You've perhaps noticed it already. She is 18 kgs lighter, looking gorgeous, dressing glamorous and turning heads. Who is exactly behind Kajol's image face-lift? In a glamor career spanning 20 years, actress Kajol has made but one style statement: the uni-brow. They've even inspired the url for a Bollywood-centric blog. But, in the last six months, she's been turning heads for reasons other than her buoyant acting. The 38-year-old mother of two has lost weight and gained a fashion sense. The uninhibited waves are now a careful hairdo with side bangs that she chose to get around Christmas, blow-dried straight for a Bollywood calendar launch and twisted into a Russian braid knot for a movie premiere. The change kicked off when Kajol signed up celebrity trainer Shereveer Vakil to chart out her fitness regime. Vakil says the actor has been so disciplined with her workouts and nutrition that she has lost 18 kg in the last few months. "She is not into unhealthy dieting. She has five meals a day and trains hard. Her performance improves each day," he says. "Kajol trains like an athlete, working out for at least 90 minutes a day. I have rarely seen her unwell." The workouts include weight and endurance training mostly, and her diet is protein and vitamin-rich. "She eats a lot of white meat and salads with olive oil." Artificial foods are out of bounds.

Ensemble
Her fresh sense of style is courtesy Triparna Majumdar, who was signed on as personal stylist a year ago. Majumdar says comfort overrules glamour for Kajol. "If she's uncomfortable in an outfit, she won't wear it, no matter how striking. And so, you'll see her wear a dress with platform heels instead of stilettos." That she is an actress not model makes it important for Majumdar to ensure that her personality isn't overshadowed by the clothes. The accessories are kept minimal. At a recent furniture store launch, she wore a vintage Dior neckpiece with a white shirt and black trousers, while husband Ajay Devgn dressed in a cobalt Pathani suit. "She has had a lot of people ask her why she didn't fuss over her looks earlier. Earlier, the directors were happy with her natural look. Now, she is in the mood to experiment," shares Majumdar.

Make-up
Kajol's distinct cheekbones are what makeup artist Tanuja Dabir works at enhancing. "She has a lovely bone structure." The workouts and food choice are showing on her skin, says Dabir, who gives her face a mother of pearl finish to help enhance the glow. Her eyes are lined in indigo green or navy blue instead of black or brown to define them without attracting too much attention. "I dust a bit of hot orange blush on Kajol's nose, forehead and chin to give her just-back-from-a-run look." It all seems to be working successfully. Kushal Parmanand, fashion director at L'Officiel India, says, Kajol is wearing age-appropriate clothing, making a statement without striving to fit in. "She seems to have figured what works for her and is wearing designers like Sabyasachi and Shantanu Nikhil. There is a distinct shift." The uni-brow, however, still remains.