Vanita Parti MBE Takes Us Inside Her Makeup Bag

Vanita Parti knows a thing or two about sculpting the perfect brow. The founder of Blink Brow Bar, the legendary beauty brand that introduced the ancient Indian art of threading into mainstream retail, Parti has worked her way into the foundations of the British beauty scene – and reinstated a love for the natural, yet elevated, brow.

‘Beauty as a child was very much about old Indian rituals – ancient practices that focus on ingredients and natural remedies to bring out the best in body and soul – and I love pouring them into Blink,’ she tells C&TH. ‘I see Blink as a place of respite, not only delivering confidence but also recalibrating.’

Below, Vanita Parti MBE takes us through her makeup bag, daily routine and the best piece of beauty advice she’s ever been given.

What’s Inside My Makeup Bag? With Vanita Parti MBE

Vanita Parti MBE

Let’s start with the bag itself – describe it for us.

It is from a brand called Anokhi, made in Jaipur. It is sky blue, gently quilted with a miniature hand block print. The perfect size but also a pleasure to look at.

What’s your pre-makeup beauty ritual?

I brow pinch – trust me it makes the world of difference in mood, skin and brow health. Then I follow with Blink Brow Boost Growth Serum and Blink Lash Boost which help deliver peptides to hair follicles and boost hair growth.

Let’s break down your makeup routine – prep?

In the morning, I use a serum, followed by a hydrating cream. I am fickle and jump from one brand to another, always trying different things. My current favourite is Kama, an Indian Ayurvedic brand and I am using the Kumkumadi range of serum and moisturiser.

Face?

I then cover with a tinted moisturiser from Nars. Foundations have never suited me and feels heavy, so I use a lightweight tint and then my Laura Mercier eye concealer to go over the blemishes.

Eyes?

I then go straight to the eyes. First, eyeliner along my waterline – I think every Indian girl will tell you that this is make up protocol. Then I add a touch of Trinny cream eyeshadow, followed by a long lasting, length defining mascara. It has to be something that can take me from day to night and doesn’t budget. Drum roll: the BBB Lash Lift mascara is the best.

 

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Finishing touches?

I then use Charlotte Tilbury’s Beauty Light Wand in Spotlight and the Nars Powder Blush in Orgasm for my cheeks, followed by Charlotte Tilbury’s So 90s matte lipstick – this nude-ish colour is an Autumn favourite –and finish with a setting spray.

What makes you instantly feel made up?

It has to be a great lash liner. Extending out the eyes makes them appear bigger and sexier for an evening out.

What’s the one piece of makeup you always carry in your handbag?

My Victoria Beckham eyeshadow stick in gold.

What’s he most expensive thing in your makeup bag?

Perfume – my current favourite is Catch Me If I Fall by La Pyae Apothecary.

And the most luxurious?

The Rich Cream by Augustinus Bader.

What about the hero product you can’t live without, and have used for years?

Clear brow gloss – without it my brows are lost and very droopy.

Tell us about a beauty trend you love?

Satin skin. A new take on the glass Skin trend, it creates the impression of flawless, smooth and natural skin, with the ‘satin’ finish taking it up a notch by balancing matte with a dewy finish, giving the look of an internal glow.

And one you can’t wait to see fall out of fashion?

Skinny brows, of course. We have no space to take on any more causalities! I would encourage experimenting with products to create a skinny brow rather than removing them as a safer way to keep up with trends.

 

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What’s something you did beauty-wise in your youth that you’d never do again?

I got a nose piercing that hurt like hell and looked terrible. I think it’s one of those things that either suits you or doesn’t. It was about the only thing my father allowed me to do as he saw it as part of my heritage rather than rebelling.

The best piece of beauty advice you’ve been given?

Jaimineey Patel, Blink’s global brow stylist, once shared how a swathe of highlighter under the arch of the brow gives it an instant lift.

What’s your beauty philosophy?

Rich oils are the answer to everything, and they should regularly be massaged into brows, hair and skin. I resented my mother oiling my hair as a young girl, but am so grateful for it now. I do the same with my girls and also find it’s a time to relax and catch up – no phones.

What item do you think should be in every makeup bag?

An excellent SPF (I use Allies of Skin’s Invisible Sunscreen). You never know when the sun is going to shine, especially in the UK. I’m also putting forward my mini roll on blush stick from Westman Atelier, as well as Blink’s Brow Gloss and a lip treatment oil.

Makeup: for touch-up or self-expression?

Touch up for me, but I love the artistry that goes into it – and how many women who have the skill use it as a form of identity.

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