Soul skin

‘Maskfies’, daisy-tipped nails and a strong mane game—Instagram-darling and actor Athiya Shetty’s beauty routine is a whole mood, finds Akanksha Kamath

- Akanksha Kamath

There’s something comforting about having a healthy glow in the middle of a pandemic. Each of us has either raided our fridge for DIY masks or pored over the cardinal concepts of K-beauty. For Athiya Shetty, this time of rest and repair came with zeroing in on a beauty routine. “When you have clear, happy skin, it changes your outlook towards the day. Skin and hair have that kind of energy,” says Shetty, over a video call in which her skin can only be described in millennial slang as ‘poppin’. We discuss niacinamide, ‘skinimalism’ (a portmanteau for Marie Kondo-ing your beauty routine) and reusable makeup removing towels, amongst other things. This is Athiya Shetty unadulterated and unfiltered.

UNDER MY SKIN

“I was always conscious of my strong features—my jawline, big full lips and high cheekbones. I remember when I just started filming and my pictures were everywhere, people were like, ‘Why is her jaw like that?’ or ‘Her features are too sharp.’ I have made every attempt to cover my face in front of the camera, either with my hair or my hands. I used to be so conscious, and honestly, this does affect you. But as I grew older, I started noticing everybody desiring bigger lips or cosmetically creating high cheekbones. I’m pretty happy with my features now, but it has been a journey.”

FINDING BEAUTY