Meet the man who changed the way Bollywood divas look

Daniel Bauer has created some of the most iconic and contemporary looks in Bollywood. We peek into the makeup artist's journey so far

It's 9.30 am in a Mumbai studio where Daniel Bauer has been shooting non-stop for a video. The Oscars have just got over and there is an obvious curiosity about the red carpet looks. In the video, Daniel is seen giving a detailed, step-by-step tutorial on how to replicate these looks, sans the red carpet and the designer gowns. Never mind if it means he is currently on the 15th hour of work, and is soon to accompany Anushka Sharma as the actress sets out to promote her new film Phillauri.
Ever since the German makeup artist set foot in Bollywood almost eight years ago, Daniel Bauer, 40, has slowly and steadily been redefining the fine art of makeup in the industry. From typically bold and contoured makeup to a natural, nude look, his range is wide and canvas even bigger - from former Miss World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Deepika Padukone to Katrina Kaif, almost all leading ladies of Bollywood seek his services.
He may be the toast of tinseltown today, but Daniel's is a journey that started from the most unlikely quarters - the medical ward of Haar Hospital in Munich, where he was in training to be a psychiatric nurse. That does sound like an unlikely journey, but the sharp-witted Daniel has an explanation ready, "I've often made jokes that a career in psychiatric nursing certainly equipped me to deal with some 'model moments', but in my early 20s, I was under a different pressure. On one hand, I wanted a career, which would allow me to explore the creative side of my personality. On the other hand, I needed a steady career, a job to pay the bills and keep my parents happy. A safe and steady career plan is important to the German culture," Daniel, whose mother is Thai-Indian and dad German, jokes.
He makes his dilemma sound comical, but the truth is that it saw him juggling three jobs - during the day, he was training to become a psychiatric nurse; in the evening, he'd study makeup at Rosemarie Schneider's Munich Beauty Company (she'd only take nine students in a year); and at night, he'd be working in a bar to fund his obligation as well as his passion.
The choice became simpler once he roughed it out in all three roles. Makeup, it was! Armed with a degree now, Daniel decided to live and work in different parts of the world to acquaint himself with the latest trends in beauty. The sensibilities that formed then inform his work now. Having made Australia his home in the early 2000s, he began to work across Europe and Asia. It was during this time that his craft evolved as he began to create looks for fashion weeks, magazine editorials and music bands, working with A-listers such as the British model Alek Wek, the boy band Blue and American actress and singer Hilary Duff. Naturally, when Bollywood came calling, he was not too awestruck at the prospect of working with desi stars. "Those jobs were exciting and because I knew all of them from watching TV and reading magazines, I saw them as the celebrities they were. The thing I laugh about now is that when I came to India, I was lucky enough to work with the biggest names. I think they were somewhat amused by how unfazed I was."
It was an assignment to shoot the cover for L'officiel magazine that saw Daniel visiting Indian shores for the first time in 2008. Back then, there weren't too many international makeup artists working in the industry. Soon, word about his work spread. "I think people found out that a new international makeup artist was in town and so they began to approach me. In the first year itself, I had worked with Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Sridevi and Vidya Balan. I didn't know who they were. That helped me establish an ease. Being a foreigner, it's easy to open doors. But the expectations are far higher. In a way, it's a double-edged sword."
Even if it is so, Daniel makes it seem effortless. Be it creative makeup or minimal makeup, he has brought in a new sensibility, which has often seen actresses trying out different looks. "I can read people and approach them in a different way. Everyone has flaws - sometimes the nose is not perfect, sometimes lips are too big - but the whole idea is to balance it out. Indian women, for instance, have great eyes, and that is something I like to play on." His USP lies in working on natural skin tones, which essentially translates into a dusky Deepika achieving a radiant look while staying within her complexion. "Harsh contouring has been trending, but I believe in soft strobing where your natural features stand out. We need to celebrate raw beauty," says Daniel, 40. "The problem is, in Asia, people are obsessed with fairness. So even when they do makeup, they tend to go 7-10 shades lighter, which makes the skin look ashen. If people were to stay in their skin tones, they'd look more healthy."

As someone who has created some of the most talked about looks for Bollywood celebrities lately, we ask Daniel what has prevented the actresses from creating an impact at international red carpets. Initially defending their choice of staying in their comfort zones, he eventually admits that experimentation is key to leaving a mark on a global platform. "An international red carpet is more about making statements. Most leading ladies are more comfortable with their signature styles and there is nothing wrong with that. However, when you walk an international red carpet, you are judged on very different parameters, and experimentation is the key there."
On his social media pages, one can routinely see pictures of Daniel giving his celebrity clients some of the most awe-inspiring looks. However, it is the gorgeous pictures of him with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan that leave one spellbound. How does one make the world's most beautiful woman look more beautiful? "She has a star presence. Even if you cannot see her, you know somebody very special is in the room. When you work with Aishwarya, you know tens of millions of people will be watching your work. There is no room for error and if that means you just have 40 minutes to do hair and makeup even though you planned for double that time, you still need to make that happen. She is so fair that I almost always have to go two shades darker on her complexion. Seven years ago, when I worked with her for the first time, I thought she was one of the most beautiful women in the world. I now know for certain it's true."
Today, Daniel's skill as a makeup artist has not only been recognised by beauty influencers in India, but also in the UAE. Well-known makeup artist Nina Ubhi (of www.ninaubhi.com), says he has injected a fresh perspective of makeup into the film industry. "Makeup in Bollywood has always been quite 'safe' and artists have generally always used earthy tones on the eyes. The most they would change would be the lip colour. So I think Daniel has introduced a variety of looks into the industry. You can easily differentiate between the looks as opposed to it being the same makeup look but just on different faces." Beauty blogger Injeel Moti is particularly fond of the way Daniel has incorporated natural makeup. "Some of the Bollywood beauties he has dolled up for recent events look effortlessly beautiful. His technique highlights the best features on the face whilst maintaining a natural look."
This March, Daniel is also taking the next big leap by launching his own makeup institute. For someone who does not believe in having 'qualifications' to become a makeup artist, isn't this reinforcing the very idea? "I am not looking to 'qualify' these students, but give them a grounding so that they can hope to make a mark. When I was growing up in Bavaria, I knew nothing about makeup until I saw a makeup artist friend doing magic with his brush. So I enrolled with Rosemarie Schneider and she introduced me to Kevyn Aucoin's The Art of Makeup and Making Faces. Till date, Rosemary and Kevyn remain an inspiration to me. They made names for themselves in the '80s and '90s and created looks that artists still look up to. Rosemarie instilled in me the idea that there is nothing called a 'qualified makeup artist'; you are never qualified for this job, the day you stop learning is the day you stop." For now, however, there is nothing stopping Daniel!
TREND ALERT
"The most essential technique is blending; there is literally no such thing as too much blending. 2016 was the year of contouring, where the 'sculpt look' was everywhere. This coming season, soft strobing will be the biggest beauty trend. Ironically, professional makeup artists have been doing this for years, helping celebrities the world over illuminate and shine; we call the technique 'highlighting'. It's the little makeup magic trick to give your skin that ethereal glow. Fresh, dewy skin is one of my favourite looks and not a day will go by without an actress sporting this look. Here, you highlight the high points on your face, so the light captures them. The look offers a semi-hydrated feel, so that you look fresh, healthy and radiant. Once done, you can opt to either enhance the lips or eyes - never both. Let either your eyes or lips do the talking." - Daniel Bauer
DANIEL' TOP LOOKS

Kareena Kapoor Khan: When I arrived in Mumbai, two actresses defined the beauty industry in India - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan for L'Oreal and Kareena Kapoor Khan for Lakme. Within a few years of working in India, I was approached by Lakme to become its makeup brand ambassador. Together with Kareena, we created some truly iconic beauty campaigns. We set out to create looks that would inspire the Indian consumer and six years on, we are still going strong. With Kareena, I did not follow an international template, but created something specifically for India.

Deepika Padukone: Every girl should have her own signature lipstick. Season after season, the Marcella lip grows in popularity. The key to making this lip work is finding the right shade. The challenge with the dark lip trend is that when it's photographed, it tends to look very dark, while in person, it can look a little lighter. If you're going somewhere and you know you'll be snapped, go a shade or two darker than normal. If you know it's just you and your family or friends, then go for the usual dark tone for the maximum glamour quotient. Matching the right dark lip with a saree is one sure way to achieving the regal look. Deepika was one of the first notable actresses in Bollywood to pair a dark lip with quintessentially Indian outfits.

Katrina Kaif: Katrina has flawless skin, so doing her makeup is all about enhancing it. She's not the one for fussy makeup, but can certainly pull off a smoky look like no other. Katrina's signature makeup look is highlighting. I call it soft, dewy skin. It's guaranteed to photograph fantastically well and gives a beautiful, effortlessly youthful glow. It's guaranteed 10/10 every time.
anamika@khaleejtimes.com