There is an audience watching with rapt attention as Namrata Soni picks up a brush, and sweeps it across the cheeks of a model seated in front of her. 2026 marks 26 years since the celebrated make-up artiste first picked up a brush, beginning a career that has spanned films, editorial spreads, brides and weddings, co-founding makeup brand Simply Nam and teaching thousands of students through her make-up academy.“There are very few of us in the world who find what we love to do and eventually start getting paid well for it,” she laughs. “And I feel very lucky that I wake up every day, and get to make someone feel beautiful. I think that’s very rare, and it has been incredible,” says Namrata. While Namrata’s film credits include Om Shanti Om, Aisha, and Khoobsurat, she is especially known for her long-standing association with actor Sonam Kapoor, having been behind several of her memorable Cannes appearances and big fashion moments.In Chennai, Namrata led a make-up masterclass as part of Phoenix MarketCity’s Beauty Xperience, an immersive festival for beauty brands, enthusiasts and creators earlier this month. The audience at her masterclass, and the crowds at the festival, were a clear indication; of how beauty, once relegated to the glam, glitzy and the famous, has now become a part of our everyday lives, finding its way into our homes and our handbags.Nearly two decades on, Namrata acknowledges the rapid evolution of the beauty industry, and says that the creative landscape has undergone significant change. “The kind of shoots we used to do, the events, the make-up and hair…everything was so different. In the past, everybody was willing to experiment and try something new. Now, with social media playing such a huge factor and people having so many opinions, I think people have gotten very scared of what they want to try and choose to play it safe. I can probably think of a couple of people who maybe want to do something different, that too only if it is photographed well,” she says.Namrata Soni’s beauty tips for the summer - Do not wear too many layers on your face. Start with a simple moisturizer that works for your skin. If you have oily skin, use serum or gel based moisturiser and if you have dry skin, then use a thicker moisturiser.- Apply a primer only where you have large pores or an oily T-zone, and not all over your face. Allow your skincare to set for five minutes- Apply some loose powder with a powder puff. all over your face, and then go in with your foundation or your concealer and buff it in with a big foundation brush. This will give you perfect coverage and will not look powderyWhile she has consciously chosen to step back from films, Namrata says she has her hands and schedule full with brides (she is gearing up to jet set to Lake Como for a wedding soon), masterclasses at her make-up academy, and working on new products for her make-up brand Simply Nam.After working on over 15,000 faces across a 21-year career as a make-up artiste, Namrata says it felt only natural to launch her own brand in 2021, with Hanna Strömgren Khan, who incidentally was one of her brides.