On a typical day at home in Thailand, “I don’t even think about how to do my makeup,”  admits the Indian-born, Bangkok-based designer Saloni Lodha with a laugh. Her artisan-crafted brand of colorful dresses—called Saloni (which translates to “beauty” or “unique” in Sanskrit)—and her philanthropic work with organizations in India keep her too busy. 

A serendipitous meeting with Gucci piqued her curiosity a few weeks back. Now, in New York City for a friend’s weekend wedding—and fresh off a two-flight, 28-hour travel journey—Lodha is ready for a crash course.  

She kicks things off at her light-filled Manhattan showroom with a deep exfoliation using her favorite Zein Obagi cleanser for an instant reset.   Once the pair is seated and ready to go, Gucci performs a quick lymphatic drainage with the depuffing Eye Activator serum to calm jetlagged lids, while a few pumps of the hydrating and tightening Skin Activator Serum preps the rest of Lodha’s face. 

Skin Activator Serum & Eye Activator Serum

“I’m someone who likes to get dressed in five minutes,” Lodha explains of her no-fuss approach—even for an elegant wedding party. So Gucci keeps the pre-party makeup application simple and impactful, too.   There’s a creamy, melt-in Vital Skin concealer moment to cover dark circles and uneven pigment around the chin and at the corners of the nose.  A touch of Bonne Brow pencil (in Slate) fills in brows and slightly lengthens the ends. 

In a nod to Lodha’s love of bold yet wearable color, Gucci settles on the Baby Cheeks + Face Trace Sculpting Powder Duo.  The lightest wash of the palette’s bright fuchsia blush shade (in Poppet) adds a soft elegance that’s just right for evening.   But it’s a deep Barolo red lip color that delivers the big night  ‘wow’ factor.