Because We're Worth It: The Changing Face Of Global Beauty

Because We’re Worth It: The Changing Face of Global Beauty

Laaleen Khan

http://tribune.com.pk/story/325534/global-standards-of-beauty-from-ivory-to-ebony/

Keen on maintaining their hold on the global beauty marketplace, an increasing number of cosmetics manufacturers have extended their advertising imagery to include cosmopolitan multiculturalism. The unexpected new face of Lancôme is 22-year-old Hanaa Ben Abdesslem, a Tunisian Muslim, who joins the ranks of Isabella Rossellini, Julia Roberts, Kate Winslet and Emma Watson to represent the sophisticated French brand internationally.  Youcef Nabi, President of Lancôme International states, “Her universal beauty simply channels the je-ne-sais-quoi that makes the uniqueness, strength and charm of every Lancôme woman.”

In Hollywood, Paris and Milan, dark skinned, ebony-eyed Indians are steadily growing in demand: model Ujjwala Raut, a significant success on international runways and designer ads, rising movie star Frieda Pinto, and Chanel’s latest discovery, Jyothsna Chakravarthy, are considered exotic beauties. They are a far cry from mainstream Asian concepts of beauty, in a continent where skin whitening is a fast growing, multimillion-dollar industry, and where coloured contact lenses are a routine accessory for actresses, models and socialites. Among Bollywood A-listers, Katrina Kaif is coveted for her Eurasian looks, while Kareena Kapoor’s hazel-toned eyes comprise a significant part of her appeal.

Multicultural Palettes:

MAC, Nars, Stila and MakeUp Forever have been longtime favourites among Asians, Hispanics and African Americans for their richly pigmented cosmetics. Estee Lauder brands like Prescriptives (shut down in 2010), Bobbi Brown, Clinique and Origins have notably included shades of foundation for darker complexioned women. In 1994, Somali-born former supermodel and Mrs. David Bowie’s Iman Cosmetics was created to specifically cater to “women of all skin colour.” Cover Girl’s All-American brand of “easy, breezy, beautiful” cosmetics have long since featured diverse models posing alongside Caucasians, while L’Oreal International made Aishwariya Rai a household name by including her in their worldwide ad campaigns.

North American Entrepreneurs:

It’s not just major companies that are targeting women with complexions from palest mocha to dark chocolate and sandy beige to tawny bronze. Startup boutique beauty and cosmetic brands have sprung up in recent years by women entrepreneurs of South Asian descent:

·      Global Goddess is an American brand launched in 2006 by Shalini Vadhera (who resigned in 2010) using exotic and natural ingredients inspired by her world travels. Products include an Ultimate Bollywood Makeup kit and the Global Goddess Beauty Coconut Amla Lash & Brow Conditioner that also contains grape seed, apple extract, nettle and horse chestnut. Available at Globalgoddess.com

·      Thevi Cosmetics was created for the “’New Ethnic Market’–every light-to-dark skinned woman of Asian, South Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean descent” for whom “beauty is a way of empowerment in a world where they must balance their dual traditional and American identities,” according to Thevaki Thambirajah, the company’s founder. A New Yorker of Sri Lankan descent, Ms. Thambirajah worked in banking after graduating from Cornell and gained work experience at Revlon and Coty prior to launching Thevi (the company liquidated in 2011).

·      Vasanti Cosmetics, founded by Canadians Pinki, Priti and Monal in 1999, carries 140 products and retails in over 300 stores across Canada. “What makes our selection great for South Asian skin, including Pakistani complexions, is that our shades contain yellow and olive undertones that work brilliantly to give a natural look, while blending flawlessly into the skin without giving that white, chalky appearance,” describes company representative Chereiva Pointer. Interesting products to try include Vasanti Lip & Cheek Putty and Wonders of the World Concealer.  at Vasanticosmetics.com

·      Orissa Cosmetics launched in the UK in 2008 after founders Bhimal Hira and Mona Parekh “noticed women with darker skin tones, including Indian and Pakistani women, were under-represented in the mainstream cosmeticsindustry. According to Ms. Hira, “The Honey and Tender shades are two of our best selling foundation for Indian and Pakistani women. Gold, Bronze and Amethyst are the best selling eye shadows.” Available at Orissacosmetics.co.uk

·      Chamak Cosmetics was founded in 2010 by Texan makeup artist Sarah Ali after working at Chanel, YSL, MAC and Calvin Klein. “I noted what colours most women, in addition to medium to dark women, wanted and could never find: rich golds, bronzes, coppers, vivid shades and, in general, colours that would show up on their skin without having to apply 6 layers. I saw weak areas in the makeup market, which I could build my niche: a colour line for medium to dark toned skin. Women were also looking for natural looking, warm based foundations which still weren’t formulated perfectly since the traditional cosmetic bases were for pink and peach based skin tones,” she said in an interview.  Chamak products include Ada and Meethi Lipsticks, Jaanbaz and Shikari Eyeshadows, and the apricot-hued Hema Blush.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan:

One may regard wearing makeup as part of this country’s ancient heritage; our Indus Valley predecessors were among history’s earliest users of lipstick, after all. Not counting kajal eyeliners, Pakistan’s cosmetics industry has only just begun to evolve. In the eighties and nineties, consumers were restricted to low-end brands like Medora and Swiss Miss and the occasional smuggled international cosmetics displayed at shops devoid of testers. Since then, cosmetics racks from L’Oreal, Rimmel, Maybelline, Color Studio Professional and other pharmacy and department store brands finally provide consumers with some variety in their purchase. A new breed of women entrepreneurs, led by TV personality Ms. Odho and her Atiqa Odho Cosmetics line, and Luscious Cosmetics’ Mehrbano Sethi, address the needs of a medium income demographic with their homegrown brands created and developed in Pakistan, specifically for Pakistani women. The products themselves, however, are sourced overseas and imported into the country, so aren’t quite ‘Made in Pakistan’ just yet.

Celebrity Cosmetics for Multicultural Women:

The MAC Mickey Contractor Collection

This limited edition collection by ace Bollywood makeup artist (and Aishwariya favourite) Mickey Contractor last Spring included Mehr, Yash and Gulabi Lipsticks, Flesh Lipglass, Rani and Jaan Eyeshadows, and Siahi Fluidline eyeliner. Mr. Contractor is MAC’s Director of Makeup Artistry for India and famous for his ‘no-makeup’ minimalist look on Bollywood celebrities. “With this collection you could do a perfect nude makeup, a heavy smokey eye or a bright bold pink lip,” he said at the time.About the nude look, he added, “This look is not as easy as it is perceived to be. It calls for perfect blending, contouring and most importantly, matching the right shade of foundation to your skin…Quit trying to look fairer and embrace your natural skin tone!”

HD Dual Foundation and Salmon Concealer by Eve Pearl

New York–based celebrity makeup artist Eve Pearl uses video tutorials to guide her multicultural clients on evening out their skin tones. Ms. Pearl described the logic of her Salmon Concealer: “Most people are under the impression that the discoloration under the eye (known as the dreaded dark under eye circle) is purple in tone, but in actuality it is blue toned. Individuals who use a concealer that is yellow in tone (because yellow cuts purple on the colour wheel) think they are hiding those flaws, but they are really making them stand out! Salmon (orange on the colour wheel, which cuts blue) is the tone that will diminish and disguise those dark circles and make them totally disappear. I want everyone to stop using the wrong colour concealer and banish those raccoon eyes for good!”

Nuance by Salma Hayek and CVS

In 2011, actress Ms. Hayek used her celebrity status to introduce her Nuance brand to a mainstream multiethnic audience at thousands of CVS pharmacies across USA. Guided by Ms. Hayek’s grandmother’s traditional Mexican remedies and Vichy Lab background, Nuance’s Native American and Mayan inspired beauty products are made from ingredients like Brazilian tepezcouhite, blue agave and lime enzyme “to help every woman enhance the nuances that define her individual beauty."

Interview with actor Faran Tahir: A Lahori in Hollywood

A Lahori in Hollywood: Faran Tahir

By Laaleen Khan

http://tribune.com.pk/story/213050/a-lahori-in-hollywood-faran-tahir/

Pakistani viewers may recall actor Faran Tahir in crucial roles on Star Trek (as Starfleet Captain Richard Robau of the USS Kelvin in 2233), in Iron Man (as Raza, an Urdu-speaking character among a Hindi-speaking group of Afghani terrorists), and on a memorable episode of Grey’s Anatomy, where he played cancer-stricken Isaac (a well-liked lab technician at Seattle Grace Hospital who happened to be Muslim). Back in 1999, he also starred in one of the first desi-American indie flicks to hit the big screen, aptly titled ABCD, as Raj, an Indian American struggling with his cultural identity. 

An FC College, Berkley and Harvard alum, Mr. Tahir belongs to a respected group of thespians that convincingly portray various ethnicities, speak with multiple accents, and act with a subtlety rarely encouraged in this part of the world. In an exclusive interview with the Express Tribune, the native Lahori reveals his Hollywood experience, upcoming projects, and how he got to where he is today:

What are some of the responses you get in Hollywood when people realize you're Pakistani? 

Producers and directors are focused on how someone can enhance their product so there approach is more analytical. So if you fit into their vision then you are in, regardless of where you come from. Fans, on the other hand, have been extremely supportive.

How did you manage to reach where you are now? What encouraged you? 

A lot of hard work and the undying belief and support of my family.

Can you tell us about your upbringing and schooling in Lahore? 

Lahore is always a big part of my heart. I grew up in Model Town and attended Divisional Public School and Forman Christian College. I have made friends and memories, which shall stay with me till my dying day.

Was your family’s theatrical background (Tahir is a 3^rd generation actor; his father Naeem starred in Khuda Ke Liye) inspirational in your career?

Coming from a family so steeped in performing arts has been a great source of inspiration and caution. The time and energy spent on discussing plays, films and literature was an invaluable gift. I have witnessed people blossoming into incredible artists and I have also seen incredible artists get destroyed. My family has always been supportive but at the same time challenged me with some hard questions that made me do some soul searching.

As a Muslim and a South Asian, was it challenging to find a talent agent to represent you?

Finding an agent who works well with you is always challenging. I was lucky to find my first agent right out of my graduate work in theatre.

What's the best advice you've ever received?

Take your successes with humility and your defeats with bravery.

Have you ever experienced any form of ignorance or discrimination since you started your Hollywood career? 

Ignorance and discrimination generally comes from misinformation and misinterpretations. This happens everywhere. It doesn't matter whether you are in USA or Pakistan. It becomes our responsibility to engage people in constructive dialogue to change their minds. Combative stances never help.

How would you describe yourself in one line?

Forever an optimist.

What insight do you bring to mainstream film, TV and theater a non-white actor?

 There is a unique take on things that filters into your work because of your unique experience.

What kind of projects would you be interested in working on in Pakistan in the future? 

Any project that is well written and has a thought-provoking message (he will be appearing in Samjhota Express, a series directed by his brother Ali, later this year).

What has been your favourite part to date? 

(It’s) Hard to say. Any role you are working on must become your favourite at the time. It is the only way to do justice to it.

How long do you think it will take for Hollywood to get over its obsession for terrorist-centric storylines?  

In all fairness, it is a similar question to “what came first, the chicken or the egg?” Hollywood doesn't only produce films that have this storyline. Similarly, no one country or faith produces people using violence to solve issues.

What cultural genres can Pakistan offer that appeals to the global movie-going public, aside from clichéd topics like arranged marriage?

We have so much to offer: rich stories from our literature, folklore, mythology and history.

You appear on Warehouse 13 (a sci-fi series currently airing on American TV); can you tell us a little about what it’s about?

It is an interesting premise. The idea is that every great civilization, from the Ancient Egyptian, to Greek, Roman and Mughal, have been entrusted to safekeep a warehouse of artifacts that can have powers. These artifacts can be drawn from fiction and non-fiction. The struggle is to secure them before they get into the wrong hands. I play the head of the warehouse (Adwin Kosan). Very fun stuff.

Is Jinn (a recently completed supernatural film) a horror movie or a thriller with religious motifs? What can you tell us about your character, Ali? 

‘Jinn’ can be regarded as all of the above. It is also an attempt to bring a different understanding of jinns than what Hollywood has put forth like the ‘genie in the bottle’ (concept). Again, very fun stuff. My character is trying to be a lightening rod for jinns so that their attention is averted from my nephew.

In Two Mothers (recently completed and co-starring Mahnoor Balouch), you play a bereaved parent. Was this more challenging than, say, Iron Man?

Both (are) challenging in their own way! How do you make a bad guy believable? How do you make bereavement not melodramatic?

Do you think a film like Ashes (an inner-city drama about Indian-American gangsters) would do well in Pakistan if it were made or dubbed in Urdu? 

The storyline of ‘Ashes’ has a universal theme. It’s a story of two brothers—one spiraling into mental illness and the other into the world of drugs. They have no one to fall back on except each other. The story rings true regardless of where you set it.

Can you offer any advice for young Pakistanis who dream of making it in Hollywood? 

Never give up on your dreams. But to turn your dreams into realities, you have to work very hard.

Can you tell us about your family?

I am married to an incredible woman and have absolutely amazing children (Mr. and Mrs. Tahir live in San Diego with their daughter, Lena, and their son, Javan, who incidentally also acted in Iron Man).

What's the dumbest question anyone's every asked you?

‘Whom do you like better, your mother or your father?’...Please!

Brown is the New Black: South Asians breaking into mainstream Hollywood

South Asians in Hollywood: From fringe to mainstream

By Laaleen Khan

Published: July 6, 2011

http://tribune.com.pk/story/203704/south-asians-in-hollywood-from-fringe-to-mainstream/

ISLAMABAD: 

It seems that brown is the new black, and there’s no going back! The fast-growing South Asian-American demographic has led to some major changes in Hollywood studios. Motion pictures, sitcoms and TV dramas that started off featuring requisite African American, Hispanic and Asia-Pacific characters to represent diversity now also feature desis as bit part extras, token sidekicks, or prominent protagonists, not counting the production crew behind the scenes.

This is a significant leap for the Indo-Pak talent pool that’s been trying to break into the mainstream entertainment world, struggling to pay the bills while working in indie (independent) films on a shoestring budget.

Although there are several Hollywood heavyweights of South Asian ancestry working behind the scenes (M Night Shyamalan — born Manoj Nelliyatu Shyamalan, Tariq Anwar, Shekhar Kapur and Mira Nair), casting South Asians in mainstream Anglo-Hollywood projects has traditionally been limi-ted to projects set in the British Raj (Art Malik and Zia Mohyeddin), or with a backdrop of Third World squalor (Shabana Azmi and Om Puri), and even in soap operas, cast as randy Arab sheikhs (Kabir Bedi). Things have now changed, however; while actor Kal Penn (born Kalpen Suresh Modi) played teenaged Iranian-American terrorist Amer Ahmed on “24”, he also had the plum comedic role of Kumar in the Harold & Kumar films (the third instalment is out next Christmas).

It’s also likely that more and more desis are choosing film and theatre degrees as an alternative to traditional academic choices like medical, business, IT and law degrees. As a result, Hollywood’s new Indo-Pak breed is an eclectic group of trained, talented professionals whose craft humanises otherwise one-dimensional portrayals of South Asians as either insane terrorists in dram-atic features or goofy con-venience store clerks with an appalling accent in ensemble comedies (like Apu Nahasapeemapetilan on “The Simpsons”, as voiced by Hank Azaria). Although there are still plenty of computer geek and doctor parts for mocha-hued actors in mainstream Hollywood, they are now part of a wider spectrum of characterisations that include: The lovelorn co-worker (Kelly Kapoor, as played by Mindy Kaling, born Vera Chokalingam, in “The Office”); the geeky friend/colleague (Kunal Nayyar plays Raj Koothrappali on “Big Bang Theory” and Vik Sahey plays Lester Patel on “Chuck”); the boisterous college student (Kal Penn as Taj in Van Wilder 1 and 2); the rich playboy (Anil Kapoor as Brij Nath in Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol); the cancer-stricken surfer dude (Manish Dayal is Raj Kher on “90210”); the savvy British Asian doctor (Parminder Nagra as Dr Neela Rasgotra on “ER” and Reshma Shetty as Divya Katdare on “Royal Pains”); the pendu-but-likable Pakistani exchange student (Adhir Kalyan plays Raja on “Aliens in America”); the thwarted ex (Noureen DeWulf plays Melanie in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past); the attractive mathematician (Navi Rawat plays Amita Ramanujan on “Numb3rs”); the forbidden love interest (Bipasha Bashu is Tulaja Naik inSingularity); and the refreshingly non-Muslim comic-book villain (Irrfan Khan as Nels van Adder/Proto-Goblin in the upcoming The Amazing Spider Man).

In fact, actors with South Asian ancestry, including biracial ethnicities, are even getting cast for parts that could have been written for Caucasians, Hispanics or Italians: Aasif Mandwi played neurotic literary editor Bob Spaulding in Sandra Bullock’s The Proposal; Kal Penn was Dr Lawrence Kutner on “House MD”; Aziz Ansari  played Eugene in I Love You Man, Matty in Get Him to the Greek, and the hilarious Tom Haverford in “Parks and Recreation”; Aishwariya Rai Bachchan was cast as the feisty Mira in The Last Legion and Sonia Solandres in Pink Panther 2; Rhona Mitra’s savvy lawyer Tara Wilson moved from “The Practice” to “Boston Legal”; and Janina Gavankar, who played the Eva Torres in “The L Word”, is “True Blood’s” latest shape shifter in the form of Luna Garza.

International crossovers, between commercial Bollywood, the indie film festival circuit and mainstream Hollywood, create a more sophisticated global audience which appreciates — and expects — multiculturalism on screen as well as behind the camera.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 7^th, 2011.

On being South Asian in Hollywood:

“People who aren’t ethnic are just actors. There are not ‘white actors.’ Why do we have to be Indian actors? Why do we have to be Asian actors? Why do we have to be black actors? Why can’t we all just be actors? I’m just trying to be good at what I do, and it should be good enough...We are the generation who has been living a double-life — we’re doctors, lawyers, engineers, but we’re also artists. I think the next generation is going to be able to show their parents that this is an honorable profession and you can actually make a living. It’s really, really hard, but it is still worthy of a life, if you are dedicated to it.” Janina Gavankar (True Blood)

“The Indian parts that I’ve played, like in ‘The English Patient’ or ‘Kama Sutra,’ are parts that white people would have given their left arm to be able to play. That said, it’s always refreshing when something like “Easy” comes up where how it’s written in the script has nothing to do with India or race or color or any of that s**t...I think one of the reasons why I was pleased to do it (Bride and Prejudice) is because it’s one of those rare times where things aren’t defined by race or anything as boring as that…And obviously I’m talking to you now…not like the geezer on ‘The Simpsons.’” Naveen Andrews (Lost)

“There’s always been opportunity for me. If the role calls for a forty-something cabbie that doesn’t speak English, I’ll probably get a call, you know? But I get to make a living doing what I love, so it’s great.”  Iqbal Theba (Glee)

“It’s always difficult for any actor to break out of ‘type’ and ‘typecasting,’ and especially when you first start out, the first few years are particularly rough. I have been fortunate in my opportunities, and have now in the last 2 years, finally been able to work with amazing directors, writers, and producers who truly think outside the box. But it’s always an uphill battle trying to convince someone that you’re right for a role that they may have envisioned differently. Hopefully that continues to change for the better -- I think it’ll ultimately provide more equal opportunities, and better products for audiences.” Kal Penn (House)