If breakfast isn’t your favourite meal of the day (it really ought to be), these Instagram accounts will make you a convert. Sure, the sheer gorgeousness of a gluten-free cinnamon French toast with berry compote and coconut cream might intimidate you at first, but few deep breaths in and you’ll be on your way to the grocery store to prep—because the accounts below not only give you some major breakfast goals, they also give you recipes to reach them.

When you want to quit your biggest vice: sugar

There exists a world where cravings are fulfilled, and food tastes (and looks) drool-worthy, and it includes zero sugar. This account will help you discover that world. (@iquitsugar)

When pancakes are life

Because a day will never come when a light, fluffy, generously drizzled with syrup pancake hasn’t solved all your life’s problems. (@pearsnpancakes)

When you want to believe that you can be healthy in this lifetime

You won’t have to hate your food to get your healthy on. Ashley’s wholesome meal ideas will keep you satiated, strong and stupendously fit. (@ashleysauvehealth)

When toast is serious business

Why have regular toast when you can have dessert toast—bread dipped in almond milk, pumpkin spice, vanilla powder and topped with berries, cacao nibs and melted black chocolate? (@clemfoodie)

When you want to drink your smoothie and eat it too

The smoothie bowls are will add colour to your black-coffee life.

When breakfast starts with an E and ends with double G

Welcome to Egg Central, where all morning meals are eggceptionally eggcentric and eggciting. (@eggoftheday)

The post Need breakfast ideas for the weekends? Check out these Instagram accounts appeared first on VOGUE India.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is no stranger to the red carpet. And every time she makes an appearance, she leaves her fans talking about everything from her fitness routine to her wardrobe. One of the most beautiful women in the world, you’d expect her beauty rituals to be a complicated maze of products, but surprisingly, her beauty philosophy has always been understated yet elegant, “it’s important to not lose your personality in the name of fashion or beauty and it’s very important for me to be comfortable. Fashion and make-up is like art—I have fun with it,” she told Vogue India in an interview.

Her go-to lipstick for when she’s in the spotlight is hardly a surprise.“Red lips have the power to attract everyone’s attention and make you feel red-carpet-ready instantly,” was Rai Bachchan’s tip to us. “Also, walk with confidence and flash a 1,000-watt smile—it will always make you feel glamorous.” And to match that bright smile is her all-time favourite fragrance—Clinique Happy.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan says that it’s a classic staple in her beauty kit. The scent packs the essence of a joyful, sunny morning with fresh apple, plums, bergamot and fresh-air accord as top notes, and a heart of florals like lily rose and morning orchid. The best part, Rai Bachchan’s scent costs only about Rs 3,000 for a 30ml bottle (buy it here), and is perfect to cheer up a gloomy day.

And the most important beauty advice that the most beautiful woman in the world can give you? “Be comfortable in your skin and be your best friend, enjoy being who you are and it’s important to be happy,” Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was quoted saying in an interview with Vogue Australia. “You’ve actually got to feel it from within and that’s what really is. The rest can be put together, but what you exude is who you are, and it’s important to feel good to look good.”

This article was originally published in July 2016

Also read:

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s 17 best hairstyles & makeup looks

15 best celebrity hair colour jobs that will inspire you to try a new shade

6 French perfumes every woman must own at least once in her life

10 iconic women’s fragrances that any perfume lover should own

The post This is the perfume Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wears every day appeared first on VOGUE India.

Here, the many—new and improved—ways to take care of your skin

Use cleansing oils

The great oils have slickly taken over our world. Mixed with water, cleansing body oils turn into milky emulsions to lift off dirt from your skin, while leaving it supple and protecting its moisture barrier. Besides, with Good Earth’s version, you’re massaging a nourishing blend of lavender plant oils that are grown in Kashmir, in the foothills of the Himalayas, onto your skin. That does sound better than using a regular shower gel, doesn’t it?
Amritam Kashmir Lavender Shower & Bath Oil

Soap right

Each of Nykaa’s bathing bars is a labour of love. First, dollops of shea and cocoa butter are hand-churned. Then, olive and coconut oils are swirled into it. Finally, essential oils and spices are added to impart a natural scent. All this is then cold processed, poured into moulds and cured for six weeks. One more reason to lather up? Their delicious ingredient pairings—rose and almond, tea tree and aloe, lavender and chamomile—are guaranteed to turn your mundane bath into a sweet-smelling spa.
Nykaa Soap Story Lavender and Chamomile Bathing Bar

Remove makeup with essential oils

Kama Ayurveda’s makeup remover is a blend of essential oils of rose and jasmine that will melt into your skin and remove every last speck of makeup without leaving your face tight and dehydrated.
Kama Ayurveda Natural Makeup Remover

Sleep on it

Let’s face the fact that just a nightly beauty sleep isn’t enough to fade away the dark circles, lines and dullness that appear as we brave the skin stressors the day throws at us. With active ingredients from the Persian silk tree to reduce skin fatigue, fruits of wu-zhu-yu for radiance, Vitamin-C-rich kakadu plum extract to brighten and more, Dermalogica’s gel-cream will work the graveyard shift with your skin’s natural overnight recovery process to bring life back into it.
Dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon

MULTIMASK

It’s all about targeted masking—point every problem spot on your face with a potent mask and let it all get to work.

Need to draw out bacteria, chemicals, dirt, and fight acne? L’Oréal Paris’s charcoal mask will do it all. Apply on acne-infected areas.
L’Oréal Paris Pure Clay Mask

Apply Purearth’s molten lava-like mask made of Fuller’s earth, kaolin and rhassoul clay, along with organic honey and cacao butter, on areas that don’t need hardcore exfoliation, yet need enough deep cleansing and also that extra bit of nourishment.
Purearth Mitti Clay Face Masque

For oily dehydrated skin, we love the Clarins SOS Hydra mask. Apply to restore moisture and plump up dehydrated skin.
Buy now: Clarins SOS Hydra Refreshing Hydration Mask

LOVE YOUR HANDS

You use them all the time, wash them the most, and yet, when was the last time you used a targeted cream just for your hands? The semi-wax technology used to create Innisfree’s hand creams will ensure its subtle scent remains long after application. Plus, they have a different one for every month of the year, so the novelty won’t wear off that easily.
Innisfree Jeju Life Perfumed Hand Cream

UP YOUR HYDRATION LEVEL

You’re leaving your skin thirsty more often than you know. Try the Kiehl’s heavy gel cream, a nourishing multitasker infused with white birch to smoothen and increase hydration, Vitamin C to prevent discolouration, and glycolic acid to moisturise.
Buy now: Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Brightening & Smoothing Moisture Treatment

DRINK YOUR COLLAGEN

At a time when superfoods supersede every other food, it can get a little cumbersome to consume all that green tea and berries every single day for your daily nutrition. With Nutrova, you can just drink your nutrients. One serving will give you collagen peptides from fish (that help replace damaged collagen with healthy protein); antioxidants like lycopene from tomatoes (that acts as a shield against UV rays and improves appearance), OPCs from grapeseed extract (that fight free-radical damage), taurine for hydration; and vitamins C and E. The drink smells fishy, tastes fruity and gives you hope that though the damage (to your skin) is done, it can be repaired.

If you didn’t know already, collagen is the structural protein in your body that gives your skin strength and elasticity, which naturally starts diminishing with age. Lesson: Drink it if you can’t produce it adequately.
Nutrova Collagen + Antioxidants

INDIAN ACCENT

Here’s a little quiz for you: Think of India. Now, think of the flowers that remind you of India. Ten points (and a Jo Malone London fragrance!) if you came up with jasmine and marigold. If there are two blooms that deserve to represent India to the world, it’s these. The British fragrance brand captures India in a bottle this month with their new scent, Jasmine Sambac & Marigold Cologne Intense. The opening is intensely jasmine—a light spritz is enough to transport you to the sensory chaos of an Indian flower market at the break of dawn. A few seconds later, voluptuous marigold joins the party and takes the fragrance to heady heights. It’s a scent that, to us, smells and feels like India—it’s rich, it’s full-bodied and it’s intoxicating. It feels like home! — Nidhi Sharma Punjabi
Jo Malone London Jasmine Sambac & Marigold Cologne Intense (100ml)

Also read:

7 Middle Eastern beauty products you need to try, if you haven’t yet

17 aloe vera-based beauty products that deserve a spot in your beauty kit

15 rose-based beauty products that you need in your summer kit

The post 11 fresh new beauty products you need to try out this April appeared first on VOGUE India.

Lipsticks have been around in my life since forever. I grew up in a joint family, surrounded by beautiful aunts and cousins. One of my fondest childhood memories is carefully rummaging through their dressers, picking my favourite shade of lipstick and sneakily applying it onto my lips when no one was watching. I think my love for brown lipstick really began then. The shade was everywhere—in my mother’s beauty kit, on Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, even Rachel from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. If you’re a ’90s kid, you’ll get the gist. I’d swipe on a deep vermillion-brown one day, a burnt brick-tone on another and sometimes go for a luscious dark chocolate. Its incredible popularity is probably why, once the decade was over, the colour earned itself the disrepute of being an “older woman’s” shade.

A short break-up

When I grew up, the browns were replaced with sunny corals, peppy pinks and bold reds. I am a lipstick chameleon, and somewhere between going from one colour to another, my love for brown lipstick faded. But only until recently, when the beloved hue was brought back by every brand—in newer renditions, with better formulas, and a much larger shade spectrum. And that’s how I fell in love, once again.

Brown lipsticks 2.0 

Brown lipsticks are now made to match every Indian skin tone, and they couldn’t have come back at a better time—they do go perfectly with those wide-legged palazzos we’re also borrowing from the ’90s. The colour even complements a beautiful sun-kissed look, and awakens tired tones with its warmth, without the in-your-face effect of an otherwise bold colour.

The new lipstick league

Earthy-hued lipsticks now come in everything from tawny rose and creamy terracotta to intense brick reds and mocha. Paired with a creamy complexion or a subtly contoured face, the hue is as appealing under the sun, as it is in front of the flashlight. Talk about an unparalleled versatility.

Pick from our curation of all kinds of brown lipsticks. There are mattes, liquid mattes, creamy mattes, glossy, chalky—you can choose any formula that works for you. If you’re looking for an everyday brown, select from the true nudes that will flatter your skin tone and give you that my-lips-but-better look. They’re softly pigmented, and work perfectly for boardroom beauty. If you want to really show off that brown, pick the ones with dark, intense pay-offs—swipe on for a statement pout, or stain your lips by gently tapping on the colour with your finger for a hint of vibrant colour.

Just like that almost-over perfect red in your kit, it’s now time find the perfect brown lipstick. Choose one from our edit:

1/15

 

Buy now: Chambor Orosa Lipstick in 583

Buy now: Clinique Pop Matte in Clove Pop

Dior Rouge Dior in 434 Promenade Hazelnut

Buy now: Faces Ultime Pro Liquid Lipstick in Dark Chocolate

Buy now: Gigi x Maybelline Matte Lipstick in Taura

Huda Beauty Liquid Matte in Spice Girl

Buy now: Lakmé Absolute Argan Oil Lip Color in Deep Brown

MAC Liptensity in Dionysus

Buy now: Nykaa Pout Perfect Lip and Cheek Velvet Matte Crayon Lipstick in Nude Me Not

Buy now: Revlon Ultra HD Gel Lipcolour in Arabica

Buy now: Ruby's Organics Lipstick in Raisin

Sephora Color Lip Last in Chocolate Cherry

Buy now: Smashbox Always On Liquid Lipstick

The Body Shop Shine Lip Liquid in Apple Taffy

NYX Lip Lingerie Liquid Lipstick in Exotic

Also read:

How to make unusual lipstick shades work for you

Anushka Sharma’s lipstick is the summer berry hue you’ll want to try now

10 bright lipsticks that will add the right amount of colour to your summer

5 ways to make lipstick bleeding a thing of the past

Your celebrity guide to picking the best nude lipstick for your skin colour

The post My 20-year-old love affair with brown lipstick appeared first on VOGUE India.

As a strict non-believer of diet fads that make an impact on your weight loss (albeit temporarily), I was intrigued by group fitness trainer Brinda Desai’s new book, Secrets To Being Quintessentially Svelte. You can call it a handbook to healthy living; her wise words revolve around a simple philosophy, ‘live well’. Desai truly believes that losing weight can be pleasurable, so long as you start listening to the most important person in your life—yourself. “Your body is constantly talking to you, but the noise around is so loud, you can’t hear it. You miss out on realising how simple the body’s needs are (movement, rest and nutritious, wholesome food), and that little changes can actually make you lose weight and feel fit more successfully,” she explains.

Desai charts out a realistic plan to help you lose weight and keep you in good shape inside out through life.

1. Eat nourishing, wholesome foods

Follow the good old Food Pyramid for the perfect diet. Eating the right foods in balance keeps your body well-nourished, and helps you lose weight. The body requires specific nutrients for specific functions to work well. Deny it and you will start seeing ill effects.

2. You can indulge, even when you’re trying to lose weight

It is very important to keep the mind happy. Whether it’s fries or chocolate, a rich gravy or cake; treat yourself to it a couple of times a week. But make sure the portion is moderate—one slice of cake, small serving of fries, 1-2 pieces of chocolate—and balance out the rest of your week’s diet by eating simple, nutritious foods.

3. Make your social life active

Why meet over dinner or coffee when you can have much more fun dancing the night away? How about salsa party? Or why not spending an entire morning cycling with your friends and stop for a breakfast picnic somewhere scenic? Challenge your girlfriends to a game of throwball or just go for a swim.

4. Take the stairs

Start off with one floor and then add on. Every opportunity you get, climb. If you head out from your third-floor home say twice in the day, you will have climbed about 120 steps.

5. Skip the car and walk

Run your errands and walk short distances whenever possible. It saves time, traffic and pollution, and burns calories to help you lose weight.

6. Pick one physical activity every day

It doesn’t necessarily have to be a workout. Crank up the music and dance, run with your dog in the park, play with your kids or pick up an active sport.

7. Take stock of your sugar intake

Sugar in tea, coffee and other drinks, as well as in meals and desserts can all add up to a very large quantity for your daily diet. Pick and choose. Have a small portion if you really want to, or better yet, try to satisfy your craving with fruits.

8. Listen to your body

Don’t be mechanical about what you eat just because you want to follow a diet. Try to figure what your body is saying. Do you want something cold or warm, sour or sweet, bland or spicy, light or heavy? Lead by the sensation. Don’t brew yourself a hot cup of coffee if your body would rather have something cool. Eat grilled chicken and mashed potato for when your body craves comfort.

9. Choose an exercise form you truly enjoy

Pick a workout that makes you feel happy. Is it a jog in the park, or is it cycling? Do you like the tempo cardio class? Or is yoga more your cup of tea? What about martial arts? There are so many forms of exercise to choose from. Your workout must ideally include cardiovascular training, strength training and flexibility training. Take the time to give that a thought and strictly pick what you would love doing. You’ll lose weight as you go.

Brinda Desai’s Secrets to Being Quintessentially Svelte is available on Amazon.in

Also read:

How to lose weight and get fit, not skinny: 10 easy steps

How to lose weight: 8 foods that will fire up your metabolism

Weight loss tips: How to drink alcohol when you’re trying to lose weight

How to manage sugar cravings when on a weight loss diet

Workouts for weight loss: 15 to 35 minute HIIT sessions to try now

The post 9 ways to lose weight (and maintain it) without following a diet appeared first on VOGUE India.

Workouts are fun when they start and end to the beats of Beyoncé, include props like ballet barres, balls and weights, and have instructors that motivate you to reach your highest potential. A class at Physique 57, Mumbai—the international fitness company that has the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Demi Moore and Chrissy Teigen as loyal followers—will have you walking out feeling stronger, fitter and definitely wanting more. The workout’s signature barre-based technique has the perfect blend of cardio, strength training and stretching to help shape up your body, using its own weight to work out every single muscle. You’ll have intense arm strengthening exercises, thigh and seat sequences, killer ab moves and fluid stretches to cinch every inch. Just to know how much fun this workout can be, we got the owner of Physique 57 Mumbai, Mallika Tarkas Parekh, to give you a little taste. Here’s her 10-minute routine that you can try at home to get stronger abs.

Forearm plank, the Physique 57 way

Image: Shutterstock

While most might be familiar with the high plank position—in which you get into a push up position—you might not be aware of this one. To get into this position, bend your elbows at 90 degrees, make sure your body is a straight line from head to toe and keep your hips are in line with your shoulders. Amp up your workout by alternating knee bends for 60 seconds while holding the plank. This plank position not only engages your core, but also makes for a great cardio movement.

C-curve

Image: Shutterstock

Get flat on your back and make the letter C with your body, such that your shoulders are in line with your knees (place a thick towel or cushion under your lower back for support). Draw your navel to your spine, bracing your abs. Lift and lower arms or hold thighs for 1 minute. This works your entire abdominal wall.

Thigh dances

Image: Shutterstock

From a kneeling position on the floor, lift your glutes off your heels, tuck, and lift or circle your hips for one minute. Moving your hips works your abs from every direction, giving them a strong, toned dancer look. Pro tip: Play some fun music to make your workout more interesting.

Repeat all three exercises in three sets each with a one-minute break between each set.

Physique 57 Mumbai Studio is open for classes at Four Seasons Hotel, Worli, Mumbai. Visit Physique57Mumbai.com to sign up for a class

Also read:

This new dance workout will give you the best butt of your life

This new workout craze has an uncanny resemblance to a popular Indian dance

9 ways to lose weight (and maintain it) without following a diet

7 exercises that will help reduce a double chin

Six easy ways to get yourself out of an exercise rut

The post This core workout takes as much time as one hit of a snooze button appeared first on VOGUE India.

Face masks are like potato chips—once you’ve tried one, you’ve got to have another. It’s a serious addiction, but the kind that is good for you. They come in all shapes and sizes, tackle all kinds of skin concerns, and are just as fun an activity to indulge in as, well, eating potato chips. And you need them, especially now, when the sun isn’t being all that forgiving to our skin.

Just the thought of an ice-cold glass of lemonade on a scorching summer’s day is enough to cool you down a bit. Now, imagine sipping on that tall glass with an equally cooling face mask on. Grandma’s remedies of straight-from-the-fridge to your skin are about to get a serious upgrade. On regular use, these face masks will calm you down, reduce sun damage (read: redness and pigmentation), deliver instant hydration and basically, give your summer skin an absolute chill time. How, you ask? Well, with the infusion of soothing ingredients like aloe vera, cucumber, green tea, tea tree and other refreshing combinations, of course.

First of all, they’re perfect to sit with during a Netflix-and-chill session. Second, guaranteed inside-out glow. Store these in your fridge and mask on to literally feel as cool as a cucumber. There’s a bonus eye mask in here too, because you need more than those aviators for sun protection.

Buy now: Boscia Cool Blue Calming Mask

There is a certain kind of satisfaction with peel-off masks. The mere action of peeling to reveal fresher, glowy-er skin in the mirror is incomparable. That’s what this face mask does—it cools, calms and provides instant relief—making the skin behind the cool blue peel looks a lot healthier than it was before. The thick opaque gel-like layer turns hard and can be removed after 20 minutes or so. The powerful formulation includes sea whip—a natural anti-inflammatory willow herb—to reduce redness, aloe vera to hydrate and icy-cool peppermint to refresh tired skin.

Buy now: Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask

A clay mask to cool? If it’s got soothing aloe vera and oatmeal, why not! My acne-prone skin is very sensitive to new products, but it pleasantly accepted and loved this face mask. It didn’t feel harsh like a clay mask would, and cleared my pores while also leaving my skin nourished.

Alanna Deep Cleanser Mask

Open the jar and the strong (natural) fragrance of this black jelly-like mask will instantly acquaint you with its ingredients—aloe vera, activated charcoal powder and lavender. It is great for skin that needs clearing and cooling at the same time.

Buy now: Anatomicals Off With Their (Black and White) Head Botanical Purifying Tea Tree Face Mask

This sheet mask does it all—tea tree oil and green tea to clarify and prevent blemishes; hyaluronic acid for moisture-boost; aloe vera and vitamin E to soothe.

Shangpree Gold Black Pearl Hydrogel Eye Mask

There are masks that work overtime to give you better skin, and then there are masks that make a difference within mere minutes. These eye masks, sold exclusively at The Ageless Clinic, form part of the latter. The gold flakes are floating in a concentrated treatment essence of minerals, amino acids and proteins, that soak into your under-eye skin through the hydrogel material. The black pearl and gold help fight signs of ageing, and once off, you’re guaranteed to see de-puffed, brighter, awakened eyes, just like I did.

Buy now: Peter Thomas Cucumber Face Mask

A sensitive skin saviour, this extremely gentle mask is packed with soothing ingredients like cucumber, papaya, sugarcane, lemon, orange, chamomile and more. It is perfect to leave on as an overnight mask, to wake up to refreshed, glowing skin.

Buy now: Plum Chamomile and White Tea Glow-Getter Face Mask

With soothing ingredients like chamomile, white tea leaf and liquorice root extract, this mask deeply cleanses and relieves skin from oxidative damage by daily exposure to the sun. The mask also feels very delicate on the skin.

Buy now: Dior Hydra Life Glow Better Fresh Jelly Mask

The cute little jar packs a pretty pink coloured jelly mask that is as appealing to apply as it is to look at. It gently scrubs the residue off with apricot kernel extracts and provides a healthy glow from the citrus fruit extracts.

Buy now: Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Mask, Cucumber

This one is best used fresh out of your refrigerator, to feel like real cucumbers have been chilled and squeezed specially to be soaked up by your skin.

Buy now: O3+ Sulfur Cooling Mask

All the dead skin cells and dirt collected onto your skin is cleared off with this pore-cleansing face mask. Plus, it feels minty cool while it works to prevent breakouts.

Buy now: The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask

This creamy mint green coloured mask has dandelion extract, matcha from Japan and aloe from Mexico—and is best used on a weekly basis to extract all the pollutants gathered through daily outings.

Buy now: Just Herbs Petalsoft Anti-Tan Rose Face Pack

Modest and effective fuller’s earth clears and tones the skin, while the other soothing ingredients—rose, liquorice and holy basil—help calm chronic inflammation, redness, and sunburn.

Also read:

Vogue Trending: I tried 7 face masks in 7 days, and this is what happened

Vogue tries it: 3 face masks that promise to give you super clean skin

Vogue tries it: 5 face masks that promise to get rid of hangover face

Vogue tries it out: 5 face masks perfect for the rainy season

5 effective face masks recipes you can whip up at home

The post 12 cooling face masks that are perfect for a hot summer day appeared first on VOGUE India.

Whether it’s a new perfume you want to try or need a burst of colour for your lips for the summer, this month’s freshest beauty launches will have you covered.

Just in

Long-lasting, fresh and easy on the pocket—the new homegrown fragrance house started by Varsha Dalal, Embark, is all set to become a millennial favourite. While the two women’s fragrances—My Life, a floral-aromatic blend, and My Dream, an oriental-woody scent—are perfect for daily spritzes, we’re stocking up on the aquatic scents made for the men too, because an impromptu beach vacay is always waiting to happen.

Embark Eau de Parfum for men and women (100 ml), Rs 1,595 each

Mood makers

With Nykaa’s perfume duo, Moi, scents don’t have to be saved for special occasions. For floral lovers, Raison d’etre is a sensual blend of rose, vanilla, musk and vetiver. If you’re in the mood for an airy one, Joie de Vivre will take you to the breathy outdoors with citrus, amber and oak moss.

Nykaa Moi, Joie de Vivre and Raison d’etre (100 ml), Rs 1,800 each

Scentual space

Picture a secret evening affair from behind a Luca Guadagnino lens. Only, instead of artistes and creative minds, they’re perfumes—little-known wonders who’ve come together from different corners of the world. There is ‘Dangerous Complicity’ when ‘Hindu Grass’ meets ‘Joy’. Together they all laugh about how ‘Juliette Has A Gun’. Before you wonder what’s going on, they’re names of niche scents available at Maison des Parfums, a haven of artisanal perfumes sourced from across the globe. The Mumbai store lets you become a part of this exclusive scent soirée that has everything from classics like Bond No 9 and Annick Goutal, to unconventional ones like The Different Company and Nasomatto. Each fragrance screams expressionism and, because the spectrum of noses is so diverse, there’s a high possibility that one of them becomes your scent. And if you want to feel (and smell) rather royal, they even house the iconic scent sprayed by Princess Diana—Quelques Fleurs by Houbigant Paris.

Etat Libre d’Orange Dangerous Complicity EDP (100ml), Rs 9,990; Jean Patou Joy Forever EDP (75ml), Rs 8,175

What’s in a name?

Inspiration. For renowned nose Roja Dove, the name is the starting point in the creation of a truly exclusive luxurious blend. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” Shakespeare wrote. But legendary perfumer Roja Dove begs to differ. “When it comes to the inspiration behind my scents, it often starts with a name,” he shares.

Memory lane

It’s how Good Night’s Kiss came to be. “I fell in love with this perfume when I smelled it on my mother one evening when she was going out to a cocktail party,” and it’s this first scent memory that led Dove to his eponymous perfume brand, Roja Parfums.

Perfect notes

Dove uses meticulously sourced, rare ingredients. The real gold flakes in Roja Haute Luxe are the cheapest ingredient in there. “The rose notes come from Grasse, which has its own microclimate. It takes 3,08,000 roses picked before noon in the month of May to make just one kilo of oil.” 

India calling

You can thank Shishir Mehta, founder, Scentido India, for giving us first-hand access to Roja Parfums. “The fragrances from Roja have been some of my most prized scents. I feel the brand’s olfactory portfolio will resonate with the experienced Indian consumer and be a revelation for the ones who have just begun to explore the world of niche fragrances.”

Roja Parfums Haute Luxe Parfum EDP (100ml), Rs 2,23,600

– Jerusha Ratnam Chande

Fruit punch

They look as juicy and fresh as the fruits they’re made with—and it is only right to provide our parched lips this summer the moisturising effects of The Body Shop’s lip juicers. Pick your seasonal favourites from kiwi, blueberry, watermelon, strawberry and more.

The Body Shop Lip Juicers, Rs 650 each

Green day

Not only are they infused with natural ingredients like aloe and argan and come packed in soothing shades of mint green, the BBs and blushes in Kiko Milano’s capsule Green Me collection also pay homage to nature with their eco-friendly properties. The packaging is made with natural elements that come from sustainably maintained forests and recycled paper with a low carbon footprint.

Kiko Green Me Eyeshadow Palette, Feisty Saffron, Rs 1,490

Metal hands

Isa Dora has finally solved a dilemma we’re often faced with—to choose to subject our nails to the harsh effect of a gel manicure or to let go of our dreams of beautiful, chrome nails. With their at-home chrome kit your mirrored nails are three steps away. No fluff, only real shine. Paint your nails with their coloured lacquer, then rub the silvery powder onto it until it gives a smooth, metallic finish, and layer with the fixing top coat. That’s all, ladies.

Isa Dora Chrome Nail kit (base colour, powder and top coat), Rs 2,490

People are talking about… plump pouts

Oversized pouts are everywhere. But before you decide to pump up their volume, you should read between the lips.

It took a while for her to come clean but Kylie Jenner finally admitted to getting lip fillers when she was 16. They did more than give her the now-iconic pout—they put some serious dollars in the bank courtesy her Lip Kit line and started a manic trend among millennials who were willing to go beyond trompe-l’oeil makeup tricks and turn to dubious lip suction devices and injectables to plump up their pouts.

Even back home, celebrity cosmetic dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad admits that requests for lip fillers from teenagers are on the rise. But as standard practice, Sharad does not administer lip fillers to anyone under 21. “If a girl between 15 to 21 requests a lip filler, I ask them to get their parents along and counsel them.” She adds, “This is really not the right age as the body is still developing and the hormones are changing.”

But if you are a fully consenting adult who’s exhausted all makeup tricks and wants a long-term solution to define, shape and plump up your pout, she recommends hyaluronic acid gel fillers like Juvederm Ultra XC or Restylane Silk. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring substance and hence considered safe but it’s not a permanent solution and can last anywhere from six to eight months.

Before you decide to brave the needle, make sure you want fuller lips for the right reasons. Even Jenner has admitted in the aftermath, “I didn’t want people to think you had to get your lips done to feel good about yourself.” Body parts are not a trend. – JRC

Also read:

Nykaa now has their own perfumes, and they’re perfect for summer

30 great perfumes to put on your shopping list this April

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The post All the beauty products you need in your kit in May 2018 appeared first on VOGUE India.

We have a small challenge for you. For the next five days, become more aware about your body, and make an attempt to notice that singular moment in the day when you feel most drowsy, almost as if your mind is subtly coercing you to sleep. Just log that time in your mental journal. Over the next few days, you’ll notice that there is a pattern to this—every day, you’ll feel drowsy at a particular time, and similarly, super energised and active at another.

These are signals sent to you by your circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is your body’s internal 24-hour clock that is constantly ticking at the back of your brain. According to Dr Raghubansh Mani Singh, senior Ayurvedic physician at Ananda in the Himalayas, it is a cycle that tells our bodies when to sleep, rise, eat, and so on, regulating many physiological processes. The problem arises when we stop listening to it. While your brain certainly controls it, external factors do play a part too. And so, with the lifestyles led today, the body clock is disrupted, often ignored, leading to more than the feeling of being tired. Here, Dr Singh explains just how important it is to work with your inner clock and divulges details on how to make it work in your favour.

Why you need to listen to your inner alarm

Your body clock does more than just tell you when to sleep. “Natural factors within the body produce circadian rhythms. However, signals from the environment also affect them. Circadian rhythms influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, eating habits and digestion, body temperature and other important bodily functions,” explains Dr Singh. If not followed, irregular rhythms have been linked to various chronic health conditions, such as sleep disorders, obesity, diabetes, depression etc.

What disrupts a healthy body clock

“In our modern industrialised society, disruption of individual circadian rhythms has become commonplace, with everything from shift work and jet lag to the constant presence of electric lighting affecting them directly. These disruptions are not just a nuisance—they can also lead to serious health and safety problems. Shift work is the best example of how we can get ourselves off-cycle, and can develop into a circadian rhythm disorder over the long term. People who work the night shift not only have a hard time with their sleep patterns (feeling sleepy at work or experiencing insomnia at night), other systems in their bodies can also feel the effects—and they can be chronic,” says Dr Singh. 

Your body clock’s effects on your health

According to Dr Singh, heart patients are at greater risk for myocardial infarction in the week following the daylight savings time shift. “The most basic daily rhythm we live by is the sleep-wake cycle, which (for most) is related to the cycle of the sun. It makes us feel sleepy as the evening hours wear on, and wakeful as the day begins. Chronic disruption of one of the most basic circadian (daily) rhythms—the day/night cycle—leads to weight gain, impulsivity, slower thinking, and other physiological and behavioural changes in mice, similar to those observed in people who experience shift work or jet lag,” explains Dr Singh.

4 ways to balance your inner clock for good health

Dr Singh explains, that in Ayurveda, everything is constituted of five elements namely Air, Space, Water, Fire and Earth. The human body is a combination of these elements that constitutes three doshas: Vata (Air and Space), Pitta (Fire and little Water) and Kapha (Earth and Water).

Each time of the day has energy. In Ayurveda, we use the qualities of the elements to describe different times of the day.

• 10 pm-2 am and 10 am-2 pm are considered Pitta times of the day
• 2 am-6 am and 2 pm-6 pm are considered Vata times of the day
• 6 am-10 am and 6 pm-10 pm are considered Kapha times of the day

Start by eating, exercising and sleeping based on your dosha time.

1. When to eat what: Your main meal should take place at lunch (Pitta time 10am to 2pm), a light breakfast at Kapha time (6am to 10am) and a light dinner at Kapha time (6pm to 10pm) too. According to Ayurveda, the fire in Pitta corresponds directly with our ability to digest food. Imbalance of Pitta means your digestion is probably weak. During Pitta times of the day, your digestive power is at its highest. This is why Ayurveda suggests that the largest meal of the day is eaten at mid-day between 10am-2pm, as we’re best able to digest heavy meals during this time frame.

2. Exercise in the am: Exercise at Kapha time between 6am to 10am. This is usually when we’re getting ready, and it’s a great time to work out and get the stimulation that your body needs to move throughout the rest of the day with ease and energy.

3. Sleep at Pitta: Start your sleep at the start of Pitta time—10pm. Ayurveda says that all the thoughts and conversations that a person has throughout the day get converted to mental energy, which can either be negative or positive. The body processes this mental energy and switches on its repair mechanisms in the evening during Pitta time, as we sleep. Thus, it’s best to be in bed and resting from 10pm-2am, so that the body can have the time it needs to do all this transforming and metabolising on the inside.

4. Relax your mind: Vata corresponds with creativity and cognitive ability. The afternoon period between 2pm-6pm is considered to be a great time for brainstorming and creative projects. It’s also the best time to meditate, because we’re better able to access and control our mental abilities. If you get up before 6am and meditate, which is what Ayurveda recommends, you’ve set yourself up for a really successful day. Meditate at the start of your day before 6am, and repeat once again before 6pm.

Now that you know how important it is to listen to your internal clock, the next time it tells you to sleep, skip that next episode on Netflix and shut your eyes instead.

Also read:

8 myths about sleep you need to stop believing in right now

The simple yoga poses that will help you get the best sleep ever

Vogue tries it: 5 sleep masks that give you more out of your slumber

All the tips you need to get perfect, undisturbed sleep every night

Can’t sleep? Eat one of these nutritionist-approved foods

The post This is what happens when you don’t listen to your body’s inner clock appeared first on VOGUE India.

Image: Jo Malone London

From what we’ve already seen of #SonamKiShaadi and #EverydayPhenomenal, it’s evident how impeccably every moment of Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja’s wedding journey has been planned. Even the smallest details have been considered and executed to make sure the event is perfect. Wedding ceremonies make up memories that last for a lifetime—not just for the bride and groom, but also their near and dear ones, who are part of the celebrations. Fragrances have a way of leaving lasting impressions and conjuring up memories. No wonder then, that the bride has decided to add a sensorial touch to all her functions with the help of British fragrance house, Jo Malone London. This also marks the brand’s foray into scenting Indian weddings—looks like it isn’t just the fashion world that Sonam Kapoor is determined to set trends in. Scented candles have been carefully curated to match all the functions’ themes and decors. Scroll on to find out the scents that are wafting through the mehandi function going on right now.

Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja’s mehandi scent

Going with the dress theme for the night, white, Kapoor picked the perfect combination of English Pear & Freesia and Lime Basil & Mandarin candles from the brand to add to a bout of freshness of the venue. The light and airy vibe was amplified with the sensuous freshness of ripe pears wrapped in a bouquet of white freesias in English Pear & Freesia, and was lifted with the scents of peppery basil, aromatic white thyme and the zest of limes in Lime Basil & Mandarin.

Also read:

Sonam Kapoor’s mehandi hairstyle incorporates her mother’s maang tikka

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Sonam Kapoor’s intimate mehandi ceremony: All the pictures you need to see

Sonam Kapoor’s wedding dance practices are in full swing

19 pictures that take you inside Sonam Kapoor’s Mumbai home

The post This perfume house is scenting Sonam Kapoor’s wedding functions appeared first on VOGUE India.

The human body is more powerful than we think. We often ignore what it’s saying to us and forget that it has the ability to heal itself. Then there’s dance, whose curative effects on physical and emotional wellbeing have long been perceived, followed and felt for centuries. “I am more aware and attuned to what my body has to say to me at each moment, and that helps me understand my decision making and coping mechanisms,” says Devika Mehta, dance movement psychotherapist, clinical psychologist, and co-founder at Synchrony India, about her journey as a dance therapist. We chat with her about this technique.

What is dance therapy?

Dance movement therapy is the process of using ‘movement’ creatively for psychological, social and physical development and rehabilitation. The best part of this therapy is that it is open to all—you don’t need to be a dancer, or be of a certain age, to participate in dance therapy. “The body and the mind are interconnected. The body can be developed as a resource for healing and growth. I believe that when the mind and body work towards synchrony, this process can be used to reconstruct a more adaptive and healthy functioning individual. This is a creative and self-exploratory process that does not involve teaching dance forms,” explains Mehta.

Benefits of dance therapy

Chronic conditions
Dance therapy can be beneficial for any age group and kind of person. “Since it aims at both physical and emotional functioning, it can be helpful to people recovering from physical illnesses like strokes, traumatic brain injury, cancer recovery, movement and motor disorders as well as any mental health difficulty. It is beneficial for people with different abilities as well,” says Mehta.

Interpersonal relations and skills
The applications of this form of therapy reach far and wide. “It can be used to train teachers in classrooms to use embodied learning and build empathy with children. Parents can use it to improve communication with children. It can be used with children to improve peer interaction and for conflict resolution. Working with trauma from a body-centred approach for any kind of violence has been seen to be more long lasting,” explains Mehta.

Connecting with your body
“You don’t need to have a mental health illness or a physical one to reap the benefits of connecting to your body meaningfully. Dance therapy can be used in corporate environments to release stress and get the body moving from a specific posture,” explains Mehta. 

Personal experiences with dance therapy

Here are some people who’ve experienced the benefits of dance therapy, and what they had to say in its support.

Diagnosis: Parkinson’s disease

Name: Ranganathan A Narkar
Age: 77

“Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder, which leads to progressive deterioration of motor function due to loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The Parkinson’s Disease And Movement Disorder Society offers free groups to people with Parkinson’s. These support groups follow a multi-disciplinary approach where dance therapy is one of the complementary treatments offered, since there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease yet. Mr Narkar attended an intensive program in 2011, designed to assess the effectiveness of dance interventions on symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Based on the positive results of this program, it was further developed,” says Mehta.

Ranganathan’s experience: “I would like to thank my therapist for starting dancing classes for people with Parkinson’s disease at the Portuguese Church. It has helped me with balancing; in the house and at narrow places. I can see a 50 per cent improvement in myself, and this had increased my confidence as well.”

Diagnosis: TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury

Name: Sonal Sidhwani
Age: 42

“Motor coordination was asynchronous. Mood was low. Step length had decreased. She had already been undergoing neuro rehab with a multi-disciplinary team before she started to come to me, and she is continuing that program while in therapy too. She felt increasingly frustrated that she had forgotten her fun factor, and that her body would not dance to her inner soul song,” says Mehta.

Sonal’s experience: “Dance therapy has helped me immensely. I was first introduced to dance therapy in the US, where I had lived since the age of 24. Following my TBI in December 2016, I initially started intensive neuro rehabilitation. I slowly got better and was able to walk independently and my neurologist decreased my medications. In January 2018, after asking for a referral from my physical therapist and psychologist, I was introduced to a Mumbai-based dance and movement therapist who had been trained internationally. Physically, dance therapy has helped my motor movements be finer tuned, inching towards grace and away from rigidity. Psychologically, dance therapy helped me create my own secret forest where I am always welcome as I am and loved with all my imperfections. I can retreat to this place whenever I feel overwhelming emotion and can soon find my calm—it’s like Shavasana for the mind.”

Diagnosis: Autism

Name: Pranav Bakshi
Age: 17

“Pranav’s movement therapy work started at a community arts festival called Velvi For Autism. Even though he is a young adult, we were able to develop a program for him to use movement therapy for his personal and professional development. He attended two intensive programs through the art festival. He aims to become a model in the fashion world and play golf, and has a penchant for photography and music. We used movement therapy to help him work on his posture, his movement patterns, his confidence and communication,” says Mehta.

Pranav’s parent: “I came across dance therapy when I met Devika Mehta, the dance therapist who worked with Pranav as part of a theatre workshop he attended. To say that the experience brought about a paradigm shift in the way I perceived his strengths and the way he blossomed—be it in the areas of body awareness, movement orientations, his response to the outside stimulus of music or the pleasure that it brought him—would be an understatement. I instinctively knew that this would not be a one-time experience. Pranav himself asked for more sessions; it’s like his body had found a voice. His silhouette is more aligned and he expresses himself through joyful dance experiences, which he looks forward to. The outlet that dance therapy has provided him is priceless, and has touched all aspects of his life, even his regular game of golf.”

How can you enrol?

To sign up, you can email devika@synchronyindia.com or contact them through their website, Synchronyindia.com, and they will try to connect you with certified and trained people in different cities across the country, based on your needs.

Also read:

Are your children stressed out? Check out play therapy

Why hot saunas, running and other mild stress may be good for your brain

5 common myths about hormone replacement therapy that are far from true

The therapy that can turn back the clock on ageing

The post How dance therapy can ease chronic conditions like autism and Parkinson’s appeared first on VOGUE India.

Check out our edit of the best new hair treatments, hottest hair colours and the most hardworking hair care products you need to get your hands on.

THE BEST NEW PRODUCTS FOR HAIR

Here are all the new ways to make every day a happy hair day.

Sunscreen for hair

When it comes to sunscreen, you are not as protected as you think you are. We are all slathering it on our faces and dipping in a limb or two in it occasionally. But hair? Honestly, have you even put the words sunscreen and hair together? The Brazilian brand Sol do Rio wants you to take sun protection seriously. The products (shampoo, conditioner, mask and a beach waves spray) are infused with amino acids and coconut water to safeguard your strands against UV and pollution damage. The sun’s harmful UV rays damage the melanin in your hair, cause the colour to fade and give your hair that dreaded straw-like appearance. Add sea water and chlorine to the mix and you’ve got a mane disaster. The sulphate-, paraben- and silicon-free products coat hair with nourishing nutrients and create an invisible shield between you and the UV rays so you don’t make (hair) hay while the sun shines. Head to your nearest Jean-Claude Biguine salon to try. Sol do Rio Re-Charge Protein Rinse out Mask, Rs 2,900; Sol do Rio Beach Waves, Rs 1,600

—Nidhi Sharma Punjabi

The frizz fighter

It must be nice to have your hair styled and keep it that way, even after the effect of hot tools wears off. That’s if the world was perfect. But included in Kérastase’s natural Aura Botanica range is a light milky formula—Lait de Soie—that takes you closer to mane utopia. According to them, once massaged onto hair, it will discipline frizz for 96 hours in up to 90 per cent humidity, without compromising on the hair’s natural movement and volume. It also offers thermos protection up to 230 degrees Celsius, which simply means all those blow-drys won’t cost you your shiny strands. Kérastase Aura Botanica Lait de Soie, Rs 2,050

At-home care

Joining the three-part in-salon treatment are Olaplex No 4 and 5, a shampoo and conditioner you can take home to continue reaping its bond-building benefits. Both include the found-only-in-Olaplex ingredient—bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate—that protects hair from harsh effects of chemicals at a molecular level. That, and ingredients like acetic acid for clarifying, oils to condition, acai berry and banana extracts, and biotin, to name a few, make hair stronger from within and softer from the outside. We love that the creamy formula creates a rich, luxurious lather and somehow makes you feel like you’ve just slapped on tons of moisturiser on your strands. Get it at JCB exclusively. Olaplex No 5, Rs 2,250; Olaplex No 4, Rs 2,250

Night serum for your locks

There was an opening for a graveyard shift. The job was to mend split ends and reverse damage caused by chemicals and pollution to your hair, while you snoozed. Saffron, baobab tree seeds and maca root in Sova’s soothing aromatic mist came to apply—and did the job well. Spray it on and let your hair have a good night’s sleep. Sova Overnight Hair Repair Mist, Rs 1,650

Hair colour for the millennial

If the king of colour creates a kit for you to take home, you know the process of DIY colouring is never going to be the same again. Josh Wood’s Colour System has a permanent colour—PPD and ammonia-free, with hydrolysed quinoa to aid shine and moisture; root concealer for touch-ups; a colour blending brush for temporary colour that lasts up to three washes; a root smudger to disguise grey regrowth; a tinted dry shampoo; a marker to literally colour badly-behaved single strands that love to go astray; and a whole care range of shampoos, conditioners and a mask. Didn’t leave any grey areas behind, did you, Mr Wood?

Shampoo for thinning hair

Close your eyes and think of a shampoo that, apart from cleansing your scalp, strengthens roots to reduce hair loss. Now open your eyes and try Rene Furterer’s Triphasic Stimulating Shampoo, made of two ingredients that fight hair loss—ATP and natural Pfaffia extract—along with essential oils in microbeads that burst with the friction of fingers on the scalp, providing a stimulating shampoo and scrub in one product. Rene Furterer Triphasic Stimulating Shampoo, Rs 1,900

Damage control

Wella has introduced an action plan to rethink all the times you’ve shunned the idea of colouring your hair fearing the resultant damage. Wellaplex is a set of three products to be used during all stages of hair colouring—No 1 Bond Maker creates bonds within hair during lightening or colouring, No 2 Bond Stabilizer strengthens hair structure and rebalances pH levels, and No 3 Hair Stabilizer is to be used at home for continual care of chemically treated hair. It’s like a helping, caring hand to help you through every step of your coloured (hair) life.

THE HAIR TRENDS TO KNOW ABOUT

Confused about what hair colour to try next? This season, pick from three new on-trend techniques that ensure your hair colour looks ‘hyper natural’ yet transformed.

Smudging

Image: Instagram.com/nikkilee901

Imagine swirls of deep golds peeping through dark chocolate tresses like they were naturally made for each other. Smudging eliminates demarcation of sharp strips of colour, blurring the lines that divide two hues.
Try: With L’Oréal Professionnel’s Parisian Chocolat colours, you’ll have plenty of browns to smudge shine into—from hazel and cinnamon to mocha and chocolate.

Jewel lights

Image: Instagram.com/taylorrae_hair

Why should blondes have all the fun? Get your crazy colour fix without having to face the harsh effects of bleach by adding glossy, jewel tones of blue and green.
Try: Lakmé Salons across the country have colours from Schwarzkopf that involve adding glossy jewel tones of violet and cobalt to suit a brown base.

Colour melt

Image: Instagram.com/kimwasabi

It’s always daunting to pick a vibrant colour, but this technique ensures the shade melts into your natural colour seamlessly. If anything, it won’t take you back to your high school experimental days (hot pink streaks?) you never want to revisit.
Try: Matrix’s berry palettes are adapted to Indian skin tones and dark hair.

Also read:

8 haircare myths: What you should stop and start now

The best monsoon-ready hairstyles and hair care tips for long hair

28 best celebrity wedding hairstyles of all time

9 best hairdryers that you can buy online on Amazon.in right now

The post All the hair products and colour trends you need to know about this June appeared first on VOGUE India.

The Koreans may have taught us to take our skincare seriously, but it’s their holistic approach to everything they do that makes it more special—whether it’s how they pat on an essence gently, or patiently massage the moisturiser in to boost circulation, or how they take a bath. Yes, trust Koreans to even bathe differently occasionally, in order to reap maximum benefits out of an everyday ritual. Popularly known as a ‘half-bath’, it requires you to soak only half your body—the lower part—in water. Intrigued? Scroll on to know why this peculiar ritual deserves a spot in your regular beauty regimen.

What are the benefits of a half-bath?

The blood vessels in our body are responsible for carrying oxygen and nutrients to the skin and other cells of the body, to help them function better. Immersing your lower body in a hot bath, without letting your upper body get wet, helps boost this blood flow due to the resultant temperature difference in the top and bottom halves of your body. The increase in blood circulation helps release muscular tension, aids detoxification and also calms the nervous system. All of this collectively culminates into giving your skin the healthy boost it needs to glow from within.

How to draw your own half-bath?

1. You’re going to have to find a bathtub for this one first, obviously.
2. Fill it up halfway with really hot water, enough to keep you feeling warm without burning your skin or making you uncomfortable. You can also add essential oils or dead sea salt in your bath to enhance your experience and intensify the detoxification.
3. Now get inside, ensuring that only your lower body—up till your belly button—is completely soaked, while keeping the rest of your body absolutely dry.
4. Stay in there for at least 45 minutes without letting your hands sink in. You can get a nice book before you get in the tub too—not only will it help you relax, it’ll also keep your hands busy for this step.
5. You’ll notice your body start to warm up, and its effects will be seen as you start sweating on your upper body.
6. After your half-bath session, rinse your already-relaxed body with some cool water to finish off.

Also read:

 5 bath essentials that add more than just bubbles to your routine

This 2-step Korean trick will make sure you never have chapped lips

Mumbai now has a Korean beauty facial, and it is absolute luxury

7 indulgent new soaps that we want in our bathrooms, stat

The post Half bath: The new Korean beauty trend that you need to try out appeared first on VOGUE India.

Think oiling your hair is great for hair growth? Don’t know how to take your hair from regular to celebrity-level gloss? Five celebrity hairstylists reveal the secrets your salon won’t let you in on.

Boost your conditioner

“Add a little argan oil to your conditioner. And before you apply the mix, always towel-dry the hair. This makes all the difference.” – Natasha Naegamvala

Stop oiling your hair

“You may have heard many times from parents and grandparents that oiling is a great way to keep your hair healthy. But, in fact, over time, it does the opposite, coating it with a fine layer of oil. This layer acts to magnify the heat to your hair, sucking out all the internal moisture of your hair. It may look shiny because it’s got a layer of oil but it will feel rough and dehydrated. Condition instead of oiling. There is a myth that conditioner makes your hair fall out when, in fact, you lose 100-150 hair strands per day regardless, as this is the way our body is made. Ninety per cent of your hair is alive and 10 per cent is shedding and will regrow.” – Rod Anker

Get that trim

“Trim your hair every six to eight weeks. That’s the best way to keep it healthy and, trust me, you won’t believe how fast you’ll see it grow out.” – Yianni Tsapatori

Deep clean often

“Using an ice-cold rinse for the final rinse helps with optimum scalp health. Also, using a pale vinegar once a week will remove environmental build-up” – Josh Wood

Call for a beer

“Once while working on a film shoot, Dimple Kapadia asked me to get a can of beer from the hotel room fridge. At first I thought she was offering me a drink but she just poured half the beer can in my water spray bottle and asked me to spray each section of her hair with that mix instead of using any setting lotion and, oh my god! the result was this gorgeous, bouncy, shiny mane of beautiful hair!” – Kanta Motwani

Also read:

All the hair products and colour trends you need to know about this June

The best monsoon-ready hairstyles and hair care tips for long hair

Cannes 2018: 17 celebrity makeup looks and hairstyles we loved

Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt showcase two cool hairstyles for long hair

28 best celebrity wedding hairstyles of all time

The post 5 secrets to healthy hair your hairstylist isn’t telling you appeared first on VOGUE India.

I can safely say that my 20s have been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. From backpacking solo across Europe, giving my salutations to the sun on the edge of the Himalayas, falling madly in and out of love, getting an organ removed (the appendix) to landing a writing job in a company that no one thought I could get into without the ‘requisite experience or degree’—it’s been a memorable decade that came mixed with a little bit of living on and off the edge. But I had to enter my 30s with one final, lasting memory to sum up all the “back in the day, when I was your age” stories that I plan to recite to my great grandchildren (in perfect Eminem rap rhythm, of course). And so, I decided to dye my hair in a bold, bright blend of my version of happy, which falls somewhere between violet and pink.

My theory was simple: it’s one of those things that you have penned down in your bucket list, which, if you don’t start to tick off during your younger years, starts to fade as you grow up. Basically, it had to be done; my very long dark brown locks had to undergo a metamorphosis. I got in touch with Jean-Claude Biguine India’s creative director, Michel Baltazar, to make my whimsical wish come true.

Would you dare to go pink?

While I’ve coloured my hair several times in the course of my life, it has never been this transformative. And yes, of course I was nervous. It all started to sink in when the hair maestro, Baltazar, revealed his little lab kit to me—comprising hair swatches in all the possible wild colours you can imagine, deep dyes and brushes in all sizes. It was really happening; I was going to be that pink haired girl, in the span of just a few hours. Except, I had no idea what I would look like, and honestly, I couldn’t wait.

If you, like me, have always wondered about what it would be like to have wild-hued curls, or need a break from your monotonous life, or even if you’re simply looking to mark a milestone moment in your life with a drastic step, this is the answer—dye your hair, now! It’s not as scary as it seems, your hair won’t be as damaged as they say, and you’ll get to make your rainbow-tinted dreams come true.

But how do you know if a particular shade will suit you? Baltazar explains that a successful colour is a natural hair colour + skin tone + eye colour—“one of the three elements must be in opposition to the other two (warm + warm + cold or cold + cold + warm),” he says. “To put it simply, if your skin tone is warm, go for cooler colours, and if your skin tone is on the cool side, pick warmer tones,” he says.

It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that life is different on the brighter side. If you’re on the fence about colouring your hair, let me tell you a few things that I experienced during my transformation, and give you some tips to keep in mind before you take the plunge.

#1: Anticipate unpredictability

Here’s the thing—if you are planning to dye your hair in unconventional shades like purple, blue, green, lilac, yellow or pink, expect the unexpected. Because chances are, the colour isn’t going to be exactly how you imagined it in your head. Every head of hair takes dye on differently, so while it’s always good to have your Pinterest mood board ready, be prepared to have hair like no one else’s—and that’s the appeal anyway, right?

#2: You get to experience the blonde life for a few moments

The hair colouring process is a little more complicated than just applying simple swipes of colour on your strands. Because we’re not born blonde, our original hair needs to be rid of all its natural pigment, and turned into a sort of blank canvas that can be painted on. My pro stylist Baltazar, along with his assistant, painstakingly hand-painted every strand on my head that needed to turn pink, to a bleached blonde first. And since my hair’s melanin strength is strong (which Baltazar mentioned was a sign of healthy hair), it would require three more layers of lightening to get my desired dusty lilac-pink strands. We decided to stick with a darker shade of violet instead, and let the gradual fading process turn it to a shade that would be closest to the one on my moodboard.

#3: You start getting way more attention than before

Get ready for stares—lots of them, from every corner—that will be accompanied by amused smiles nine out of ten times. People will want to touch your hair, smell it, decode it… My suggestion? Let them. Practice that smirk-smile hybrid expression to be polite in return.

#4: You will experience your hair’s first period

Your first few washes are going to be a bleeding mess, but that’s normal; every coloured hair girl goes through it. It’s the price you pay for waking up to shiny, happy hair. Wash your hair twice or thrice a week, and as Baltazar suggests, use cold water; hot water will open up the cuticle and let the colour out more quickly. He also warned, “all high temperatures with irons and tongs should be avoided.”

#5: You will need to stock up on all those sulphate-free conditioners and masks

You’re going to need lots of them. I have to use almost double the amount of product to smoothen my knots now, than what I did before my dye. At least my shampoo-conditioner ratio will become equal now. Baltazar suggests looking for anti-UV, sulphate- and paraben-free products that will allow the colour to be preserved longer. He also recommends replacing conditioners with masks, as they often contain antioxidants and keratin—they will recompose the integrity of the hair fibre, and really nourish the hair.

#6: Follow all the shampoo-conditioner rules you’ve managed to ignore till today

I used to simply slather on a creamy conditioner and rinse it off before its due time. Not anymore; now I spend a good fifteen minutes finger-combing through strands to ensure the product reaches every single strand, smoothen out knots (because there will be lots of it after your wash), and reduce hair fall. Leave your conditioner on for at least ten minutes, and use a shine serum before combing out towel-dried hair.

#7: Your makeup routine is going to change

Glowing clear skin, super sleek liner, nude lipsticks and mascara are an everyday routine now. Replacing my reds with browns is turning out pretty well for me

#8: Your wardrobe will need a little tweaking too

I’m not saying you will need a complete revamp, but you might find yourself spending ten extra minutes every morning to match your hair to your tee.

#9: You’re bound to find a new best friend…

…in your hairstylist. Colours like pink and grey require more attention, and though they have a cool rendering when they fade, they will need to increase your salon visits. Most colours are often semi-permanent—so get it refreshed every four to five weeks.

It’s only been a couple of weeks since I went pink, but every day has been more fun than usual since. There are still days when I wonder if I went too far, but then I look down and see the ends of my pink mane peeping at me—and I can’t help but smile. Besides, once I dyed my hair, I felt like I had walked straight out of a superhero movie. As I pass by, I’ve noticed that not a single person can keep a straight face, so my hair does seem to have some sort of superpower—it is able to strike a smile on the sullenest of faces, which makes it quite special. And the best part is, my hair quality hasn’t visibly deteriorated, in case you were using that as an excuse.

So go on, put on your brave face and fix that salon appointment. A different life awaits you on the other side.

Also read:

Celebrity hair colourist Josh Wood launches at-home hair colour

How to choose the best hair colour according to your skin tone

All the hair products and colour trends you need to know about this June

Alexa Chung tells us about the one haircut she’ll never try again

15 best celebrity hair colour jobs that will inspire you to try a new shade

The post 9 things that happened when I changed my hair colour to a bright pink appeared first on VOGUE India.

What do Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Lopez have in common? Apart from the explicit contribution that they collectively make to our lives with their music, it’s that they’ve all, at some point, have entrusted their manes to the wizard of hairstyling, Laurent Philippon. The coiffeur was literally surrounded by inspiring individuals since birth—from his father, who owned a barber shop in a small town in the French Alps, to his mentor Alexander de Paris, whose classic techniques have been seen on celebrities like Brigitte Bardot and Jackie Kennedy; Philippon’s expertise is an amalgamation of very special experiences and influences that make his styling techniques unique. And of course, international Vogue covers, celebrity styling and awards followed as his career grew to unsurpassed levels. We caught up with Philippon between prepping for his first ever masterclass in India at the Make-up Designory Studio in Mumbai on June 1, to get in on some of his tricks. As expected, there’s a lot to learn. Scroll for the details.

The key to beautiful hair: the right tools!

“Always pick a flat brush over combs, plastic or metallic brushes,” says the maestro. Philippon likes the brushes from Mason Pearson and YS Park. “The way you brush your hair is very important—never start from the roots and go down; that’s a sure call for breakage. Always start from the end and go back [up] to the roots,” he explains.

Make conditioning a step-by-step ritual

“Rinse your shampoo really well and then apply conditioner all over. Make sure you take the bristle brush with you in the shower, because you need to brush your conditioner into your hair to really let it reach every part of your strands. After rinsing, towel-dry your hair, then take a little bit of conditioner in your palm, rub your palm, then apply it all over your hair. This time, don’t wash it off—let it stay as it is going to nourish your hair and help keep it untangled. Just ensure it’s applied on damp hair, and in very little quantity,” says Philippon.

Here’s how to blow-dry at home without looking like your hair just had a frizz fit

Philoppon suggests using the Dyson hairdryer, as it doesn’t heat up like the others and is still powerful, so you can get dry hair faster. “Again, use a bristle brush to blow-dry your hair. Do it in sections—you can even take big sections depending on the style you’re going for—straight or wavy. I would recommend blow-drying your hair straight with a flat brush, and if you want to get a little wave in it, make four to six braids, or more based on the thickness of your hair, then heat up those braids with a flatiron. When you untie, you’ll have beautiful soft curls, which looks more natural and cooler,” suggests Philippon.

Why parting your hair right makes all the difference

Side or centre—where you part your hair can make or break your look. “To me, wearing a centre part for a daytime hairstyle is cooler, and makes you look younger. It’s more womanly, more sophisticated and more glamorous to wear it on the side. Personally, I like really straight parts; they’re more mastered, and make you look more confident and sure of yourself.”

Finally, don’t try too hard

“When a girl turns up at a party and she looks like she’s spent hours doing her hair and makeup, I don’t find it very cool. You could have spent hours in your bathroom preparing yourself, but the key is that it shouldn’t show.” Just like his waves with braids trick—the curls don’t look like they were done up at a salon, and only you know it took you some effort to get them right.

Organised by Leap India Institute, Laurent Philippon’s workshop will take place on Friday, June 8, 2018 from 10am to 1pm, and will be followed by a workshop from 3pm to 5pm at MUD Studio, Mumbai. Address: 1st Floor, Notan Chambers, Turner Rd, Bandra West, Mumbai

Also read:

The best monsoon-ready hairstyles and hair care tips for long hair

How to prolong the life of your blow-dry

9 best hairdryers that you can buy online on Amazon.in right now

5 secrets to healthy hair your hairstylist isn’t telling you

Alexa Chung tells us about the one haircut she’ll never try again

The post How to do the perfect blow-dry at home—tips from a celebrity hairstylist appeared first on VOGUE India.

Stop resisting that recurring urge to get a mane makeover—a brave new world of creamy caramels and vibrant violets is waiting to be explored. Vogue gets Josh Wood, the king of colour and hairdresser to everyone from Kylie Minogue to David Bowie, to ease you into a brighter, bolder future.

THE HAIR COLOUR GLOSSARY

Get ready to impress your hairstylist with your superlative colour vocabulary, courtesy Wood’s curation for 2018.

Baby lights: Super-fine blended highlights good for use around the face so there is no visible regrowth.

Hyper natural: A colour technique that looks like the hair isn’t coloured at all—good for seamless grey coverage.

Gloss: Like a top coat for hair.

Glaze: Similar to a gloss but with more colour tone.

Balayage: Highlights created by painting the colour directly onto hair rather than using foil.

Contouring: A way to frame the face or add colour to the lengths of the hair so it appears longer.

TOP TECHNIQUE

Wood’s pick: “Hyper natural is still the strongest contender for 2018—it’s a colour technique whereby you blend three different tones to make hair look like it’s not been coloured.”

THESE ARE THE COLOURS OF THE FUTURE

Bookmark for your next appointment

AMETHYST LIGHTS

Wood considers this technique of adding violet pops of colour a good pick for long hair.

MICRO BALAYAGE

In this more intricate version of balayage, super-fine painted lights look like they are created by the sun, explains Wood. A great complement for Indian summer and skin.

SMOKY BRUNETTE

To neutralise any unwanted orange or red undertones, Wood suggests painting ashy tones on dark hair.

WISE WORDS

Screen-grab these guidelines by Wood before getting in that salon chair

1. The kinder the care regime in theory, the less colour fade or oxidation. If you take the time to invest in colour, look after it. I always ask my clients to use a mask once a week to top up hydration levels.
2. Hair colour is a deep commitment, so adopting a trend straight from the catwalk may be too much. I always try to weave a little season inspiration into everything I do—just the subtlest of change can give a fresh feel. Don’t be afraid to experiment. There are lots of ways to add a new feeling with semi-permanent colours that wash out and give you a commitment-free feeling of something new.
3. Season does matter. I like to deepen some base colours in summer and lighten others and do the same for winter. Also, it’s about how you can best bring one’s skin tone to life and make someone look glowing and healthy.
4. Generally, it’s better to have a bolder colour placement on shorter hair and more free-flowing colour on longer hair.

Photographs: Josh Wood Colour; Redken; Kedar Nene

Also read:

All the hair products and colour trends you need to know about this June

The best monsoon-ready hairstyles and hair care tips for long hair

Cannes 2018: 17 celebrity makeup looks and hairstyles we loved

Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt showcase two cool hairstyles for long hair

28 best celebrity wedding hairstyles of all time

The post The only hair colour guide you need to read before your next appointment appeared first on VOGUE India.

It’s that time of the year when the weather is more confused than you are while making life decisions. If the current weather could think, we imagine the thought process would go something like this—“Let’s be hot now. Wait, how about a drizzle? Nah, I’m going to turn on the real waterworks today. Changed my mind, time to be hot again.” And just when you’re about to pack for that long weekend road trip, an old friend visits; unwelcome, unwanted, unstoppable—the common cold, usually followed closely by its relative, the flu. We spoke to nutritionist Anupama Menon of Right Living, Bengaluru, to get the lowdown on the right antidotes to combat and prevent the common cold and flu in this unpredictable weather.

Sweet potato

Image: Shutterstock

They are one of the greatest sources of beta-carotene of all vegetables, even higher than carrots, and just one small sweet potato contains more than your daily requirement of Vitamin A. This nutrient assists in keeping the mucous lining in your nose healthy and functional as the first line of defence against harmful viruses and bacteria. Vitamin A also makes white blood cells, which fight off infections.

Garlic

Image: Shutterstock

Garlic has sulphur-containing elements that can fight off the viruses responsible for the common cold and flu. But keep in mind that the way garlic is treated is important. Crushing or slicing it and letting it stand for 10 minutes before consumption is advised, as this increases the allicin content—which is the compound responsible for garlic’s fighter abilities.

Bell peppers

Image: Shutterstock

They contain higher quantities of Vitamin C than citrus fruits, and are also rich in Beta-carotene. Vitamin C is known to increase the production of antibodies and white blood cells, which help fight against infection.

Turmeric

Image: Shutterstock

Turmeric has incredible healing properties. It exhibits enviable anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antibacterial properties. But it doesn’t get easily absorbed in the gut, and thus needs to be mixed with a little pepper and cold pressed virgin olive oil to be made more bioavailable.

Tip: A compound found in turmeric, curcumin is responsible for many of the benefits that are associated with the spice. The supplement form of curcumin is much stronger and more beneficial than turmeric itself.

Zinc

Image: Shutterstock

The body needs zinc to activate T-cells, which are critical for proper immune function. This is also why people with a zinc deficiency tend to be more susceptible to a variety of illnesses. Zinc is often taken as a natural cold remedy as well, and research shows that it can interfere with the process that causes mucus and bacteria to build within the nasal passages. Lamb, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas, cocoa powder, yoghurt and mushrooms are great sources of this mineral.

Probiotics

Image: Shutterstock

75 per cent of our immune system lies in the gut. Inflammation is the body’s protective response to infection. When necessary, inflammation in the intestine grooms the immune system to wage war against assaulting viruses and bacteria. On the other hand, inflammation can give rise to flu and chronic infections. Probiotics staunchly support the body’s defences against such infections. Try yoghurt, beet kvass, home fermented veggies, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi.

Also read:

5 superfoods that’ll help boost immunity during the cold winters

5 ways to stay healthy during the flu season, according to a naturopath

How to improve your immunity through your diet

How Indian superfoods like turmeric and tulsi are taking over the world

Probiotics could be the secret to great skin health and immunity

The post 6 foods to add to your diet to boost your immunity this monsoon appeared first on VOGUE India.

We found seven beauty products to shop for this July, that’ll help sort out the beauty problems you deal with on the daily.

The struggle: Making your curl expectations meet reality

The solution: Sebastian Professional’s Twisted Curl Revival Styling Spray is especially for times your curls need an instant on-the-spot lift, bounce minus the frizz and movement without the lioness mane.
Sebastian Professional Twisted Curl Revival Styling Spray, Rs 1,500

The struggle: Ever-postponed skin-smoothing facial

The solution: Glamglow’s at-home holographic peel-off treatment that comes with added sparkle is best for days the skin needs definition and firming, and the mood needs a bit of a shiny lift.
Glamglow My Little Pony GravityMud Glitter Mask, Rs 4,050

The struggle: When your partner’s lashes are longer than yours

The solution: Benefit’s new mascara, made of aero-particles, one of the lightest materials in the world, will have your lashes touching the sky. With it, voluminous flutters can be achieved without gravity coming in the way. Plus, who doesn’t need a mascara that stays on for 36 hours so you can swipe, party, sleep and not repeat?
Benefit BADGal Bang! Mascara, Rs 2,010

The struggle: Always low on that glow-giving vitamin

The solution: Dermalogica’s Biolumin-C Serum transfers its ingredients bursting with vitamin C to all the spots on your face that need it the most through an advanced biotechnology. You’ll have stronger skin defense and brighter days.
Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum, Rs 7,995

The struggle: Trying to hide blemishes and dark spots with foundation

The solution: Stop trying! Keep Revlon’s Color Correcting Pens—green for redness, lavender for dullness, and peach for dark spots—handy. The lightweight formula will neutralise any imperfections so you won’t have to add layers of base to cover it.
Revlon Photo Ready Color Correcting Pens, Rs 1,195 each

The struggle: Finding time for that pending gel nails appointment

The solution: Ellement Co’s Just-A-Minute Gel Kit. It includes every single thing needed to give yourself a gel manicure at home—a cuticle care kit, nail file, buffer, the nail colour and a mini LED lamp to cure and ensure the gel stays on from one weekend to another. Our favourite are the gel remover wraps, which save you a salon appointment for clean and clear nails.
Ellement Co. Just-A-Minute Nail Gel Kit, Rs 6,600

The struggle: Runny mascara when you’re running

The solution: If you’re going to capture the moment you summit a peak, might as well look as gorgeous as the view—that or when you’re in desperate need of some pretty-up before an impromptu post-gym date. Meet Clinique’s FIT collection. The athletic-inspired active beauty line includes everything from a lightweight SPF 40 foundation and 24-hour mascara to a neutralising face powder to calm post-workout flush and a hydrating spray. Train hard, makeup harder.
Clinique Fit collection, Rs 950 onwards

Also read:

9 game-changing skin secrets facialists do at home

Would you take 30 minutes out of your busy work day for a facial?

Ask an expert: Will gel nail polish really weaken my nails?

5 beauty treatments that squeeze perfectly into your lunch break

Vogue tries it: 5 body moisturisers that guarantee smooth skin

The post 7 beauty products that will troubleshoot any problem you have this month appeared first on VOGUE India.

To all women who strive for excellence,

As the Indian Women’s hockey team gears up to represent the country in the 18th Asian Games, I would like to take this opportunity to wish them every success in their endeavours.

You young ladies bring alive a sense of pride in me as I realise that the culture of sport in this country—especially for women—is improving. I personally trained for hockey early in my life with the end goal of wearing the Indian team jersey. I feel that the most important gift that parents can give to their children is to allow them to develop a true passion for any sport and to develop that passion on their own terms.

As a player of the sport, I can assure you that there is a plethora of things to learn from hockey. The game involves quick action and reaction from players, that will enable you to establish better hand-eye coordination and at the same time understand the spirit of teamwork. In my opinion, hockey is a sport that offers a total body workout, including both aerobic and anaerobic elements. The fast-paced nature of the sport provides aerobic exercise, while the reliance on all of the body’s major muscle groups also makes it an anaerobic activity. The result is a number of health benefits to the body, both physically and mentally. The game gives you a boost of confidence and strikes a perfect balance between physical and mental wellbeing.

Apart from learning the technicalities of the game, you will learn life lessons that will help you evolve as a person and will prove invaluable. Speaking from my personal experience, I can affirmatively say that hockey allowed me to embody the experience of not just winning, but also the experience of losing gracefully. The game will teach you that it is the process of carrying on and clearing hurdles, which really builds confidence. This, I believe, is an incredibly useful ground for learning the dynamics of leadership, and you will need this as you establish control in other aspects of your lives as well.

The major roadblock in my life was when I was forced to give up the game. During those dark two years, what kept me going is the most important lesson I learnt—that it doesn’t matter how many times you fall, what matters is how you bounce back. The game also taught me that success does not come to anyone served on a silver platter. One has to work hard and just not give up.

It is my hope that my story will inspire young women out there to push for greatness and take up hockey just as a game to enjoy to begin with.

I would like to end this by saying, continue to dream big and by doing so, empower the women around you to be just as bold in their pursuits. When you empower one another, you strengthen the nation.

Sandeep Singh, formerly a star penalty corner specialist in the Indian national hockey team, was left partially paralysed in 2006 after an accidental gunshot wound. Soorma, a biopic by Sony Pictures Networks Productions set to release on July 13, follows his struggle through his injury and return to the sport after two years. Singh went on to become the captain of the team in 2009

The post Hockey legend Sandeep Singh pens an empowering note to Indian women appeared first on VOGUE India.