Behind The Beauty with Leiya Phinao Ningshen
- Jul 31
- 6 min read
Leiya Phinao Ningshen got her start eighteen years ago, after a friend told her to apply for the role of a makeup artist at MAC Cosmetics India. "My initial few weeks were just training and I remember them being both super intensive and very exciting at the same time. I was very overwhelmed but my love for beauty and my work got me through those initial days."
Now, Phinao Ningshen serves as the National Artist for MAC, a role that has her splitting time between Mumbai and Delhi, along with frequent travel around the world. Below, more on her favorite foundation that gives up to twenty-four hours of coverage, the moisturizer that she shares with her husband, the beauty rule that she has unlearnt, and the three beauty products that she wishes existed.
A TYPICAL DAY IN MY LIFE really depends on which city I am in! I shuffle between Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai on most days. My days in Mumbai are pretty hectic; when I'm there, I visit the corporate office in Bandra where we meet with the internal and external teams. I also squeeze in a shoot here and there. If I'm in Delhi, I am typically working on designer collaborations, campaign shoots and editorials. I also visit our stores from time to time to shoot some content there or interact with the in-store artists.
When I'm in Chennai, I take on bridal and wedding makeup appointments.
I really enjoy having a different schedule each day; I don't think I could sit in front of a laptop all day and I don't think I could be on set all day either. I love traveling and meeting new people so while being in a different city every week and the long and odd hours of my job can get tiring on occasion, all these different aspects of my job also inform each other and ultimately make me a better makeup artist.
MY EVERYDAY MAKEUP IS very subtle. I love a good base and am a foundation girl through and through; I always wear foundation, no matter where I'm going. I am always experimenting but the one I constantly keep coming back to is the Studio Fix Fluid Foundation from MAC Cosmetics. It is a super versatile foundation that can be used both as a tint for daily wear and also stretched for full coverage if you’re going for a more glamorous look. For skincare, I love Clinique — we're constantly replenishing the Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator in our house (my husband is a fan as well!). Whether it is summer or winter, I love using it throughout the year. As for fragrances, I am always collecting perfumes; my signature is the Tom Ford Black Orchid Eau De Toilette. It can be a little too strong for summer though, so I switch it up with the Peony & Blush Suede Eau De Cologne from Jo Malone.
A MAKEUP TREND THAT I KEEP COMING BACK TO is the '90s glam look. I am very inspired by the '90s; I love incorporating shades of browns and neutrals in my looks with subtly sculpted eyes, lips and cheeks. Overall, though, I look at trends more as entertainment than anything else; I might incorporate them on occasion if it resonates with the client but I also think that there are a lot of trends that look great on camera but don't necessarily translate well in real life.
A BEAUTY RULE THAT I HAVE UNLEARNED IS that your makeup doesn't always have to be flawless. When I started working, I was trained to do makeup that fit into these strict groups of what worked and what didn't — the concealer had to hide all spots, the brows had to be perfectly symmetrical, the foundation had to be applied to cover the entire face. Over the last few years, however, I've seen that we're embracing individuality more and more and I really love to see that. We're now moving away from the more constricting definitions of what perfect or symmetric means, and going towards a more balanced look that incorporates the personality of the wearer while still doing what makeup is supposed to do (aka make people feel good about themselves when they look in the mirror).
A PART OF MY JOB THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE is traveling! I am always on the move, whether it is for a fashion show, or a shoot, or a wedding. There's also a lot that goes on behind the scenes; negotiating, problem-solving, managing people is all part of the game as a makeup artist. I also have really long days that begin in the early hours of the morning and go on till late in the night and a lot of times I can't always fall asleep as soon as I'm done; having used brushes in your kit is never a good look for a makeup artist and I always make sure to clean and sanitize them as soon as I'm done for the day, even if that means staying up.
A THOUGHT THAT HAS CHANGED THE WAY I THINK OF MY JOB is that the makeup is important, but is just a part of the equation. There is so much involved whether it is a campaign shoot or fashion show or a bridal look — hair, lighting, photography — and the final result really depends on how well all of these liaison with each other. It's not just about how good I am as a makeup artist, but how well the entire team works with each other.
MY EXPERIENCE AS A MAKEUP ARTIST HAS TAUGHT ME that beauty is not a single standard. I've worked with a diverse range of clients across different age groups and from all walks of life and the same definition of beauty cannot be applied to all of them. Understanding what makes each client is important and I think the industry is heading in the right direction when it comes to this by incorporating more diversity across the board. There's always more that can be done, though, and I think that this will always evolve given how quickly our industry is constantly changing.
I FIND INSPIRATION IN traveling! I am constantly on the go for my work anyway, but I also make sure to take vacations as often as I can. Traveling also helps me understand how the same product can be used in different ways by consumers and makeup artists in other countries. For instance, I was in Kuala Lumpur for the IIFA Awards many years ago and I was working alongside a Korean makeup artist who was using the MAC Ruby Woo lipstick in a very different way compared to how I had seen it being used in India. He did a really light, sheer application as compared to India, where it tends to be bolder and more defined. Experiences like these have really helped expand my vision and creativity and make me a better makeup artist. As part of my job, I also go to the fashion weeks at Paris and Milan every year and I am so inspired by the work of the makeup artists who bring the looks to life with their incredible talent. It is an amazing experience for a makeup artist to see the talent on display, of both the fashion houses and the artists backstage.
A BEAUTY TRICK THAT I SWEAR BY is that you don't need to chase every bestseller or own every new launch. Having a few products that work for your skin and even more importantly, knowing how to use them is all that you really need.
A BEAUTY PRODUCT THAT I WISH EXISTED... a multi-use product that works equally well on the lips, cheeks and eyes. There are a lot of products that can be used on the lips and cheeks but since the skin on the eyes is more sensitive, there isn't anything that works on all three areas together. I would also love a complexion product that has neutral undertones. They look beautiful and work so well, especially if you're trying to get that skin-like finish! And lastly, a good lip liner with a more diverse range of brown shades that work for all Indian skin tones.
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