Influencer Aditya Madiraju has garnered a following of over 1.4 million fans on Instagram and over 6.4 million likes on TikTok. Fans love his friendliness, makeup hacks and willingness to be vulnerable—including talking about feeling self-conscious before attending the fashion editor-, media- celebrity-packed presentations at New York Fashion Week.

“Getting ready for fashion week is a task that takes weeks. Your look can be as wild as you want, as everything is forgiven during fashion week. It’s like Halloween for fashion- and beauty-lovers,” Madiraju writes in an e-mail to Forbes.com.“My prep starts with doing research on trends that were relevant this year and looking at what we are anticipating for next year.”

Madiraju is no stranger to analysis, having an entire past career in finance before gaining renown for his passions for beauty and fashion. But this type of research is a labor of love, his gratitude for which is part of the magnetism that keeps his fans hooked.

“The journey into fashion and beauty has been a blessing. Besides the minor hiccups with getting dressed and running from one show to another, fashion week is the most engaging time of the year,” he continues.

Keep reading for an inside peek at how beauty influencer Aditya Madiraju prepped for NYFW.

Aditya’s Skin Prep For NYFW

“Makeup is therapy for me. This year, I wasn’t feeling my best, but makeup has the power to change that,” he explains of the confidence-boosting potential of cosmetics. “I actually enjoy makeup application more than getting dressed. [But] anything that I do with beauty needs to have a perspective, a strong point.”

The ritual begins with complexion prep, as when “skin prep is done right, then half the task is done.” To start, he applied a brightening and smoothing exfoliant treatment, Caudalie Vinoperfect Instant Brightening AHA Micropeel, $38, followed by one of the line’s serums for “glow and hydration.” Then came sun protection via Fenty Beauty Hydra Vizor Invisible Face Moisturizer SPF 30, $40, and Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Peptide Lip Treatment, $22, for lip hydration and plumping.

Aditya’s Makeup Prep For NYFW

He primed his skin with the new “pore-diffusing” Huda Beauty Easy Blur Primer, $29, following up with new Patrick Ta Major Skin Hydra-Luxe Skin Perfecting Foundation, $58, because its “color match is on point—especially for South Asians—and it feels light on the skin.” For concealer and bronzer, his go-to’s are by Fenty.

“My pro tip is to blend in the cream bronzer and the cream blush before concealing. It helps with balancing the color and overall makes [the look] effortless,” he says of the seamless under-painting technique. He also recommends letting each layer of makeup dry down before proceeding to the next.

Setting your makeup is imperative to keep “the finished face locked in when running from one show to another in New York City.” His current favorites are loose setting powders by Laura Mercier or the new Makeup By Mario Surrealskin™ Soft Blur Setting Powder, $38. Then he uses a setting spray for an extra layer of stay-power.

“Most [people] depend on outfits to slay, but I slay with my eye makeup,” he says, noting that “blurred [and] smokey” was his inspiration for the week. (As his followers already know, his eye makeup hacks are some of his best beauty tips.) The aesthetic called for “neutrals and browns blended out and finished with Kohl eyeliner,” with his products of choice coming from the new Makeup Forever Mini Artist To Go Eyeshadow Palette, $24, and the brand’s best-selling Artist Color Pencil, $18, in the shade Whatever Black.

Aditya’s Fashion Prep For NYFW

“This year I had a bit of a struggle with finding the perfect outfit,” he admits. Brands will often style public figures, but he is “not a sample size and it was a struggle to find outfits that fit me perfectly.” So, he pulled pieces from his own wardrobe to create his look. “I like to incorporate a bit of South Asian flare into my styling—and I personally believe South Asian fashion deserves a big moment,” he says of his mindful fashion choices.

“My style this year was layering two jackets on top of each other, keeping the rest of the look relaxed and easy,” he says of a Rajdeep Ranawat Black Dupion Silk-Embroidered Bundi Jacket and COS Longline Wool Twill Vest. These were worn atop oversized denim from Jacquemus and “futuristic boots” by Untitilab.

“The look was dramatic but still very comfortable and wearable [with] a good mix of Indian, French and Italian brands,” he says. The pièces-de-resistance were the oversized cuffs by Alexis Bittar that he accessorized with. “This was the power dressing piece,” he says. “I love dramatic metal jewelry that screams, ‘Look at me!’”

Aditya’s Post-NYFW Wind Down

So much planning goes into the NYFW experience that many celebrities enjoy celebrating at lavish after-parties and dinners. But this year, as a new father, Madiraju preferred to head home after the shows.

“A year ago I would have gone out for dinner and drinks, maybe making my way home at 1 a.m.,” he says. “That’s not the case anymore. I am dad to a 16-month-old and she wakes up at 5:30 a.m.! So, I got into an Uber to rush back home and catch up on sleep before baby duty starts.”

That wraps up the influencer’s beauty and fashion preparation for NYFW. Keep up with his adventures in beauty and fashion on one of his social media channels like Instagram or TikTok.

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