Strategic Faces: A Makeup Guide For South Asians Navigating The Networking Game

A makeup guide for networking South Asian professionals with strategic beauty tips, pro products, and career-ready confidence.

Summer cocktails after a working day are a great way to unwind… but it is also a golden opportunity to network.  By network, I mean meeting new people from different industries and reinforcing positive rapport with colleagues.  In this blog, I explore the importance of networking and how we can use summer neutrals to project an easy, breezy beauty look that makes all shades of brown skin look professional and fresh.

Networking Is Essential for Everyone!

One of the greatest mistakes that I made early in my career was not networking enough. I was frustrated that people my age were starting in companies that I coveted and when I applied, I was rejected for not having experience.

After several months of looking for a job and failing, my friend and I met her neighbour, and we used to hang out.  He was a slightly older, American businessman who was friendly and offered words of encouragement.  We got to know each other and one day he suggested that I could replace his boss’ executive assistant who was on maternity leave.  Within a few days, I started my first real job.

If my friend and I had not put ourselves out there to meet people, I would not have met the friendly neighbour, and I likely would have languished a longer time looking for my first big break.  Looking back, I understood that many of my fellow graduates who had interesting first jobs had spent part of their time networking and that helps to establish your reputation, and to track unadvertised opportunities.

As I developed my networking skills, I understood that we are judged by our appearance, and no one is exempt.  I used to attend networking events with heavier makeup because I wanted to hide my acne scars, and I was trying to look like a confident, glamourous woman.  Unfortunately, at those events, even though I was technically looking glamourous, I was nervous that there was lipstick on my teeth, and that my concealer looked cakey.  Consequently, I was self-conscious, and I lost time checking my makeup rather than speaking to people.

Since those early days, I have mastered beauty techniques that carry me from day to the evening.  My biggest lesson is that neutrals work in the office, bars, conferences rooms and terraces and are the perfect go-to palette for both formal and informal networking occasions.

Complexion – Liquids And Concealer

The trick is to create a long-lasting complexion base such that you will only need to touch up at 5 pm.

After your skin care and sunscreen steps, pick a liquid base such as foundation or a tinted moisturiser to even out the skin tone.  I prefer liquid because you can control the application by applying thin layers and it is easy to dab and blend the product into the skin.  For example, if you have discolouration around the mouth, you can apply an extra layer of liquid on this area only.  I like to use a duck-billed stiff foundation brush to apply liquid products because the bristles glide evenly across the planes of the face, and you can always use a smaller concealer brush to add an extra layer on discoloured areas.

I am impressed with the new Benefit Cosmetics Porefessional Foundation because it is designed to blur pores, and since I have an oily T-Zone, I need help keeping my nose and cheeks matte during muggy July nights.  The collection contains 40 shades, so the rainbow of beauty in the South Asian community is well covered.  Moreover, the product’s niacinamide and rose hip extract smooth and refine the look of pores and the glycerin retains moisture.  As someone who used to have oily skin, I avoided products that retained moisture because I had enough oil to join OPEC, but this product is non-acnegenic, so this is a product that works for all skin types, including oilier ones.

If you prefer a lighter base, then I suggest using a product like Tula Skincare Radiant Skin, a serum that contains broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 (which should be used on top of a full layer of sunscreen); collagen that  helps to improve the look of fine lines; and ceramides and hyaluronic acid to moisturise. This product is not made for heavy coverage so if you have several discoloured areas, using a thinner base product will not create a uniform skin tone.

Concealer is essential, because dark circles are the beauty bane of many South Asian women and it is a great for touch ups prior to heading out for cocktails.  Since humidity mixes with my sebum to create a gloopy mess, and I need for a lightweight touch up product, I rely on concealer sticks during the summer.  My favourite concealer stick of all time is the classic Clé de Peau Concealer (12 shades), because you can apply thin layers of what feels like cream which then sets into the skin without settling into the lines.  The texture is incredible, and since it glides easily and sets easily, men who are looking for a swipe and go product should try this amazing concealer. Men tend to have thicker, oilier skin, and this product is magical in that it never looks cakey, it sets even if the skin tends to be oily.

I love that the shade I use for my circles, Toffee, has enough peachiness that I do not need a colour corrector.   I use Honey for the discoloured areas on my face.  The tubes are small and sleek and only weigh a few grams, so they are easy to pack for touch ups, and are unobtrusive, like a trusty lip balm, fitting perfectly into handbags and pockets alike.  When I am out, I just twist up the tube, dab a freshly washed ring finger on the top surface and then dab onto areas where my coverage has faded.

If your skin is drier in the contour area but oilier on the face, a dual ended option such as the Wander Beauty Dualist Matte and Illuminating Concealer (14 shades) is a fantastic option.  One end is a mattifying concealer stick that provides a heavier coverage for discoloured areas and the other end is an illuminating liquid concealer that adds brightness and coverage to the contour of the eyes.  It is also a small sized product, so it is perfect to pack into a purse and to use for touch ups.

Eyes – Soft And Fresh

A day in front of the screen can dull the brightest of orbs, and soft, neutral shades with a hint of shimmer keep them looking soft and fresh.  Modern neutrals, unlike their nineties cool-toned brethren, embrace all shades of barfi, nuts and coffee and even infuse hints of peach and rose.  These colours work with brown skin because they lift our tones and the shimmer finishes add lightness.

My favourite eyeshadow neutral eyeshadow quad is Clé de Peau Eye Color Quad Refill (the carrying case is sold separately) in Coral Reef.  The quartet of shimmery shades is comprised of chocolate milk brown, sandy gold, medium coffee and champagne peach and they work beautifully on light-to-medium skin tones.  The eye shadow quartet is in powder form but each shade glides effortlessly onto the skin, almost like a cream, and it stays put for several hours.  The application is light, so you need to build the intensity by adding thin layers. The colours are so light that you can twirl them together to create bespoke neutral shades, and they will always look professional.  I love covering mobile lid in the champagne peach shade; defining my crease by applying the sandy gold shade; and then creating a smoky line using the medium coffee shade.

For dark skinned beauties, the Clarins All-in-One Palette is a wonderful multi-purpose option because the quartet of pearlescent shades can be used on the eyes and cheeks.  I tried it out and I love that the powder imparts a light touch, so you can build the intensity by adding thin layers. The two key shades for the neutral eye look are the deep peach gold and medium chocolate brown shadows.  I prefer to add the former on the mobile lid and the latter in the crease.  A neat way to add verve to the look is to mix the rose shade with the chocolate brown before applying it to the crease.  There is a white pearly shade, and this one can be used as a topper applied to the centre of the lid before you head out for cocktails.  If you are looking exhausted, you can dab a bit of white to the inner corner of each eye to add brightness.

To define the eyes, reach for your trusty brown eye liner because it defines without overpowering the eye.  The fresh look is not about definition it is about a soft structure that is does not require upkeep.  This is key because when you are networking you do not want to worry that your cat eye is perfectly sharp. My favourite dark brown eyeliner is the Estée Lauder Double Wear 24H Waterproof Gel Eye Pencil because the pigment is rich  and it shows up as a deep brown.  The formula glides easily and it sets quickly, lasting for hours.  At the end of the day, I just refresh the corners, but the bulk of line is intact after a full day at work.

A great brown mascara that actually registers as a rich brown on dark eyelashes is the Lisa Eldridge Kitten Lash Mascara in Burnt Umber.  The brush head is filled with tiny bristles which are designed to separate and coat each lash in product.  The brown shade is akin to a deep chocolate brown that catches the light, and makes my eyes look enveloped in chocolate.  I love it!  My lashes are quite dark, and it is a treat to use a brown mascara that is impactful and looks brown.

Cheeks – Softly Lit

The cheeks, like the eyes, should continue to be swathed in soft, neutrals for a look that carries you from work to networking. In this area of the face, a hint of rose will infuse a soft flush, which creates a fresh look.  The cheeks are the largest area of the face and occupy prime real estate, so you can celebrate your bone structure.

If you prefer a powder blush, the Clarins All-in-One Palette is ideal.  The rose shade, when one shade is applied looks like a soft pink, that works on fair -to-medium skin tones.  If your skin is dark toned, a couple of thinly applied layers will look rosy and fresh.  To convert the look to evening, I suggest adding a single swipe of the milk chocolate shimmer on the highest point of each cheek.  The combination of both shades is glamorous.

If you prefer a cream stick, Milk Makeup Creamy Sheer Blush and Lip Color is a great option because of its portability (H: 4.9 cm, W: 2.5 cm) and its double function to colour the cheeks and lips means that you need to pack less when you network. The package has a twist off top, so you will have to close it properly every time and thus preserve the integrity of the formula so it will last accordingly.

This sheer formula glides on easily and in its wake leaves a translucid pigment peppered with shimmer.  I like to dab a touch on the top of each cheek and then blend into the bone.  I find that the product sets within 8-10 seconds and my skin looks lit from within.  The top three neutral, fresh shades that should be explored by all South Asian beauties are: Werk (dusty rose), Smirk (dusty rose shimmer) and Quirk (spiced rose).

If you prefer to impart a softly tanned look, without committing to overall bronzer, a great neutral option is the Vasanti Bloom Blush in Lily, a soft golden brown that reclaims brown blush for brown goddesses.  The formula contains Lotus Flower Extract, which contains minerals and antioxidants that help brighten the skin, so when you apply the product, you are also adding skincare and delivers pigment that works on all skin tones.

Lips – Glossy… And Fixed

In my youth, achieving the perfect pout was often a fatal combination of matte lipstick topped with a gloss. I say fatal, because lip glosses from the nineties and early aughts were sticky and tacky, and somehow an errant strand of hair always ended up being stuck to my lips.  No matter how gingerly I removed that errant strand of hair, I always found smatterings of lipstick and lip gloss on my cheek or jaw.  My disdain for lip gloss developed because the errant hair scenario always seemed to happen when I was networking.

I salute Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm because this formula brought me back to glossy lips and I love it!  The vanilla-scented formula glides on the lips flawlessly because the applicator tip is concave to accommodate the fleshiness of the lips. I love that there is sufficient pigment in the soft, neutral shades like Vanilla Beige and Brown Sugar, so that my lips are swathed in hint of colour, rather than looking excessively shiny because the pigment load was too weak for my pink-mauve lips.  To keep the lips looking softly defined, I complement the Lip Butter with a complementary neutral lip liner to softly define the mouth.  The lip combination can withstand drinks, but you will need to re-apply if you are eating anything remotely greasy (read: after one pakora you will need to refresh the lips with balm).

If you prefer a satin finish, the Milk Sheer Blush + Lip Color is an excellent option.  The product glides easily on the lips and leaves a sheen of colour that is soft and sophisticated.  The product has staying power and withstands a few rounds of mini samosas (with tamarind sauce) and a few spoonfuls of papri chaat before you need to refresh the lips.

If you prefer a matte finish, I heartedly recommend Clé de Peau Cream Rouge Matte in Chocolate Cosmos (light-to-medium skin tones) and Cordyline (deep skin tones), because the applicator is slightly bevelled at 85 degrees, so you can apply it easily to the lips, and the tip is round enough, so that you can quickly define the corners of the mouth.  The cream itself is richly pigmented, so even if you have mixed coloured lips, the colour in the tube is recreated flawlessly on the lips.  The formula settles to a soft matte finish so it has staying power but it does not settle into the lines and your mouth does not look shrivelled.  I can eat mini samosas, papri chaat, pakora and papadams, and not worry about lip fade.

Neutral Make-up – Making A Red Hot First Impression

Aside from your day job, networking is your full-time job because in this economy there is no such thing as lifetime contracts of employment, and you are more than just one job.  To access the hidden job market, even if you are going for margaritas after a day in front of a screen, you must keep your game face on.  Neutral makeup allows you to shine through and you are your own greatest asset, and its relaxed, easy colour palette means that you can focus on meeting people rather than worrying about sliding lip gloss.

Suggested Reading:

How South Asian Women Can Achieve the Perfect Summer Glow – No Sun Required

Is 2025 Pantone’s Color ‘Mocha Mousse’ a Wash for South Asian Skin Tones? Here is the Beauty Scoop!