Summer is a season most of us crave for. After having lived everywhere from Mumbai, New York, Nashville, Seattle, to name a few, all in 7 years, I can attest how beautiful each summer felt on my skin and some practical tips that helped summers be all about fun!
While I am your regular girlie who takes her girls night inspo from her aesthetically curated insta feed of Hailey Bieber to the unapologetically sassy Neena Gupta, what makes me different from many is that I grew up in a beauty-first household of generational hairdressers. My Mom, a seasoned cosmetologist and trichologist, inculcated the habit of intentionality in me very early in life. For a girl of age 10, I had a mild face wash with a sound understanding of the skin’s pH level.
Having shared that, you wouldn’t be surprised to know that I grew up to be a lady who reads her entire product labels, marks her products’ open date, and maintains a mental log of every side effect. These practices have served me well and my relationship with beauty is still sacred in spite of the overwhelming flow of information and disguised advertisements. I can assure you that it’s not as convoluted as I make it sound.
These understandings, mixed with a few years of professional experience, lay the honest foundations of “Rooted Radiance.” In this new column, I’ll help you break down your South Asian beauty dilemmas, and we’ll tackle them together, exploring some cult favorites and diving deep into your individual needs. In this journey, my goal is to enable you to make intentional choices that allow you to express yourself authentically.
Intentionality is the mental ability to represent something; it begins with part knowing and part wanting. Let that sink in.
In Beauty, it starts with knowing who you are, learning what your skin type, scalp type, hair type, and body type are. Next, answering the question: What do you really want? Do you want to feel confident, look pretty, or savour your beauty? While answering these questions, you also want to take into consideration your preferred budget –- Splurge where it matters most to you., Llocation and travel plans –- skin behaves differently in foreign climates, food and schedules., Aand preferred level of effort –- There’s no shame in doing more or less, as long as it makes you feel good and confident.
I understand if you know of these concepts, but never really applied them for yourself, or were just not able to get them right. But I promise you, if we started answering these questions one by one together in our upcoming issues, you would feel a step closer to feeling celebrated every day!
Smart Swaps for Summer
Base: Ditch heavy foundations for SPF-loaded tinted moisturizers or sunscreens. Lock that summer glow, let the skin breathe.
Eyes: Opt for waterproof mascara to combat sweat and enjoy pool days without smudges. A cream eyeshadow stick offers easy, melt-proof color over powders.
Cheeks/Lips: Choose cream blushes, lip tints, or stains over powders. They blend seamlessly, feeling more like skin than product.
Setting: If absolutely necessary, use a light setting powder only in your T-zone. Better yet, switch to a refreshing setting spray to lock in your look.
Sanjana Bhandari is a third-generation stylist and global beauty expert based in the US. Drawing on 15 years in the industry, from Bollywood to NYFW, she’s helped countless women, including global icons, find their radiance.