Vasudha Rai - Glow : Indian foods, recipes and rituals for beauty, inside and out

The interesting thing about beauty is that your ideas about it change as you grow older. When youre young, you want to look like your favourite actor, your mother or even an air hostess. Thats because you dont have an opinion about how you look. The hardest years for beauty are adolescence. You dont know whats going to be a strengthall you see are flaws.

I feel so much more confident now, in my thirties. Just a few weeks ago I was in our holiday home in the hills and had a lot of time on my hands. After a shower I examined my body, which I usually dont do. I turned around and saw that I had scars all the way from my upper back to my hips. A thought crossed my mind about visiting a dermatologist, who would perhaps give me ten creams to apply. But then I thought: whats the point? That was the moment I realized Im okay with this. I know that I have to take care of my body but I cant be worried about it each morning. It also comes from the fact that Im in a marriage and Im secure. It would perhaps make a difference when youre just about to date a man.

Beauty today has become a big burden instead of being something that should make you feel elevated. It has become a baggage because we have so many brands, products and expectations. And along with that, there are peoples opinionssome that will teach you kindness and others that will tear you apart. And you pick up on each of these signals. No matter how much I write and how much I share, everyone has a different journey with beauty. You keep redefining your idea of it till the very end.

What my mom said ten years ago makes sense today. When we are young no one teaches us what true beauty really isthat behaviour and physicality are irrevocably intertwined. If you behave badly you look ugly no matter how perfect your features may be. Some people just look bitter and dont have a sparkle in their eyes. Their energy isnt half as beautiful as their physical appearance. I know people who are overweight who have faces full of scars, but they look beautiful to me because of the way they speak or behave.

When youre younger you judge people on their physical attributes but beauty is so much more than that. Physical beauty is superficial and it will always fade. You may want the person you marry to have a list of outward characteristicsthe ideal height, body and skinbut once you exhaust that, whats next? You cant live with a shell of beauty thats empty inside. Sadly, we dont talk about this enough.

I saw that in myself. When I was thirteen or fourteen I had acne and braces. I also didnt like that I had curves. I felt that I looked horrible and because of that I was upset with everything. Today my basic structure is the same but Im just happier because I have accepted a lot of who I am. When I meet girls I tell them that if they can come to terms with at least one flaw, theyll be much happier. But acceptance goes hand in hand with change. I became much calmer when my skin started clearing up. The funny thing is that as you grow older, you realize that there is a cure for everything, and that really helps you. You become calmer by finding solutions. I genuinely feel that I can talk so openly about it because I have found a solution. I wouldnt talk about it if I had a face full of acne.

The solution also comprises the right diet, sleep and exercise. Still Im somebody who never denies myself anything. People who constantly worry about healthy food are more bitter. Ive become very disciplined about my workout. My rule is 8020through the week I try and eat very well. But I eat whatever I want during the weekends, even if its French fries for breakfast. When you work out, eat (mostly) right and sleep well, your face transforms. Especially when you exercise because the minute you sweat, everything just changesits an instant mood-booster.

For these reasons I feel a book like Glow is so relevant, because Vasudha stresses on the holistic idea of beauty that goes beyond physicality. And the great part is that shes talking about Indian ingredients. As Indians we still have a colonial hangover. But our home-grown foods are bursting with benefits. Even simple things like turmeric, clove and ginger have medicinal properties. This book has come out at the right time, because theres a big beauty revolution where all the conventional brands are facing stiff competition from traditional products. I, for example, use a face cleansing paste with moong dal in it.

Vasudha herself has obviously come a long way. I love to watch her videos because theyre very simple yet detailed. She is also someone who practises what she preaches. She believes in wellness and Ive seen that in the food she eats and the glow on her skin. Shes certainly a flag-holder for what she writes about. She simplifies the idea of wellness but more than anything else she is India-proud, and that I feel is truly incredible.

Mumbai

April 2018

Masaba Gupta