New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) TV soap queens Tulsi and Parvati of “Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi” and “Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki” are often seen “sleeping” with layers of make-up on their faces – but experts warn against replicating this as using greasepaint for long hours considerably damages the skin. According to renowned herbal beautician Shahnaz Hussain, “cleansing the skin at night, before bedtime, is very important, not only to remove make-up but also dirt, pollutants, sweat deposits and other impurities.” “At night, the pores should be left free to breathe. The skin should not be smothered with heavy make-up or cream during the night while sleeping as the body’s repair and restoration work takes place at that time.
“This includes the renewal of skin cells. The youth of the skin depends on an efficient cell renewal process. So, the skin should be left clean while this process goes on,” Hussain told IANS. Hema Pant, another skin specialist, voiced a similar opinion. “The coloured cosmetics that are used can cause contact allergies. Therefore, the skin should be left free at night so that it can breathe,” Pant, a senior dermatologist at Kaya Skin Clinic, a skin care solutions centre, said.
Using make-up for an entire day aggravates premature skin ageing, she added. Although the fashion statements of screen characters do influence many women, Hussain feels that “many viewers are wise enough to realise that heavy make-up is only part of the glamorous world of television and movies.”
TV soap stars concur with the experts. “I always try and take off my make-up before going to sleep,” said Sarah Khan, the “fairer” of the two girls in “Sapna Babul Ka…Bidaai”. “I get so irritated with the make-up that we have to wear all day for the shoots that I always make it a point to remove it before I sleep,” she added.
Gunjan Walia, who plays Radha in “Parrivar-Kartavya Ki Pariksha”, went to the extent of saying that soap directors should be “a little more realistic” in their portrayals. “Less glamour should be associated with night scenes without oodles of make-up and jewellery (as is the case now), she added.
The extent of make-up should also depend on how photogenic a person is, Gunjan felt. “Not everyone is blessed with natural beauty. Therefore, we have to put on make up before we face the camera as this appeals to the viewers,” she said. Both Gunjan and Sarah use cleansing moisturisers and toners, while the latter also applies papaya on her face once a week to keep her skin young and glowing.
— By Vidushi Bhatia
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