To a future with glam!

Sun Feb 24, 2019 12:00 AM Last update on: Sun Feb 24, 2019 12:00 AM

There comes a time when every civilisation faces a conundrum. Without a doubt, it is the thought of what lies ahead. For eons, mankind has evolved, progressed and has had a constant thirst to achieve more. We have fought countless battles, built enormous structures, excelled by leap and bounds, all in the name of achievement, and yet, we are insatiable in our quests.

The past fascinates us, and present keeps us occupied, but it is the future that truly has all our attention.

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In the grand scheme of things, that's what everything is for, right?

Since time immemorial, human beings have practiced foresight in every aspect of life — houses were built so posterity could have shelter; lands were acquired so they could harvest and put food on the table. Procreation forms the backbone of our kind as we want to carry our legacy in the future. We have always been obsessed about what awaits us, and we prepare for it to the best of our might. Human nature has been shaped by evolution in many stages; we are programmed to think, act and decide, keeping the future in mind. From an artistic perspective, it has always been a recurring theme. Writers of all calibre have explored the fantasy of travelling into the future since as early as the 17th century; most notably, in The Time Machine by H G Wells, where scientific elements were used as plot device to take this idea further. Cinematically speaking, there have been hundreds of movies that depict travelling to the future, with its pros and cons. Following the landing of a man on the moon, a whole new world of possibilities opened up, changing the course of mankind's fate forever, inspiring the expression of art in all forms.

In the sartorial world, the future precedes the present. Designers are constantly seeking inspiration for the next season, churning out trends, ideas, and looks for those watching and keeping track. There is rarely a dull moment. It's always onto the next big thing. While living in the present, we are looking towards the future. And to a certain extent, we are in the future. At one point, cellphones were the fantastical gadgets limited to our imagination and the pages of science fiction novels, and here we are now, at 2019, scrolling through world news, catching up with friends all over the world, learning to cook exotic dishes and learning how to blend and contour like a pro, all this just with a smartphone!

With one foot in the future, we are already thinking — what will fashion and beauty look like when we get there?

Futuristic makeup has been the hottest trend in beauty for a while, as well as in fashion. Perhaps, this is a natural shift in perspective because let's face it, we have overdosed on contouring, halo eyes, smoky eyes, cut-creases and double cut-creases! A brake has been hit and it is now time to switch gears onto other dimensions!

Let's start with the basics —

skin is always the first step.

Ditch heavy foundation, and pick a luminising CC cream that covers blemishes. Swipe on a purple-pink highlighter with a silvery sheen that will bring a lunar glow to your cheekbones, but don't just stop there!

Take it to your forehead, bridge of nose and inner corners of nose and eyes. You will see the future through your eyes, so start with them. Brows will be bolder, but groomed, minus any arch. They will also be darker, perhaps with a dash of colour on them.

Neon stands out, as does pastel! The fashionistas of the future will not be afraid to make a statement with a serious edge, and will choose eyeliner as the weapon of choice. There will be major playing with shape and colour.

A straight sharp line, a thick, graphic swipe or a block of colour running across the eye with winged ends will possibly be the order of the day. Optic white, space silver, periwinkle or electric blue will look cyber-chic. Transcendence of the space and outer galaxy will be channelled in makeup by using sparkling eye shadows reminiscent of moon dust, and used in place of traditional coloured ones. And its use will not just be limited to the eyes, but face, hair and body will get generous doses of it. Another exciting addition could be the use of metallic tattoos on the face, evoking an alien-like feel.

If you are going to the future, your lips better be ready to take on any challenge!

A deep berry shade that has a hint of sparkle in it is probably going to look great, but the application may not be so precise. A smudge of glitter on bare lips with a bare face is wonderfully otherworldly. Makeup may lose its definitive quality; there will perhaps be more freedom in terms of expression, in that there will be no more rules.

Cheekbones may be highly contoured or just left bare, simply with a spot of colour on one side. Traditional blush shades of pink and peach will be ditched altogether; fake flush will simply not cut it for the future fashionista. Instead, she will choose sparkle and shimmer to highlight her extraterrestrial leanings!

The reality is we are progressing into a time of no rules, and no boundaries. Exciting times await us where all will be accepted and no judgment allowed in any aspect of life. So why should there be boundaries in a space as inherently creative as makeup? It's time to look outside our own galaxy and explore, stimulate and ultimately, embrace the boundless nature of universe into the future!