An Indian Woman with a French State of Mind
I’ve always loved learning about other cultures— in India and abroad. Even the ones I haven’t visited yet. I’ve been a homebody most of my life, but now I want to travel. When I do, I want to live like a local for a few days, instead of carrying my own lifestyle there. Explore the local food, learn the language, even if it’s a few words. Hypothetically, if I had to start my life over some day, and pick a place. I’d pick somewhere that’s mostly warm and pleasant, obviously. Like the South of France. The accent, the fashion, the makeup, the lifestyle in general. It just works. Even the thought of it alone transports me there, and I see myself as a completely different person. A chic, humble, rich, independent woman. She’s a fashion and lifestyle writer. She has coffee and croissant for breakfast, maybe wine and pasta for dinner. She loves the beach. The twist? She looks healthy but is probably not the best influence. Her love for junk food often gets in the way. Food would be the only thing I wouldn’t compromise on, even hypothetically. I need my Litti chokha, Biryani, Dosa, Golgappe, Aloo paratha, everything. I love my Indian roots but I believe, my personal style has always had some French influence. Let’s break it down. The Makeup For a while now, I’ve been feeling comfortable wearing makeup, and I’ve figured the look that feels like me. It’s a subtle base with a winged eyeliner, a lipstick, and a blush. I’ve spent time trying to perfect the winged eyeliner, and I still forget how I did the one that felt perfect on my eyes. The Wardrobe Being the youngest sibling, I had the privilege of sharing a closet with two girls. Naturally, most of my personal style was influenced by my sisters. As we grew up and apart, our shared closet began to shrink. That’s when I found the space to explore my style and build my own wardrobe. Turns out, I didn’t need to change a lot. High-waisted bottoms, bodycon silhouettes, solid color basics, printed statement pieces, have only added structure to my self confidence. It’s not how much you own, but the way you style them. The Hair We all know that girl who cuts or colours her hair in the name of change. I’m still that girl. The only one in my family who experiments with her hair every chance she gets. For the past year though, after fighting the urge to go back to a bob cut, I’ve noticed a stillness in mine. The length, the middle part, sometimes straight, mostly wavy, and I’m loving it. The Footwear I’ve always chosen comfort over trends or in this case, French style—and if mine happens to align with it, that’s just a happy coincidence. I have a thing for platform, pencil, block, anything heels. What started as a way to add a few inches to my height slowly became an essential. My look feels incomplete without them now. The Accessories I’ve never been big on accessories. I do love dainty jewellery, sunglasses, and a handbag sometimes. Funnily enough, I started learning French last year. I had no trip planned, nothing. There’s just a girl I follow on YouTube. I love her weekly vlogs. She speaks fluent English, but sometimes, she lets a little French slip through. One day, I realised I wanted to understand her without subtitles. Talk about influence. That’s when I started learning the language. I’d love to say I sound like Phoebe speaking French right now, but I’m pretty sure I sound like Joey. Bonjour, Ça va? Bonne année! Hey, look. Now we all sound like him.
Skincare has Changed the Way Makeup Feels on My Skin, and in My Head
Makeup was on my mind way before it was on my skin. I was introduced to it slowly. At first, it was just a roller lip gloss. Around twelve, it became kajal and lip balm. Then came lipstick and eyeliner. It was only in college that I understood makeup as a routine. A friend and I would watch YouTube videos. We were obsessed with Jeffree Star and James Charles back then. That’s when I realized how much effort goes even into a “no makeup” look. But it was mostly lipsticks and eyeliners for me. I wanted every shade and I wanted to wear them all the time. I just wasn’t fully comfortable yet, so I’d apply and smudge it, or dab a little with my fingers, just enough for a tint. I thought I wouldn’t be able to wear makeup because the look I liked, meant a lot of products and I didn’t want that. My acne prone skin couldn’t handle it anyway, and I was still in college. I couldn’t just buy anything and experiment till I figured what worked for me. That stuff was expensive. After years of struggling with hormonal acne, I’ve begun to understand my skin a little better. We’ve come to an agreement—I can wear makeup as long as my skin feels good. It works in my favor since I never liked a heavy base. So now, I have a non-negotiable deal with my skin. Staying in touch with my gut health because it reflects on the skin.I have PCOD, and it’s something I’ve learned to work with. Understanding my symptoms changed everything, especially when it came to my skin. It has a lot to do with lifestyle and diet. Some days the symptoms barely show up, other days they need more attention. AM and PM skincare routine.Skincare routines can sound overwhelming but they don’t have to be. It could be three products and still work. Understanding the ingredients your skin actually needs is the primary step. It’s always best to consult a Dermatologist, in my opinion.My AM routine includes a cleanser, toner, serum, moisturiser, and sunscreen.My PM routine is simpler: a cleanser, toner, moisturiser, and a night cream.Once a week, I replace the night cream with a homemade face mask. Shop Cleanser:Cetaphil PRO Oil Control Foam Face WashCetaphil Oily Skin CleanserSebamed Oil Free Clear pH 5.5 Face Cleansing FoamSimple Facial Wash Shop Toner and Serum:TONYMOLY Wonder Ceramide Mocchi TonerMinimalist 2% Salicylic Acid SerumMinimalist 10% Niacinamide Face Serum Shop Moisturiser:Cetaphil Moisturising CreamReequil Oil Free Moisturiser Shop Sunscreen:Reequil Ultra Matte Dry Touch SunscreenBeauty of Joseon Relief Sun – Rice & Probiotics SunscreenEarth Rhythm Sunscreen SPF 50Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry Touch Sunblock Shop Night Cream:Minimalist 2% Retinoid Anti Aging Night CreamEstee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum Never sleeping with makeup on, and keeping the brushes clean.It’s true! No matter how lazy or cold you feel, never sleep with your makeup on. Not every breakout comes from hormones or oily food. Sometimes, it’s the dirty brushes. Shop:Garnier Micellar Water for Removing MakeupClinique Balm Makeup Remover 2 litres water intake.Two litres, three, whatever works for you.The bottom line is to stay hydrated. As we grow older, our bodies need more attention, and it’s important that we listen. I’m finally understanding the obsession with sunscreen.
Who Taught Us What Beautiful Was Supposed to Mean?
For the longest time, just like you, I didn’t understand a lot of things that were happening to me. I believed everything I read or saw, especially when it came to physical health. Things like skinny means weak, obesity means strong, short means you can’t be taken seriously, acne means ugly, quietly shaped how careful I became while building my personality. After spending a ridiculously long time trying to figure myself out(still a work in progress, by the way), and as I slowly crawl my way into my thirties(just not yet). I’ve realized something important. There’s so much effort people put in that we casually pass off as natural beauty or effortless confidence. That’s the thing! We let people define, or rather generalize, what being healthy and beautiful is. Which, through no fault of our own, puts a lot of pressure on us. When in fact, it’s a phase we all go through at our own pace. It usually stems from our childhood, through our teens, then somewhere during adulthood—when we understand our bodies better, we start to listen and work with them. But by then, our mental health has often already taken a quiet hit. Everything we see around us is usually the result of years of effort, money, and intention. I genuinely admire people who show up for themselves no matter what. It would’ve saved me so much time if I knew how to handle criticism in any form earlier. If you are in that phase too, going back and forth with these emotions, I know how exhausting it can be. It’s a lot of work too. But it’s still not late. In fact, I think this might be the perfect time. New year, new mindset. Baby steps! What do you say? Every body is built differentAs women, our bodies are built in a way that we can have the same problems but not necessarily the same symptoms, or solutions. Whether it’s menstrual cycle, health conditions, pregnancy, it’s very important to know what’s happening through medical help before experimenting with what may work in general. Our bodies are always telling us what they want, it’s important we listen to them first. You could be gaining/losing weight because of PCOD, for instance, but eating less or more wouldn’t fix that. Changing how you approach it, might. There’s no point stressing over what you can’t controlEasier said than done, I know. But if there’s something about you that bothers you, something you can’t control, and it hurts even more when someone mocks you for it, the answer isn’t shrinking yourself. Build boundaries, and never stop working on your personality. Not for them, but for you. A thick skin goes a long way. Block them out of your life, but never downgrade yourself to their level. Don’t give them the reaction they’re looking for. You’ll save so much time. The strange power we give casual commentsI’ll admit that I’ve spent way too much time overthinking and taking things personally. I’ve even laughed with those who mocked me, but I’ve never done anything to change myself. And that matters. I’ve known girls who would change the way they looked if a guy told them to. I mean, a guy who clearly looks like he could use some grooming himself, calls a girl out for having a “moustache” and she waxes it off the next day? Come on!! Now let’s try again. Who taught us what beautiful was supposed to mean? Try to remember them for a second. Exactly! You could’ve just easily made them feel badly about them, but you didn’t. We just believe anyone who has an opinion, often projecting their own insecurities and fear of being seen differently. Not anymore, I hope.