What’s Been Up
The wedding season trends on our radar: Cocktail night edit
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Glass skin, dolphin skin, glazed donut, dewy dumpling—you've seen the hashtags. You may have also seen a friend use a skincare tool in the middle of the day. And if you ask them what their butterfly-shaped, flat, handheld massage tool is, they’ll be quick to answer: “It’s a gua sha. It promotes lymphatic drainage and helps produce collagen.”
Sure it does. But at least three words from this response were rarely, if ever, heard during an everyday conversation until a few years back.
In recent times, we’ve evolved from slathering on greasy ointments to meticulously selecting beauty products for our specific skin types, concerns and goals. We’ve also come a long way from using whatever we found on our mothers’ dressers to reading labels for ingredients. We have an AM routine, a bedtime routine and on some days a pre- and post-workout regimen. Then there are some of us who may also indulge in ‘beauty snacking’—replay the gua sha conversation but add to that, an under-eye patch applied while sitting at a work desk.
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“Using a gua sha has become my favourite slow beauty experience. When I’m consistent with it, my face looks more sculpted (especially along the jawline),” says Akshat Malik. “I love how the jade glides on with my facial oil and melts away tension I didn’t even realise I was holding. It’s one of the rare tools that feels indulgent and gives visible results. I keep it on my bedside table because it’s become my wind-down routine.”
“This has basically replaced my morning iced coffee. I use it every day right after applying my serum, and the cooling rose quartz instantly wakes up my face,” says Kareena Tejwani from social media. “It softens puffiness around my eyes, makes my skin look smoother and just puts me in a good mood to start the day. On days I skip it, my face feels heavier and looks tired. It’s become my non-negotiable step.”
This oil takes the idea of a traditional champi and gives it a modern spin. It blends herbs like amla, neem and brahmi with lightweight oils, so you get all the nourishment without feeling greasy. It’s designed for scalp health and hair strength, but it’s also just a really nice ritual to add to your week. Massage it in before bed, wash it out the next day and your hair feels softer, shinier and a little more cared for.
Who doesn’t love an at-home peel that makes skin feel squeaky clean? This one by COSRX is a formula that’s known to work in just 10 minutes—unclogging pores, reducing blackheads and whiteheads as well as controlling excess oil. The result? Clarified skin that’s not irritated. The vitamin trio—B12, B5 and E—makes this peel safe to use for most skin types.
How to use: After cleansing, apply an even layer to dry skin, avoiding the eye and mouth areas. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Use once a week in the evening.
