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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@vasudha.raI

NUDE LIPSTICKS THAT WON’T WASH OUT INDIAN SKIN ———————- From left to right (swatched bottom to top in the next photo): 1. @kikomilanoindia Creamy Lipstick in Gossamer Emotion: If you have to buy only one nude lipstick, make it this one. Ultra smooth, matte, hydrating and #crueltyfree. The colour is perfect for medium Indian skin tones. I was gifted this by Kiko, I loved it and gifted one to a freind, who bought another bullet for her freind. Try it, you’ll love it too. 2. @tomfordbeauty Matte Lip Color in Pussycat: Not quite beige nor pink, this may be described as a brownish mauve. This shade is very unique and doesn’t have a dupe (hopefully). It brightens the skin and looks good on all skin tones but may come out as more pink on dark skin. 3. @maccosmeticsindia Lip Pencil in Soar. This beautiful dusty rose is the shade of your lips but better. The pencil glides on smoothly leaving behind long-wearing, matte colour. I wear this on its own - no need for extra lipstick. 4. @bobbibrownindia Crushed Liquid Lip in Smoothie Move. Love the texture and finish of these Liquid Lip colours. They’re balmy so they moisturise the lips and yet leave behind a stain when they come off. Plus the shades are all very flattering, especially this one, for medium to dark skin. 5. @luaer.in Lipstick in Ira: I love this brand of lipsticks. They’re all cruelty free and are made without parabens. This shade is a peachy brown, which will be an excellent nude for medium to dark skin. 6) @nudestix Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil in Retro: Love this rust/brown on any complexion but it looks especially beautiful on those with very dark skin. Plus it’s clean and cruelty free. What’s not to love? ———————— What are your favourite nude lipsticks? Let’s have a discussion in the comments below ❤️
SKIN CLARIFYING AMLA + ANANTMUL + SHATAVARI TEA ——————— I love teas of every kind. I love sipping a strong cup of ginger and tulsi chai just before a strenuous yoga practice because it helps me power through an exhausting sequence. I enjoy herbal teas too because each variety has a healing property, be it nettle that detoxifies the liver, or tulsi, which protects against pollution. These days I’m sipping on this recipe that I got from Dr Mahesh Patil of @tanmanayurved, which contains three herbs that are all excellent for skin. ———————— 1) Amla is one of the richest sources of vitamin C. The wonderful thing about this traditional Indian fruit is that (unlike citrus fruit) the C content doesn’t degrade with heat or light. So you will get the antioxidants from Amla powder even when you add it to hot water. 2) Anantmool roots are excellent for each and every type of skin disease. It’s a powerful blood purifier and should be consumed by those who have chronic acne or any other skin condition. (This herb is not to be taken with milk). 3) Shatavari is a great hormone balancer. Most adult acne is caused by an imbalance caused by condition such as PCOS. Ideally this herb should be taken with milk, but this tea is also an excellent combination for the skin. ————————- To do: Boil 1/2 tsp each of the three herbs in a cup and a half of water. Wait till it evaporates till a cup is left. Strain and drink. You can also add boiling water to the herbs to make the tea but let steep for 10-20 minutes before you drink. ————————— All three herbs are available in organic, powdered form in the ARQA Ayurveda range @foodhallindia.
#yesterday 🌸 📸 @jtulsiani
I’ve written a blog post on VBeauty after what seems like a million years. Please head to the link in bio to read it. My favourites are (in no particular order): 1. @jomalonelondon Jasmine Sambac & Marigold 2. @givenchybeauty Organza 3. @hermes Un Jardin Sur La Lagune 4. @officialbyredo Black Saffron 3. Coco by @chanel.beauty Read the full post to know why they’re my favourites on vbeauty.co ————- I love strong, attention grabbing fragrances. With that in mind, what are the other fragrances worth trying? Let me know in your comments below ❤️
Just hanging about trying to look chill wearing sustainable clothing by @abrahamandthakore made with @ecovero_india fabric. ——————- Crafted from wood pulp from sustainable, farmed trees, the fabric uses up to 50% lower emissions and water than generic viscose. But what’s more is that fabric itself is softer than silk, more absorbent than cotton and cooler than linen. How amazing is that? ——————— While they have collaborated with designers Abraham & Thakore for the duo’s new collection, EcoVero garments can also be found at Esprit, M&S, Mango and H&M. Look out for ECOVERO and LENZING on the tags to identify sustainable options. ——————— #sustainablefashion #ecoveroxabrahamandthakore #ad #sponsored
ASHWAGANDHA + LAKDONG TURMERIC BONE BROTH —————- Did you know that ashwagandha is best absorbed by the body when combined with animal fat? So bone broth, milk and ghee are its best companions. If you have a delicate stomach then milk is better then bone broth, because milk is cooling while ashwagandha is a warm herb. If you’re vegan, the best way to consume ashwagandha is with warm water. Lakdong turmeric comes from Meghalaya and Nagaland and unlike common turmeric, which contains only 3-4% curcumin, the Lakdong variety contains a whopping 8-10% curcumin. As the weather becomes cool, this is an excellent recipe to boost immunity, reduce inflammation, enhance skin and bone health. ——————— I like to use a pressure cooker to prepare my bone broth. It is recommended to cook the broth for 10-24 hours, but I find that when I use a pressure cooker I get the job done in 6-8 hours. These days I like to use chicken bones but when it gets really cold I use ‘paaya’ or mutton trotters to make my broth. To do: 1) Heat a couple of tsps of any cold-pressed oil (I used mustard) in a large cooker. I used one with five litre capacity. You need to use a large cooker because we will be adding quite a bit of water. The water evaporates leaving behind about 4 small cups of broth. 2) Add some whole spices when the oil heats up. I used a few large and small cardamoms, a couple of bay leaves and whole black peppercorns. 3) Then add chicken bones (I got the carcass from @thealtitudecafeanddeli) and roast it just for a 3-5 minutes on a high flame so the outside gets slightly browned. 3) Fill the cooker with filtered water till a couple of inches to the brim. Add sea salt or pink salt and a couple of tsps of lakdong turmeric. 4) After the first whistle turn the gas to the lowest flame and let simmer for six hours. 5) Add a tsp of ashwagandha powder to the broth before you drink. —————— I used the lakdong turmeric and ashwagandha powder from the ARQA Ayurveda collection from @foodhallindia. All the herbs are organic and handpicked by yours truly. ————— What else can we add to bone broth? Give me your ideas in comments.
ENDOMETRIOSIS UPDATE ———————— I got great news today. Following regular acupuncture with @acupuncturistaadilkhan, panchakarma at @tanmanayurved, and ayurvedic medicine given by Dr Ranade and his team, my endometriosis is finally on its way out. My last scan was in January where it was found that another endometrial cyst was sitting right next to my colon. When that happened, I was disappointed - I mean who expects endometriosis to come back after a hysterectomy right? But I was also equally determined to heal myself. I had to commit completely to acupuncture and Ayurveda. By commit I mean not hoping it would work but believing that it would. —————- I remember while I would receive acupuncture in Dr Khan’s clinic in Nizamuddin, especially on bad days when I was in pain, I would repeat to myself ‘I completely accept this healing with my body, mind and spirit.’ Ditto with the panchakarma. Obviously I‘m blessed to find a talented team of doctors - my gynaecologist Dr Debasis Dutta at Gangaram Hospital, Dr Adil Khan for acupuncture, Dr Ranade’s team (Dr Jinde, Dr Patil). But at the end of the day it was eventually up to me. After my surgery in July last year my gynaecologist told me - “I have done your surgery but you have to walk out of this tunnel alone, after this it is just a mind game, believe that you are fine and you will be.” But even despite him telling me that I was afraid of the disease, I used to call it ‘My’ endometriosis even though that it had no business belonging to me. But thankfully the latest reports are on my side. The endometrial cyst has disappeared. There is no more endometriosis. Sure there is a small cyst but it is benign. —————— Swipe to see a picture of when I came back home after my last surgery, my report in January and finally my latest report with the small cyst size that I have highlighted. —————— Endometriosis is an insidious disease and I will have to keep up my therapies and determination. But for now, this is enough. ——————— Just a quick note to also say thank you to @nancy_kriplani, one of my followers who became my guiding light. She recommended panchakarma as it had worked on her endo.
RAW CACAO + BRAHMI ENERGY BALLS ——————- Strange thing happened the other day: This was obviously for a few moments (and after a couple of drinks) but in that short time I completely forgot where I was. I knew I was with my friend but where were we? Obviously my memory snapped back in no time but this incident really freaked me out. It’s not the wrinkles in old age that scare me, but the lack of mobility and dementia. Since then I’ve been thinking of changing my diet to include memory enhancing herbs - Brahmi is right at the top of the list. Just a quick note to say that Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) isn’t the same as gotu kola (centella Asiatica). The former boosts memory while the latter is a general brain tonic. Anyway in this recipe I’ve tried to include everything that’s good for the brain such as virgin coconut oil and walnuts. I don’t know exact measurements because that’s not the way I cook, but here’s the recipe anyway. Oh and also Brahmi doesn’t really taste like anything so it won’t ruin the favour of your energy balls. ————————- 1. Take a couple of handful of dates, a few figs and soak them in a tiny bit of warm water. Pit the dates. 2. After 10 minutes whiz the dates in a mixie with three heaped tbsps of Brahmi powder, same amount of raw cacao powder, and a couple of splashes of coconut oil. You could also add some protein powder to this if you wish. (Damn, why didn’t I add my hemp protein powder? Oh well - next time.) 3. When the mix turns into a sort of paste whisk in some crushed walnuts. 4. Roll them into balls that you roll some more in extra raw cacao powder. If the mixture is a bit wet then drop a tablespoonful into a bed of raw cacao to shape them into balls. 3. You could also roll them in chia seeds or dried rose petals. —————— These take no more than 15 minutes tops. I used organic Brahmi powder from the ARQA Ayurveda range from @foodhallindia; raw cacao powder from @rasalilaindia; virgin coconut oil from @kamaayurveda.
#SeasonalSwitchup As the weather changes my skin demands more moisture and comfort. From lighter gel-like textures, I’m moving towards creamy moisturisers. But more than anything else, when we get closer to Diwali, my skin feels more irritated than ever before - think dryness, redness and a flaky texture. So for this seasonal change I chose the @clinique_in Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion + for its creamy, deeply moisturising texture and the green Active Cartridge Concentrate for Irritation. The cartridge contains lactobacillus probiotic ferment to calm and comfort the skin. This has become my favourite pick-me-up especially when I’m getting on a flight as it soothes my face so I step off the plane with glowing skin. Other switches - More greens in my diet; healthy fats like omega fatty acids, ghee, mustard oil, and tulsi tea to fight pollution. ——— How do you deal with changing seasons? Leave your tips in the comments below. ——— #vbeauty #lookluxeliveclean #findmyid #cliniqueid #ad #sponsored #idyourself #nomakeup
I’ve said it before and I will say it again: Cleansing is the most important step of Skincare. It doesn’t matter how many expensive serums you may use. If you’re cleansing thoroughly, nothing else matters. But effective cleansing doesn’t mean that it has to be harsh. I’ve been using these foaming cleansers and this micellar water that remove every last bit of impurities without stripping the skin. All these cleansers are free of toxins such as parabens and phthalates. 1. I used the @kamaayurveda Sensitive Skin Cleansing foam even during winter and it did not dry my skin out. If you want the satisfaction of foam but want to still keep your skin moisturised, this one is for you. 2. @justherbsindia Sapta Jal contains seven different ayurvedic herbs in the micellar water. Yes it’s mild but it’s also as effective (and gentle) as the most popular range of micellar water in the market. 3) @perennecosmetics Hydrating Face Wash is extremely mild, cleans well, doesn’t dry the skin. 4) @soultree.in Indian Rose Facewash is mildly foaming, very gentle and refreshing. Plus, now all of Soultree’s packaging is bio-degrable, so more reasons to invest in this brand. 5) @foreo_in Luna 2 Facial Cleansing Brush may have come last on this list but it really is the most important element. I’ve been using this for several months now to know that it is worth the hype. I use it at night after first using the micellar water and while using the foam. Unlike the Clarisonic (which I found too harsh) this is extremely gentle. When I use this my pores seem to become smaller and somehow my skincare absorbs better. Obviously it’s one of those things that you actually don’t need but enjoy using when you have it. Do you absolutely need it in your arsenal? No. Will it improve your cleansing routine? Yes. The only caveat is to actually remember using it. #vbeauty #lookluxeliveclean #cleansers #facialcleansing