Mirza Dia - Roots to Radiance: Wholesome Beauty Solutions for the Millennial Life

Beauty is as beauty does. Time and again, weve been using this phrasebut its time we give it some serious thought and adopt it in our lives. I strongly feel that while some people have great symmetry, skin and looks, what eventually makes them gorgeous and radiant is the vibe, thoughts and actions they have to match their looks.

As clichd as it may sound, there are a million reasons to imbibe healthy and positive thoughts and vibes into your lifestyle... The health of your skin has a direct link to the thoughts you hold in your mind and heart. Whatever the struggles you might be coping withanxiety, insecurity etc.,having good thoughts is where you should start from if you wish to achieve a healthy, truly beautiful skin.

The idea of beauty has evolved greatly in the recent years. It has found support in the growing sense of sisterhood among women and the understanding that beauty is not about perfection. For me, true beauty lies in the grace of trying to achieve a goal while acknowledging what has already been achieved so far. Along with embracing and celebrating your imperfections, beauty also lies in cultivating your own personality and having an in-depth understanding of what works for youas opposed to blindly following a general, stereotypical notion of it. Beauty is too vast an idea and means different things to different people.

The fact that ageism is being called out, the fact that wrinkles are being celebrated, the fact that all shapes and sizes are being loved and respected, is an obvious proof of how healthy and easy it is for imperfections to coexist while you are in the process of transforming yourself.

Wanting to defy ageing and preventing premature wrinkles is not anti-self-lovenot appreciating how far youve come in the development process is! Striking that perfect balance where you are working towards looking a certain way while being comfortable with how you currently are is the right approach to finding real beauty and being beautiful.

But theres a flip side to such acceptance as well. As great as acceptance might be, an unhealthy lifestyle and letting yourself go mindlessly is an abuse/misinterpretation of freedom. While letting your hair down once in a while is the right approach, habits like constantly having junk food or being a couch potato are not to be encouraged.

We live in the age of social media where various activists, many of them self-proclaimed, are altering our physicalitywhether it is the texture and colour of our skin, or the shape and size of our bodies. I think these are the things that we should start analysing and questioning. Its critical for us to celebrate authenticity and honesty and truth, because I think if you perceive beauty from a prism that does not come from an authentic, true source, it is a hindrance in the mission of celebrating the greatness of how it has evolved.

Becoming conscious of yourself after looking at a picture of a perfect girl that appeared on your Instagram feed versus taking an honest opinion from reliable people in your life to tell you what is best is a no-brainer. For me, constructive criticism comes from my mother and the women who work for me. Whether its my manager, my personal assistant or my stylist, these are women who empower me every day through their jobs. They are my reality checksthe most honest people in my life who tell me things as they are. I always get an absolutely unfiltered response on any question I ask them. And in many ways, I think they form my voice of reason... Because it is unjust to give the power of shaping you or making you insecure to that girl on social media who made you feel so instead of to the people who know you best.

Does that dress really complement your body type? Is a certain shade of lipstick the best pick for you? If you cant decide that on your own, remember, that perfect girl in those TV ads or Instagram feed shouldnt be deciding it for you either. Its the people who notice, interact and deal with you on a daily basis that you can allow to shape you... The relationships that strengthen you are the relationships that matter, and its their opinion you should consider if at all.

My husband is one of my biggest sources of love, affection and securityand my friends are my storehouse of the support and courage I need at every stage of life. Our beauty and glow is an outcome of how much were loved and cared about. While your husband/father/brother/sons attention gives you one kind of security, the women in your life secure you differently... Trust sisterhood! Im the only child and I know how far depending strongly on your friendships can take you as you get older.

When you are younger, your DNA takes care of the changes and transitions you go through. As you grow older, it becomes harder to maintain gorgeous skin without a more disciplined lifestyle. When I was in my mid-twenties, I was fairly aware of how my hormones were going to play a big part in my skin health. But it was only when I crossed my late twenties that I started recognizing other essential aspects and methods that effectively contributed to the benefit of my skin. When you are younger, you dont really think about using sunblock or jump into make-up and run out and do your work. But as time passes and the lines start appearing on your face, you have to figure out your best-suited regime and make regular time for it.

Thats the thing you learn as you grow olderyou realize the difference between quality and quantity. Over time, your friend circle might grow smaller, but it gets richer in terms of qualityyou figure out the people who are capable of nourishing your soul.

Same is the case with skincare. Its only after hoarding a whole bunch of next available new improved products that you are able to narrow it down to a few quality ingredients that do you good. True beauty is hardly achieved without going through a journey.

But the current times are not solely about acquisition. The way you contribute to the beauty industry makes a huge impact too! The way you make your purchases and get your skincare and make-up in order shapes the whole circuit of beauty.