Let's make up with Bina Khan: Cleopatra!

Here we are again as we continue to count the days till Halloween. Last week, we featured a whimsical Halloween pop art make-up. This week, we are going for something a little more glamorous – Cleopatra.

None of you need any introduction to this iconic figure in history but I would like to point out that this kind of look lends itself particularly easily to desi girls. Not only are we dusky and wear bold make-up with ease, but the costume is also a cinch to throw together. A bit of golden jamavar, some thick gota and hey presto, you have a dress! Put together a tad more gota and the ends of a golden paranda to sort out your headdress.

There is only one component to this make-up — Eyes!

I grew up watching Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. So for me, the famous queen of Egypt, who died almost 5,000 years ago, always distinctly wears ’60s inspired make-up. Don’t be scared to try this yourself. The make-up artist for the movie fell ill and had to go in to surgery, so Dame Elizabeth did the make-up all by herself throughout the entire movie! She says she had watched his techniques and just followed the sketches that Alberto De Rossi had drawn up for the movie.



In this look, we have channeled the film but have also taken cue from a few different looks. The eye can be broken down in to the following components:

1)  The socket line

After you have completed your base and contouring, pick a bold colour (here we used a deep sea green) and sharply define your socket line. For the first half of your eye, the key here is to extend the colour till it reaches your eyebrow. For the second half, allow the colour to fade as it creeps up towards your brow, ensuring that underneath the arch the colour is pale.

2)  The liner

Obviously this look is all about the liner! Draw a bold liner as you normally would — only, don’t end it! Extend it out in an upwards curvy motion creating one edge of the fishtail eye that we have created here. Then line the underneath of you eye, and as you reach the end, swoop the line downwards — your fish eye is complete! With a cotton bud or a brush, fill in the space with some vaseline and press some chunky gold glitter on to this spot. Paint your brow black with your liner — this gives the painted effect that we are going for. Enhance your lashes with mascara and you are good to go!



3)  The finishing touches

Apply eye pencil in your eye, with lashings of mascara. Keep the lips neutral but strong brown.

Now go give Antony a call and tell him you are ready!

This image is the property of Bina Khan. Any unauthorised use of the same is illegal and liable for prosecution.

Bina Khan is a make-up artist, photographer, skin technician and writer who owns a salon and photography studio in Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2013.

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