TrinaAshby9096 at 22:53, 5 February 2026

2026-02-05T22:53:01Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ambika Pillai
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| other names =
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = [[Thiruvananthapuram]],<ref name="Sunday Guardian"/><ref name="Muthumani2014">{{cite AV media|url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9TN-gmLHUWg|work=[[Asianet News]] Ithalukal|date=24 September 2014|publisher=[[YouTube]]|title=Ambika Pillai hair stylist: Ithalukal 24th Sep 2014}}</ref> [[Kerala]]
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| occupation = [[Make-up Artist]]
| spouse = {{Plainlist|
* Surendra Nath(1980-1988)
* Rakesh Rocky( 1993-1996)
}}
| children = Kavitha
| parents = {{Plainlist|
* Gopinath Pillai
* Santha Pillai
}}
| awards =
| website = {{URL|www.ambikapillai.com}}
}}

'''Ambika Pillai''' is a [[hair stylist]] and [[make-up artist]] from [[Kollam]],<ref name="Sunday Guardian">{{cite news|url=http://www.sunday-guardian.com/young-restless/delhi-gets-a-fancy-new-address-for-high-fashion-makeup|title=Delhi gets a fancy new address for high fashion makeup|date=9 September 2012|work=The Sunday Guardian|access-date=4 April 2021|archive-date=11 October 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131011232250/http://www.sunday-guardian.com/young-restless/delhi-gets-a-fancy-new-address-for-high-fashion-makeup}}</ref> [[Kerala]], [[India]]. Her work regularly appears in advertising campaigns, catwalk shows, fashion films, and editorials.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.leadingsalons.com/ambika_pillai.salon.235.htm |title=Website Leading Salons in The World |access-date=11 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203054911/http://www.leadingsalons.com/ambika_pillai.salon.235.htm |archive-date=3 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Personal life==
Ambika Pillai was born to cashew exporter Gopinath Pillai & Santha Gopinath Pillai in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]]. Her family then moved to her native place in Kollam, where she had a luxurious childhood, living in a bungalow by the backwaters of Kollam. After her boarding in Ooty, at the age of 7, she joined [[Mount Carmel Convent Anglo-Indian Girls High School]] in Kollam.<ref name="Pillai2014">{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/ambikapillai/posts/778158988901064|last=Pillai|first=Ambika|publisher=[[Facebook]]|title=Ambika Pillai on Facebook|quotation=I went to boarding [...] to Nazereth convent, Ooty . At the tender age of 5 [...] Renuka [...] started studying at mount Carmel convent Kollam [...] we joined Renu in MCC|date=5 September 2014|access-date=4 April 2021|archive-date=4 April 2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210404133411/https://m.facebook.com/ambikapillai/posts/778158988901064</ref> She was married to Surenda Nath on 1980 at the age of 17 and moved to [[Calcutta]] to have a settled married life. Things did not turn out the way she had desired, and she instead had to be satisfied with living in a tiny one bed room apartment. They have one daughter, Kavitha. Later she married Rakesh (aka Rocky) in 1993 but due to his heavy drinking & gambling she left him.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi-times/Ambika-Pillai-through-the-looking-glass--/articleshow/1889924.cms | title=Ambika Pillai, through the looking glass... | date=23 February 2002 | first=Vinod | last=Nair | newspaper=The Times of India | publisher=[[Bennett, Coleman and Co]] | accessdate=5 July 2018 | archive-date=14 August 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130814180329/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi-times/Ambika-Pillai-through-the-looking-glass--/articleshow/1889924.cms}}</ref> Her three sisters, Gopika, Renuka and Devika were trained by her and are also into hair and skin makeover. She lives in [[New Delhi]] but frequently travels to [[Trivandrum]] and [[Kochi]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ravindra|first1=Rahul|title=Ambika Pillai's very own house of butterflies|url=http://english.manoramaonline.com/lifestyle/decor/the-house-of-butterflies.html|accessdate=9 March 2015|publisher=Manorama Online|date=14 December 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-date=10 March 2015 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20150310004004/http://english.manoramaonline.com/lifestyle/decor/the-house-of-butterflies.html}}</ref>

==Career==
She started her career as a hair stylist and moved on to make-up. When Ambika started her first salon it was called Visions by Ambika. She later decided to develop it as a brand. At present Ambika Pillai is a brand by itself.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090405121525/http://www.hindu.com/mp/2009/03/12/stories/2009031250510100.htm The Hindu 1]</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130507105519/http://newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/The-look-maker/2013/04/25/article1559867.ece Article Times of India]</ref> Pillai's salon has branches in [[South Extension]],<ref name="Business Digest"/> [[Punjabi Bagh]],<ref name="Business Digest"/> [[Rajouri Garden]],<ref name="Business Digest"/> [[Malviya Nagar (Delhi)|Malviya Nagar]]<ref name="Business Digest"/> and [[Model Town (Delhi)|Model Town]]<ref name="Business Digest"/> in the [[Delhi National Capital Territory]]; [[Gurgaon]]<ref name="Business Digest"/> in [[Haryana]]; [[Chhatarpur]]<ref name="Sunday Guardian"/><ref name="Business Digest"/> in [[Madhya Pradesh]]; and [[Kochi]]<ref name="Business Digest"/> and [[Trivandrum]] in Kerala.

==Awards==
{| class="wikitable sortable";"
!Awards
!Year
|-
| Vogue Best Make-up Artist Award<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.afaqs.com/news/company_briefs/?id=50860_Vogue+Beauty+Awards+2011+acknowledges+the+best+in+the+Beauty+and+Wellness+Industry |title=Website Afaqs |access-date=11 October 2013 |archive-date=9 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809095131/http://www.afaqs.com/news/company_briefs/?id=50860_Vogue+Beauty+Awards+2011+acknowledges+the+best+in+the+Beauty+and+Wellness+Industry |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.beautynewsindia.com/event-workshop/Vogue_Beauty_Awards_Winners_List1.php |title=Website Beauty News India |access-date=11 October 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131011232232/http://www.beautynewsindia.com/event-workshop/Vogue_Beauty_Awards_Winners_List1.php |archive-date=11 October 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name=Weddingsonline>[http://www.weddingsonline.in/suppliers/ambikapillai Website Weddingsonline]</ref>
|2011
|-
| Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Female Awards for Best Hair and Makeup artist<ref name="Business Digest">{{Cite web |url=http://www.businessdigestmagazine.org/lifestyle/ambika-pillai-saloon-comes-to-kochi/ |title=Business Digest |access-date=11 October 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131011232256/http://www.businessdigestmagazine.org/lifestyle/ambika-pillai-saloon-comes-to-kochi/ |archive-date=11 October 2013 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name=Weddingsonline/>
|2009
|-
| Bharat Nirman Super Achievers Award<ref name="Business Digest"/><ref name=Weddingsonline/>
|2007
|-
| Zee Idea Fashion Awards for Best Make up artist of the year<ref name="Business Digest"/><ref name=Weddingsonline/>
|2006
|-
| Zee Idea Fashion Awards for Best Hair Stylist of the year<ref name="Business Digest"/><ref name=Weddingsonline/>
|2006
|-
| Kingfisher Fashion awards for the best hair designer of the year<ref name="Business Digest"/><ref name=Weddingsonline/>
|2000
|-
| IAAFA Award for Best Make-up Artist<ref name="Business Digest"/><ref name=Weddingsonline/>
|1996
|}

==Television==
Pillai has appeared as a judge in:
* [[Midukki]] ([[Mazhavil Manorama]])
* Malayali Veetamma ([[Flowers (TV channel)|Flowers]])

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.ambikapillai.com}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillai, Ambika}}
[[Category:Hairdressers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Artists from Kollam]]
[[Category:Indian make-up artists]]
[[Category:Articles created or expanded during Women's History Month (India) - 2015]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Ambika Pillai - Revision history

TrinaAshby9096 at 22:53, 5 February 2026