<p>Being able to survive in the ever-changing and transient world of beauty is difficult but Blossom Kochchar, a pioneer of aromatherapy, makes it seem like a breeze. She knows what clicks and how. No wonder, she has stayed relevant, and has been discovering new and natural ways to make people look and feel good. Excerpts from an interview:</p>.<p><strong>Looking and feeling beautiful has become an obsession now. Do you think this is right, or do we need to look at beauty differently?</strong></p>.<p>Beauty must come from within. It is not merely skin-deep, and must reflect in one’s eyes, persona, and the warmth a person radiates. Nowadays, people look for beauty in intelligence, kindness, and not just looks, which is the best way to define beauty.</p>.<p><strong>What are the beauty benefits of essential oils?</strong></p>.<p>Essential oils aid in holistic beauty as many beauty-related problems, especially those pertaining to hair and skin, stem from the mind that is often under stress. These oils help to calm the mind and thereby work on the affected body part. Essential oils are natural extracts from plants, herbs and the bark of trees, and are pure. We cannot add chemicals to these because they have their own natural chemicals that disallow any additives. They work through the sense of smell, and work on one’s glands. Lavender and jasmine oils help to calm the mind and work as a stress-buster while also giving relief from PMS, headaches, cold and flu as they have properties to pep up the immune system. Essential oils work as a complementary form of medicine. We cannot ingest these oils, thus these are only used in massages or as diffusers.</p>.<p><strong>How does aromatherapy aid in wellness?</strong></p>.<p>Essential oils have become popular in spas and are used to calm the mind. Sometimes these oils are used even on autistic children. They also give relief from burns and bed sores. In fact, tea tree oil has replaced phenol in hospitals in the US, as it is three times stronger than phenol and people prefer this over the strong-smelling phenol.</p>.<p><strong>Is it better to go in for aromatherapy under the guidance of a specialist?</strong></p>.<p>Certain oils can be used at home but it is better to use them under the guidance of a specialist because if someone is under the course of homeopathy medicine, these oils could nullify the effect of the medicine. Ylang Ylang oil is an aphrodisiac but if it is used in excess, it can cause hysteria. Cedar oil, too, has properties of being a diuretic but it can cause dehydration if not used in the right proportion.</p>.<p><strong>How important is packaging for products related to aromatherapy?</strong></p>.<p>Since essential oils are easily available, it is a must that their usage comes with instructions about their dilution. Only a drop or two of the pure oil should be used. However, diffusers are safe as they dissipate into the air. People must be careful and should not buy pure essential oils if it is in a white bottle. It should always be in a brown or blue bottle, and in no fancy packaging. Always check for instructions on diluting and blending the oil. Test the oil by putting it either on a piece of cloth or blotting paper. It should not leave a stain. If it leaves a stain, it is not natural. Formulations should always be in glass containers. If not, it will react and take away the potency of the product.</p>.<p><strong>FASHION TRENDS</strong></p>.<p><strong>Wear your hair: </strong>Braids, buns, high pony, short pixie, or pixie cuts in layers of different lengths. Streaks or hair colours like burgundy and copper that complement Indian skin tones.</p>.<p><strong>Shimmer all the way:</strong> Contouring make-up, shimmery eye make-up, eye shadow, lip stains and then gloss.</p>.<p><strong>HANDY TIPS</strong></p>.<p><strong>For plump lips: </strong>After brushing your teeth, gently clean your lips with a brush to plump lips, or chew on cinnamon.</p>.<p><strong>Large pores: </strong>Use oil and moisturiser for skin instead of creams as pores get bigger as we age.</p>.<p><strong>Bake your face:</strong> Let translucent powder sit on your face to allow the heat from your face to set the base foundation and concealer. After five minutes, dust off the powder to get a creaseless, <br />flawless finish.</p>.<p><strong>Arched eyebrows: </strong>Microblading is the in trend, apart from the use of special pencils and powders for perfect eyebrows.</p>
<p>Being able to survive in the ever-changing and transient world of beauty is difficult but Blossom Kochchar, a pioneer of aromatherapy, makes it seem like a breeze. She knows what clicks and how. No wonder, she has stayed relevant, and has been discovering new and natural ways to make people look and feel good. Excerpts from an interview:</p>.<p><strong>Looking and feeling beautiful has become an obsession now. Do you think this is right, or do we need to look at beauty differently?</strong></p>.<p>Beauty must come from within. It is not merely skin-deep, and must reflect in one’s eyes, persona, and the warmth a person radiates. Nowadays, people look for beauty in intelligence, kindness, and not just looks, which is the best way to define beauty.</p>.<p><strong>What are the beauty benefits of essential oils?</strong></p>.<p>Essential oils aid in holistic beauty as many beauty-related problems, especially those pertaining to hair and skin, stem from the mind that is often under stress. These oils help to calm the mind and thereby work on the affected body part. Essential oils are natural extracts from plants, herbs and the bark of trees, and are pure. We cannot add chemicals to these because they have their own natural chemicals that disallow any additives. They work through the sense of smell, and work on one’s glands. Lavender and jasmine oils help to calm the mind and work as a stress-buster while also giving relief from PMS, headaches, cold and flu as they have properties to pep up the immune system. Essential oils work as a complementary form of medicine. We cannot ingest these oils, thus these are only used in massages or as diffusers.</p>.<p><strong>How does aromatherapy aid in wellness?</strong></p>.<p>Essential oils have become popular in spas and are used to calm the mind. Sometimes these oils are used even on autistic children. They also give relief from burns and bed sores. In fact, tea tree oil has replaced phenol in hospitals in the US, as it is three times stronger than phenol and people prefer this over the strong-smelling phenol.</p>.<p><strong>Is it better to go in for aromatherapy under the guidance of a specialist?</strong></p>.<p>Certain oils can be used at home but it is better to use them under the guidance of a specialist because if someone is under the course of homeopathy medicine, these oils could nullify the effect of the medicine. Ylang Ylang oil is an aphrodisiac but if it is used in excess, it can cause hysteria. Cedar oil, too, has properties of being a diuretic but it can cause dehydration if not used in the right proportion.</p>.<p><strong>How important is packaging for products related to aromatherapy?</strong></p>.<p>Since essential oils are easily available, it is a must that their usage comes with instructions about their dilution. Only a drop or two of the pure oil should be used. However, diffusers are safe as they dissipate into the air. People must be careful and should not buy pure essential oils if it is in a white bottle. It should always be in a brown or blue bottle, and in no fancy packaging. Always check for instructions on diluting and blending the oil. Test the oil by putting it either on a piece of cloth or blotting paper. It should not leave a stain. If it leaves a stain, it is not natural. Formulations should always be in glass containers. If not, it will react and take away the potency of the product.</p>.<p><strong>FASHION TRENDS</strong></p>.<p><strong>Wear your hair: </strong>Braids, buns, high pony, short pixie, or pixie cuts in layers of different lengths. Streaks or hair colours like burgundy and copper that complement Indian skin tones.</p>.<p><strong>Shimmer all the way:</strong> Contouring make-up, shimmery eye make-up, eye shadow, lip stains and then gloss.</p>.<p><strong>HANDY TIPS</strong></p>.<p><strong>For plump lips: </strong>After brushing your teeth, gently clean your lips with a brush to plump lips, or chew on cinnamon.</p>.<p><strong>Large pores: </strong>Use oil and moisturiser for skin instead of creams as pores get bigger as we age.</p>.<p><strong>Bake your face:</strong> Let translucent powder sit on your face to allow the heat from your face to set the base foundation and concealer. After five minutes, dust off the powder to get a creaseless, <br />flawless finish.</p>.<p><strong>Arched eyebrows: </strong>Microblading is the in trend, apart from the use of special pencils and powders for perfect eyebrows.</p>