Be Special

The runway may set the trends at the onset of every season, which happens to be predetermined and powered by renowned and avant-garde fashion designers. And it may question the status quo, but it is Instagram that fires up these fads – making its ‘explore’ page every stalker’s paradise. Which also instigated influencers to roll out #InstaBaits of their own. Remember Kylie Jenner’s lip plumping challenge that blew up on all our feeds? Or the KiraKira filter that’s still blazing our filters. Thank god for them, right? Although that did make way for the infamous fidget-spinner contouring, boiled egg beauty blender, or 100-layered makeup challenges.   However, months of lockdown has made us brave (and desperate) enough to pick up those scissors and at-home color kits. While many have failed miserably, some have mastered the art of DIY-ing, almost as though they were born with these salon level skills. In fact, some of our very own celebrities from Deepika Padukone to Sachin Tendulkar… ...

This was the worst of times…and yet also a time of renewal as we sought to uncover the new face of beauty during and post the pandemic. If the last couple of months have taught us anything, it’s that as a community we turn to things that make us feel better when we're stressed. Like the flurry of bakers whipping up bread and cakes flooding our Insta feeds. I—as have many of my friends—turned to comfort makeup, skin, and self-care routines to find balance and pleasure in these chaotic times. Combine that with economic uncertainties and many of us hold off on discretionary spending. So, how has the Covid-19 pandemic changed our beauty regimes? Let’s take a look at what the new face of beauty will look like, at least for the rest of 2020. 1. How We Use Our Products Frankly, no one’s in the mood of swiping on and flaunting a full face of makeup given that the most exciting thing most of us in Quarantine have done is whip up a new recipe or chat with friends on Zoom (besides working fro...

As the country battles, a massive economic slowdown, and our choices are contingent on a fluctuating recession, the reality is less than pretty, and our bank accounts are perilously close to nil. Lay-offs, pay cuts, furloughs, whichever way you look at it, all one is thinking about right now is making sure to keep the fridge full. Our vanities? Not as much. No wonder that beauty aficionados like us have stopped binge-buying whatever catches our fancy, preferring instead to invest in multi-use beauty products that can get the job done quickly and just as effectively. Now, since most of us live in a world where budgeting has become the buzz word, we got digging to help cut through that online retail clutter. Ahead, five versatile products that are easy on the pocket and deliver serious results (to help you SAVE). Always remember that cash is king for the immediate future, so, spend wisely. Here’s how. 1. Such A Know-It-Oil If ever there were a beauty cure-all, it's coconut oil. You c...

If you’re freaking out over the COVID-19 pandemic, you’re definitely not alone. Most people I’ve talked to, myself included, have been living in a state of low-key anxiety—quietly stocking our pantries and waiting for the next development. And quarantine or isolation is a possibility for many—even if you don’t fall ill, coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus could result in your doctor recommending a period of isolation. This comes with a lot of concerns—food, medication, apparently toilet paper—but one thing that we’re not talking about is how to fill the time. Two weeks is a lot of time to spend stuck at home. Of course, if you’re working from home (either as a professional or a student), the first thing to do is make sure that you’ve done all of your assignments first. But let’s talk about some of the other productive things that you can get done if you find yourself at home for an extended period, and hopefully, the uptick in productivity...