Beauty & Wellness

Having worked as the Beauty Director for renowned publications like Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Women’s Health, Vasudha Rai’s knowledge as far as the beauty industry goes is close to unparalleled. She also currently writes a beauty column for The Hindu, is a certified 300-hour yoga teacher, and recently published her book, Glow, which is a complete guide to beauty inside and out. If you’ve already tried out the new fad, trusted the revolutionary new product, but haven’t gotten any closer to that elusive, supermodel glow, then archive this article for prosperity. Here are 10 tips from beauty maven Vasudha Rai that will bring you a step closer to your best skin yer. Discover why you need to make space for Vitamin C on your dresser, why sugar is more harmful than you think, and how a 10-minute Yoga exercise can change your skin entirely.

Image Credits: Vasudha Rai

Penguin Random House Glow: Indian Foods, Recipes and Rituals for Beauty, Inside and Out INR 180 at Amazon BUY NOW

Vitamin C *IS* Worth The Hype

By now, you’ve definitely read or been told that you need to incorporate Vitamin C into your skin routine. If you’ve been a sceptic all this while, let us tell you why the hype is real. Along with boosting collagen production, Vitamin C also has antioxidant properties that help prevent, and reverse, the damage caused by extensive exposure to the sun and pollution. The ideal time to start using Vitamin C is in your 20s. Vasudha suggests that a concentration of 20 percent in your serum is ideal. You can also mix Vitamin C drops into your daily moisturizer or sunscreen, but according to her, using it directly on the skin is most effective. Her top picks are Obagi Professional C Serum 20%, Skinceuticals C+E Ferulic, Zelens Power C, Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate (this only has 10 percent, but it’s great for those who have never used vitamin C before).

Zelens Power C High Potency Vitamin C Treatment Drops 30ml INR 6,100 at Beauty Bay BUY NOW

Burn It Out

Sweat everyday, even if it is a 30-minute brisk walk to detoxify your pores. Even if you aren’t one for exercise, some form of physical activity daily is needed to boost blood circulation and to clean out your pores to give way to glowing skin.

Sunscreen Is Non-Negotiable

It’s a lesson that’s been taught innumerable times, but even Vasudha can’t stress enough about the benefits of sunscreen. If you don’t want to deal with the signs of ageing later on, this is a beauty ritual you can’t skip now. Vasudha suggests investing in one from La Shield, La Roche Posay or Heliocare, all brands that are her favourites.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid 50ml INR 3,936 at Amazon BUY NOW

Add A Chemical Exfoliator At Night

Why, you ask? Because chemical exfoliators manage to penetrate the surface of the skin and remove dead skin cells with the help of chemicals. These exfoliators mostly come in the form of peels and are amazing for brightening your skin, and giving you that healthy glow. AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) are a class of chemical compounds that are commonly used in chemical exfoliating products, and are ideal for dry skin, while BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) can reach deeper into the skin and are more suitable for oily and acne-prone skin. If you’re confused about the right product to use, here are Vasudha’s favourites - Ducray Keracnyl Control Cream, Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 Original (without Phenol) and Sunday Riley Good Genes. If you have sensitive skin, she recommends you stay away from glycolic acid, since lactic acid is a better alternative at night. The ideal age to start incorporating a chemical exfoliator into your beauty routine is in your mid twenties. “But whatever age you use it, you have to wear sunscreen religiously when you’re using a chemical exfoliator,” says the beauty guru.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Glycolic Acid Treatment INR 11,648 at Cult Beauty BUY NOW

Detox With Herbal Tea

Power packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, black and herbal teas slow down the signs of ageing as well as fight the effects of free radicals. Herbals teas also detox your system. Nettle and tulsi are Vasudha’s absolute favourite teas. “You can have three cups of tulsi tea anytime in the day. Nettle tea is best in the morning before breakfast because it helps detoxify the liver. I also like to make a tea with herbs I source around the house. Two of my favourite blends are, a one inch stem of giloy and mulethi boiled in water, which increases immunity. Secondly, boil a cinnamon stick in water and add 3 to 4 threads of saffron afterwards. This concotion if really good for winter.”

Drink At Least 3 Litres Of Warm Water Everyday

This advice may seem stale, but how well do you actually follow it? Vasudha never tires of recommending this to people, and she in fact suggests that it be warm water. Why warm over regular water, you ask? It helps improve digestion, it clears out toxins and therefore results in clear skin.

Vegetables Are More Important Than You Think

Ask a dietician or your mom, leafy greens are an essential to any diet. And Vasudha agrees! Cooked or raw, Vasudha presses on the importance of eating greens (Kale, in particular) for healthy, glowing skin.

Check Your Vitamin D Levels

You probably didn’t know this, but Vitamin D is a really important vitamin for skin health! Acne, clogged pores, rosacea, and dryness are a few common skin symptoms of a Vitamin D deficiency. Also known as the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, be sure to check your vitamin levels if you’re experiencing any of these skin concerns. If you are, fish oil is a great source of vitamin D and obviously, exposure to the early morning sun, you could even take Vitamin D tablets, just be sure to consult your doctor first.

Eliminate Sugar And Dairy...

90 percent of the time! My heart almost stopped when Vasudha shared this piece of advice with me. If you love a good Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino as much as I do and have an insatiable love for dessert, this may be the worst news ever. The amount of sugar in your diet affects the amount of sugar in your bloodstream. And, studies have found that high sugar levels can hinder the repair of your skin’s collagen, cause premature wrinkles, and reduce your skin’s elasticity. Naturally, I just had to ask her for healthier alternatives once my heart rate returned to normal. “Switch to unrefined sugar like gur or palm sugar. Or switch to stevia. You could grow the plant at home (one leaf is equal to a teaspoon of sugar), but stevia is an acquired taste because it has a slightly bitter aftertaste. For dairy, have nut milk like almond, but avoid soya milk because that can cause hormonal imbalances,” says Vasudha.

10 Minutes Of Pranayama Every Day For Glowing Skin