cover page of prestigious lifestyle magazine “Urban Melange” June 2017
When did you realize that a career in beauty was for you?
I was (and still am) a Tomboy in my appearance and attitude and have always a very carefree life. For as long as I can remember, I used to love dressing everyone up. I used to gaze my mother in admiration when she would do her makeup and wear her jewelry. At the age of twenty, I opened Ghaziabad’s first salon in 2004 and the day I did my first bridal makeup (precisely on 9th Feb in 2004). I knew this is what I wanted to do forever. What drove me ahead was that I had the ability to make a girls’ most important day all the more dazzling. Every bride wants to look her best on her D-Day and somehow I was in a position to make her dream come true. I can’t think a better career for myself.
What do you love the most about the art of makeup?
I love the colors. As a child and even as a teenager I used to carry my crayons and coloring books with me. The art of Makeup helps me combine my passion for dressing people up and using colors to enhance their look. As a Fine Arts student, I used to paint on canvas. As a makeup artist, I get to paint on a unique canvas (the face) which to me is so much more fulfilling because every face is different and poses its own set of challenges. For me, nothing can be more rewarding than seeing a smile of admiration on your client’s face when they look at themselves in the mirror their makeup.
What is the trickiest part of makeup for an expert like you to achieve flawlessness?
The trickiest part starts even before you pick up the brush. To understand what the client wants and deliver it to them in your own way is the real challenge. Creating a balance between the client’s expectations and your creativity is important. When I do editorial and movie shoots, the challenge that I face is to understand the vision of the producers and to deliver what is expected of me. As an editorial and movie makeup artist, you need to understand that makeup should complement the entire look and not overpower it. Besides these factors, the weather, the location, and even the outfit play an important role in creating a flawless look and for every other challenge I swear by my Airbrush.
Is the makeup only for a woman? If not, share your opinion the same?
Makeup for men means to reduce the appearance of any redness, acne scars or discoloration on the skin and to give a fresh and clean look. Having said that, I have nothing against men who like to use makeup on a daily basis. I have done basic touch upon men for family events and for pre-wedding photography and it doesn’t take away from their masculinity. It’s a personal preference and I wouldn’t like to opinion on it.
How has the industry evolved internationally? How technically advanced are makeup artists in India according to you?
The makeup industry has taken a huge leap in the last 3-4 years. While makeup artists have literally mushroomed all over the country, I doubt their technical powers. Individuals do a 1-week course from London or the U.S.A. and start their social media pages and spend more time on posting pictures than learning. It takes years to understand color theory, let alone flawless faces. There are a few extremely talented makeup artists like Namrata Soni, Anil Chinnapa, Danial Bauer, Mickey Contractor, who have revolutionized the makeup scenario in India. They are on par with international artists like Kevyn Aucoin, Pat McGrath, Roshar, Alex Box, etc. Celebrities like Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Priyanka Chopra represent our country abroad and their trend has also led to Indian makeup artists adopting a more international subtle and sophisticated look.
Do you feel there are enough colleges/ institutions offering innovative courses in this field?
No very few institutions offer courses apart from basic makeup courses. For professional and advanced courses one needs to still go abroad. I recently attended The Maters of art workshop In Mumbai. I got the opportunity to receive hands-on training from makeup artists of worldwide fame like Alex Box, Roshar, Chris Milone, Jessica Powers, and Namrata Soni. It was an amazing experience.
Any particular brands that you use for your artistry and swear by?
My kit has a mix of brands like NARS, Pat McGrath, Makeup Forever, Bobbi Brown Hourglass, etc.
After spending 13 years in the industry, I have an idea about which brand specializes in what product. For instance, Bobbi Brown foundations work wonderfully on Indian skin tones while Hourglass highlighters are my favorite and eyebrow kit from Makeup Forever is the best.
What’s your brand-name? What kind of products/services does your brand offer?
Brand Name
Services: Bridal, Editorial, Fashion, Pre Wedding Makeup Services, Personal shopping and Image enhancement sessions for individuals.
What is your personal signature look when it comes to makeup?
An artist should be versatile and should be able to create a bespoke look on every face. My signature look would be flawless, clear & healthy-looking skin. I believe in “Less is more” in most cases.
Three Makeup Do’s and Don’ts for everyone by Tanvi KG
Do’s
- Good skin means half the battle won. Focus on skincare is a MUST
- Your lipstick should NOT be lighter than your original lip color so choose the nudes wisely.
- Check your foundation on the jawline and on your forehead before buying and not on your hands or inner elbow.
Don’ts
- Don’t follow trends blindly. People should complement YOU and not your makeup.
- Don’t use a foundation shade that is lighter than your skin tone. You will appear grey instead of fair.
- Don’t apply blusher on the hollow area of the cheekbone. Blusher should be applied on the apple of your cheeks towards the temple area.
Which five staple makeup products should every woman invest in?
- A nude lipstick
- A skin type-appropriate foundation.
- A gel liner that can be used as an eyeliner, Kajal, and eye pencil. It’s great for creating smokey eyes.
- A skin flattering blusher (this is the perfect pick-me-up for dull skin)
- A gel-based moisturizer. It works fantastically as a primer and makes the skin glow.
“The real art of makeup lies in enhancing the unique personality of every woman and bringing her inner beauty out. Nothing can make a woman look more stunning making her look like HERSELF” – Tanvi KG
