Bridal beauty is something we talk about a lot here.  Tips, tricks, must haves, and the big no nos. So, grab a cup of chai and get comfy because this could take awhile. I was thrilled when the Indian beauty gurus of Ziba, Sumita and Oscar, stopped by to discuss the latest and greatest on one of my favorite topics.


Ziba is the Arabic word, (as Sumita’s mother, the founder of Ziba, grew up in Iraq) for beauty. Sumita, the CEO of Ziba Beauty, can be thought of as their art director.  Anything to do with trend forecasting or design probably came from Sumita’s vision. Sumita grativtates toward Indian patterns and has a passion for make-up that is apparent within seconds. So, it comes as no surprise that this expert in bridal make-up, is also famous for doing mehndi a different way.  Unique designs, intricate details, all with a the Sumita twist.  She has worked with the industry’s best and even done mehndi for Madonna, Gwen Stefani, and Liv Tyler!  So, what happens when this make-up super star gets too busy for all the brides? She goes out and finds an equally as talented, edgy make-up artist…Oscar…


“Oscar is the one accessory no Indian bride should walk down the aisle without!” sings one of Oscar’s former brides. Oscar came to Ziba 8 years ago, armed with 25 years of  experience under his make-up brush filled belt.  He was then trained on the subtleties of Indian make-up and styling by Sumita.


Oscar 1 copy


So what does Oscar carry in his bag of bridal beauty tricks?  Since a make-up bag doesn’t have the square footage he needs, he has a suitcase filled with dozens of shades of each color of the rainbow, and a set of brushes that stretch out to almost 5 feet long. “I am very picky about foundation,” say Oscar, “brides need to have that flawless, porcelin glow on their wedding day and airbrush foundation is the only way to achieve it.” Some of his other favorites are brushes by Trish Mcevoy & Kevin Aucion, eyelashes by Make Up Forever, bright lipstick, and Ziba’s own liquid liner.  “With this liner, you can jump, cry, or do whatever, and it isn’t going anywhere!” says Oscar.


Did you know that liquid liner is the most popular bridal make up tool?  To get that expertly applied look Oscar gave us a mini lesson:


1. Start with an angled pointy brush.  Don’t use a straight brush because you won’t get the control you need and it will end up looking messy.
2. Next, stretch you lid. This is the one time you MUST stretch your eyelid.  Your dermatologist might yell at you for doing this, but trust me, it won’t look the same without this critical move.
3. Starting at the inner corner of your eye, work the angle brush across your eye toward the outside. Apply a thinner line near your nose and gradually making the line thicker & heavier as you move out towards your hairline.”
4. Finish with 3 coats of your favorite mascara…and, Voila! Cat eyes that will make Aish jealous!


Thanks to Sumita and Oscar, from Ziba, for stopping by and I will leave you with this quote from Oscar who truly adores his job, “When the bride turns around, thanks me and tells me that she loves her look it is the best feeling in the world.”