Sreenanda Shankar touches lives in a special way. Her passion, apart from dancing like mother Tanusree, is giving women a makeover. But it’s not just about looking beautiful for the camera. Sreenanda picks “real and everyday women with inspiring personalities” and gives them “an extension of their personalities”. “It is a means of expression for me,” says Sreenanda, armed with a foundation course in make-up from London. Her Facebook page Makeover Madness, created in March 2012, has already seen some 65 makeovers. t2 caught up with the dancer-turned-make-up artist...

How did you come up with the idea of Makeover Madness?

Most women are very insecure about their looks, and so was I. I have been overweight all my life and I see the difference in the way I am treated after I started to take care of myself. I also noticed that there are very few resources available to real, everyday women to help them discover and enhance their individualistic beauty. So I created Makeover Madness where I started to share easily achievable looks with simple make-up tricks that can be pulled off by most women.

Who are the women you do makeovers for?

I love doing makeovers for all kinds of women. Most women in our country don’t even realise how beautiful they are! It’s amazing to see the positive change in their lives and attitude after a makeover. Of course, celebrities already know what to do or have their own make-up artists, so a demonstration on them would not be helpful to my members. However, I would love to work on some famous business or sports women someday.

Do you remember a makeover that touched you?

My makeovers are always an extension of a woman’s own personality. I have a friend in the US who has vitiligo patches on her face. The first time I spoke to her, she was a depressed individual who was demotivated with life because of those patches. Her makeover was very touching for me. Now her approach towards life is much more positive and she hasn’t looked back!

Do you charge a fee?

I have done more than 65 free makeovers since I created the page. I have always used the best make-up products and I have to keep updating new shades. That, with the excess baggage I pay for travelling, made me think about how I could maintain what I am doing. So in order to continue supporting all this, I have now started accepting paid makeovers, which includes a photo shoot.

Finally, what means more to you — dance or make-up?

My primary profession is and will always be dance, but I do have big plans for Makeover Madness. I will be doing more experimental makeovers and I want to start conducting workshops and eventually come out with a Makeover Madness book.

SREENANDA’S MAKE-UP MANTRAS

1 The best way to look good is to be yourself. How we dress or do our make-up should be an extension of ourselves. Discover your own style and develop it.

2 Whatever eye make-up you do, finish it with mascara.

3 Prime your lips with a nude lip liner before applying lipstick so that you get an even coloured base to work on. And the lipstick stays on longer too!

4 Buy a foundation that completely matches your skin tone by matching the shade with your neck. Foundation is not meant to make one fairer, it’s meant to even out your complexion. Accept and love your own skin tone.

5 Go for light eye make-up and bright lips this season.

“My mother is my diva. There are very few women I have come across who get it right every time. She is a woman of natural beauty and elegance. Over the years she has introduced me to many of the make-up brands I love now. Yes, I have done her make-up several times and her makeover was a great hit on Makeover Madness!” — Sreenanda on mom Tanusree Shankar

“This was the first time I went for a makeover after I developed vitiligo on my face in 2010. In fact, I had no idea how to use make-up. Sreenanda’s makeovers have completely changed the way I look at myself. She made me embrace my beauty, including my patchy face. It boosted my self-esteem and completely changed my outlook towards life,” said New York-based Bansari Thacker, Sreenanda’s friend

“Every woman should take out time for herself. Makeovers are a personal revelation, they give one a new perspective and help build self-confidence. It was ‘me-time’ for me,” smiled social activist Pranaadhika Sinha Devburman

“Make-up has always fascinated me and Makeover Madness helped me understand what ‘suits me best’,” said Priyanka Mullick, a second-year masters student of Shri Shikshayatan College

What is your message for Sreenanda? Tell t2@abp.in