All about feeling good inside-out, Nivea’s new brand ambassador, Taapsee Pannu spills the beans on her secret to glowing skin, what beauty means to her, and the biggest beauty challenges she faces when on set:
ELLE: What is your skincare routine like? How do you maintain a natural glow?
Taapsee Pannu: My skincare routine is very basic. I clean my face well with an appropriate face wash and then moisturise it—I do this more than once at least, may be twice or thrice depending on the weather conditions. I ensure that I remove my makeup as soon as I am done with work and when I am back home. I believe that if you stay happy, the glow will come from inside.
ELLE: What does beauty mean to you? What is your biggest beauty learning in the last few years?
TP: When you like what you see in the mirror, you are beautiful. There is no fixed definition for beautiful. You have to be your own kind of beautiful—it’s always about what you feel rather than how you look.
ELLE: How do you feel the perception of beauty within the industry has changed over the years?
TP: It has changed, for good, thankfully. We still have a long way to go, in terms of being secure about the way we look, but we are definitely moving in the right direction, I feel.
ELLE: What’s the one thing that makes you feel confident?
TP: I will decide if I am beautiful or not. Nobody else will tell me. When I look in the mirror, I am honest enough to tell myself, “You are looking beautiful.”
ELLE: What’s the biggest beauty challenge you face when you are on set or shooting on location?
TP: I think the biggest challenge is getting eight hours of sleep because, honestly, it helps you feel better. If you feel beautiful, you will look beautiful. So, I think people should take care of that.
ELLE: You have always played very real, relatable characters in movies. Is there any character that is closest to your real personality?
TP: My character in Manmarziyan, Rumi, was very close. But yeah, she was way too confused for Taapsee.
ELLE: When on set or shooting on location, how do you manage to maintain your routine, be it skincare, fitness or diet?
TP: You have to take out time for yourself—in my case I make it a part of my work life. I need to take out dedicated time for fitness, for skincare. Now the habit of washing my face is just muscle memory, I do it without thinking about it. I have to moisturise it or remove my makeup after work. These things come very organically now; I don’t really have to put in extra effort anymore.
ELLE: Nivea’s latest skincare launch has a lot to do with natural ingredients for glowing skin, are there any such natural ingredients you swear by?
TP: Yes, malai or yogurt and besan.
ELLE: What are the three beauty products that are always in your bag?
TP: I always have a lip balm and moisturiser in my bag.
ELLE: What’s the best beauty advice you have received?
TP: If you sleep well and stress less, you will have glowing skin and healthy hair.
