Health obsessed, product junkie, cosmetic hoarder, beauty expert: As the former-Beauty Director of leading women’s magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan and Women's Health in India, I’ve been all these things at once. And even after writing on health and beauty for over 15 years, my appetite for delicious skincare and sumptuous makeup hasn’t dimmed...

 
 
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When GLOW met the OG power yogi. @swaamiramdev can’t wait to see you at your ashram really soon ❤️.
GIVEAWAY ALERT ———————— There’s nothing I dislike more than a fragrance that smells like the duty-free. You know, a cloying mix of candy-like gourmands, with a whiff of deodorant and a touch damp aqua. Peonia Nobile by Aqua di Parma is the exact opposite of that: It starts as a creamy floral and dries down to spicy, mildly floral, powdery notes. Unlike many luxurious fragrances that wither away by the end of the day, this clings to your skin and has a beautiful sillage that leaves a fragrant trail even as you leave the room. ———————— I have thoroughly tried and tested this perfume for weeks to ensure that you get a great fragrance. After all, I wouldn’t offer anything that I won’t personally use. ———————— This 100ml bottle is worth ₹12,500. To win follow @mdpindofficial and I, tag three friends in comments, and tell us why fragrance is the best accessory. Contest on till Monday evening. Looking forward to your brilliant answers ❤️
THE PROBLEM WITH FANCY BOXES —————— I’ve been thinking about this for many years now. The fancy coffrets and boxes that come not only from beauty brands but also from designers and various exhibitions. Yes, I do feel incredibly lucky to be the recipient of some wonderful products. I’m also grateful for the invitations I receive for some beautiful events. But this has to be said: It’s the quality of your product/ show/ exhibit that really counts, not these big, fancy boxes. This tower of boxes, which is taller than me took just a month to collect. And this is when I don’t even get products from the more mass brands. I haven’t added the laminated invites, pamphlets and booklets. Oh and the packaging - let’s not even go there. None of these polished/ laminated coffrets are accepted by the raddiwala, which means that they aren’t remotely recyclable. And there’s a limit to how much we can reuse the boxes. ———————- I’ve spoken to my friends in beauty and PR about this and they understand that it’s a problem. However some of them cannot stop the production of these boxes because of international mandates, others do it because their invite will be instagrammable, and then there are many who are simply catering to the expectations of the customers, journalists and bloggers. So what can be done? ———————— Can we begin by saying #notocoffrets ? I’m happy to accept products in cardboard boxes. If you send me an announcement of an exhibition or an invite to a show via Whatsapp, I’ll be delighted to post it online. Just please, don’t send these boxes - they or the products in them will not be posted. But the ones with cardboard boxes and mindful packaging will get more stories and a full post. ————— Who’s with me on this? Tagging some of my favourite beautistas in the country to help me take this forward. ❤️ —————— If anyone has ideas, suggestions, or contacts who make packaging that can be composted, please comment below. Don’t point fingers or name and shame. ——————- PS: See that little box on the side? That’s cardboard, which is completely ❤️❤️❤️.
ANTIOXIDANT-RICH ROSE + HIBISCUS TEA ———————— I really enjoyed myself this weekend. I binged on Netflix, didn’t do any yoga, went for some reiki healing and basically just stayed at home and nourished myself. I don’t know about you but I get ‘peopled out’ very easily. My razai, and nice book and a cup of herbal tea is my idea of bliss. And this weekend I was sipping this delicious blend, which is also supremely beautifying. ——————— The hibiscus in this tea is not your garden variety flower. This hibiscus is also called roselle, a slightly tart, thick-petalled bud that is rich in vitamin C and other polyphenols. Combine this with desi gulab that is as beautifying eaten or applied. ——————— Roselle has also been used as a mild laxative in folk medicine so drink only one large mug of this beautifying tea. I like to sip this dark red tea with a big bowl of pomegranates because in my mind, this is an amazing antioxidant combination in the morning. ——————- To do: Just steep a tbsp each of organic rose and hibiscus (roselle) petals in a mug of freshly boiled water. Strain to drink. I didn’t strain because the petals look so pretty in the picture 🌷. ———————— I got my dried rose and hisbiscus petals from the Arqa range @foodhallindia, but @organicindiaofficial also makes rose and hibiscus tea bags. ——————- How do you carve out ‘me time’? I’d love to know.
Celebrating the goddess in us @parogoodearth #paroturnsone ————— Wearing @toraniofficial
There’s a little nip in the air and just like that it’s time for Diwali again. Is it me or do you also feel like 2019 has passed in the blink of an eye? Anyway, it’s too cold for smoothies now (not that I’ve ever been enthusiastic about them) but still, I want my greens and I don’t want to work for them. Therefore this extremely lazy but super beautifying green drink ‘recipe’. ——————— I like to mix a tsp each of various green powders into a glass of room temperature water and drink straight up. Today I mixed a tsp each or moringa and Spirulina powders. I didn’t have wheatgrass or Amla powders otherwise I would have mixed them in too. —————— You can get 100gm each of these powders, mix and store them in large jar. This is super easy to travel with so even you’re out of home you can carry your vitamin enriched green powder with you. All you need is some water to mix it in. ——————— Moringa and Spirulina are some of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world. You can mix them into smoothies, juices or plain water. One thing with green powders is to remember that a full tsp is enough. Especially if you’re also adding a tsp of Amla and wheatgrass powders, there’s four potent tsps of of greens in your drink. ——————— Greens detoxify the body, boost immunity and make the skin look ah-mazing. But while this drink takes half a second to make its absolutely vile to drink. Force yourself to down it, try to drink without tasting or breathing and do it quick. Trust me, it’s worth it. Swipe left to see the beautiful dark, moss green colour of this drink. Now imagine what that would do for your skin. —————- How do you use your greens? I’d love to know ❤️ ——————— Both green powders are organic and are from @foodhallindia
Completely and totally obsessed with this new serum from @herbivorebotanicals. Bakuchiol is supposed to be the new wonder ingredient, a retinol alternative. It works like retinol but without the irritation and initial breakouts. Herbivore has combined this ingredient with PHAs (poly-hydroxy acids), which means that it will increase cell turnover and remove dead skin, keeping the skin smooth, clear and buttery (I can vouch for it). I’ve stopped using my beloved Lotion P50 after I began using this. If you have dry skin then top it up with moisturiser and oil or use as is. I’ve been using it since mid September so that’s like almost a month of usage to form an informed opinion. All Herbivore products are clean and cruelty-free. Can’t wait to try the oils from their range. ——————— I use about 4-5 drops every night before bed. And yes, if you’re using this, you need sunscreen during the day. ———————- I’m researching this for a piece for @thehinduweekend. Will post the link when up. ———————— I put myself on the waitlist for this product on the Herbivore website and asked a friend to bring it from the US. Herbivore does deliver to India but the duties cost almost as much as the product.
SUPERCHARGED MOON MILK ——————— Autumn’s here and with it we get the opportunity to really nourish our bodies with warming nuts and spices. As someone who practices yoga almost everyday I’m a bit prone to injuries. And nothing heals injuries better than a cup of turmeric milk. ——————— I like to add two different types of turmeric to my milk. I add half a tsp each of lakdong turmeric and Amba haldi. The lakdong variety contains high amounts curcumin and is therefore more medicinal than common kitchen varieties. Amba haldi is a type of white turmeric. It’s called Amba because in the raw form it smells a bit like mango. This second type is excellent for bone and joint health. ———————- To this I like to add a tsp of Jatamansi powder and a few strands of saffron. Both these spices are extremely calming for the mind. Jatamansi is a very mild sedative - it is so harmless that it’s also recommended for children. —————— You can also add half a tsp each of shatavari and ashwagandha powders to really supercharge the milk, however these powders make this beverage a bit bitter. You can sweeten it with stevia, raw honey (added when the milk has slightly cooled) or khand (ayurvedic, unrefined sugar), or gur (jaggery). ——————- I like to drink this milk before bed. It’s an excellent combination for everyone to boost immunity, heal injuries, improve skin and sleep quality, and calm the mind. ———————— Don’t forget to add a hefty pinch of pepper to ensure that the turmeric is utilised well by the body. ————————— If you’re looking for a dairy free alternative use oat or rice milk instead. Almonds are heating and therefore almond milk cannot be considered to be a substitute for milk, which is supposed to be cooling. Grains are cooling like milk and therefore are the closest substitutes for dairy. ——————— I sourced all my organic ayurvedic herbs and organic saffron from the ARQA Ayurveda range @foodhallindia . I get my A2 milk from @back2basics.net.in. ———————— Do you like haldi doodh? What’s your secret recipe?
❤️ my @studiosevdah sandals 🌟
Thank you @selectcitywalk @shreyab08 for a fun shoot ❤️ ————— Look one: Shirt- @Ted_Baker Shoes and shorts- @Zaraindiaofficial Cuff- @tribebyAmrapali —————- Look two: Dress-@Ted_Baker Heels- @SteveMaddenIndia Flowers- @omaliving —————— Photographer- @Anand.gogoi Stylist- @Shreyab08 Hair-@Geetanjalisalon Make up- @maccosmetics —————— Everything part of Select City Walk’s autumn/winter collection. #hereforyou
HEALING VETIVER WATER ————— Are you ready to drink the most delicious water ever? Most of us don’t drink enough water because the taste is well, a bit meh. Spas usually infuse their water with sprigs of mint or slices of citrus fruit, not only to make the water better tasting but to also ensure that it is well absorbed by the body. Adding slices of fruit or herbs in water ensures that the electrolyte content goes up making the water more ‘enriched’. But why go for the regular options if you can get your hands on khus or Vetiver root. ——————— Vetiver is extremely cooling, anti inflammatory and anti bacterial. Not only does it charge your water but it purifies it too. But more than anything else adding Vetiver root to water makes it taste like sherbet without the added sugar. ————————— To do: Wash the roots thoroughly with water. Then take a small handful of roots for one matka of water, and a quarter of that amount for a bottle of water. Change the roots every two days. Too much Vetiver can make the water a bit bitter so experiment with smaller amounts first. ——————— I got my organic Vetiver root from the the ARQA Ayurveda range at @foodhallindia. The range contains 23 organic herbs that have been handpicked by me. —————— Do you guys infuse you water with herbs? What are your favourites?