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It was a chilly November evening in 2019.
Courtesy Seerat Saini
I sat on my bed and began writing in mywellness journal.
I was creating a list of personal care and makeup items I wanted to try.
But first, a little social media.
Seerat Saini/Instagram
As I scrolled through Instagram, I came acrossSeerat Saini’s account.
I was looking for more South Asian bloggers to follow and instantly connected with her content.
The headpiece complemented the makeup perfectly.
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I was an instant fan.
Saini is known for her graphic eye looks, stunning ’90s Bollywood-inspired outfits, and ayurvedic hair-care tutorials.
She also writes detailed reviews of makeup and skin-care products.
Like many influencers, Saini didn’t start out in the fashion and beauty space.
She actually didn’t start taking her content creation seriously until 2018.
Before that, she was working at Facebook she believed the tech world would offer a more stable career.
Our beauty standards, in her opinion, need to be decolonized.
For generations, Eurocentric ideals have had a negative impact on South Asian women.
Saini offers another take: South Asian women represent the epitome of beauty as they naturally are.
“We have been brainwashed for so long to think otherwise.
Saini hopes to impact young girls to do the same and to be unapologetically themselves.
ALLURE:What do you hope to achieve with your platform?
Seerat Saini:I really want to encourage South Asian women to step into their power.
I want them to know that they are the definition of beauty.
I want to remind them and all women who are minorities in America how effervescent and powerful they are.
I want women to reclaim that power whether it’s through beauty, fashion, or self-expression.
I want them to know you don’t become powerful, you are born that way.
ALLURE:Who inspires you?
SS:Rowi Singhfor experimental beauty andMaria Thattilfor confidence and the way she carries herself.
ALLURE:What are some of your favorite South Asian beauty brands?
My favorite hair-care brand isFable and Mane.
ALLURE:What are some of your favorite high-end and drugstore beauty products?
It’s brown-skin-friendly and the perfect nude color for my skin.
My favorite high-end makeup product is theCharlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wandin Pinkgasm.
It gives you a lot of product and lasts a long time.
SS:I absolutely love theLive Tinted Huegard SPF.
It’s a sunscreen, moisturizer, and primer.
I use four pumps every day, rain or shine.
I also really like theSahjan Radiance Serum.
It hastriphala,which is a powerful antioxidant,gotu kola, and hyaluronic acid.
ALLURE:Do you follow any traditional South Asian beauty practices?
SS:Yes oil massaging has continued throughout my daily routine.
I love using theSaha Scalp Amla Soothing Serumfrom Fable and Mane.
It’s a hair serum that smells like perfume, a more palatable smell for most people.
I take bhringraj powder every night andashwagandha supplementsfor gut health and beauty.
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Back in grade school, I was teased for oiling my hair and always wearing a braid.
But what makes your hair beautiful?
Putting nourishing ingredients in it and wearing it in a protective style.
For example, people are only now discovering thebenefits of turmeric.
But we have known what combinations work for so long and the rest of the world is catching up.
That’s why many of the skin-care brands I use have ayurvedic ingredients in them and are South Asian-owned.
ALLURE:Why do you think your hair-care videos are so popular?
You almost don’t know where to start.
For some of us, our identity is attached to our hair.
ALLURE:How do you manage your comedy skits versus your beauty content?
Before, things were more static.
Your meme content would stay on Twitter and your fashion posts would be for Instagram.
But TikTok has melded those two things together.
Rather, I think it’s a way for people to relate to my experiences.
ALLURE:You also happen to be a Sikh.
Are there any challenges you’ve come across due to that identity?
SS:As a South Asian consumer, I definitely did.
He then tried putting concealer on my lips to “mute out the color.”
He took me to the mirror and when I saw my lips, I looked like a corpse.
He continued to say, “I think your lips just have too much natural pigment.”
I remember his exact words.
I don’t think I had the language for it yet.
It was definitely a microaggression.
I just replied, “no worries,” because we are taught to make ourselves small and agreeable.
ALLURE:Do you think the beauty and fashion industry is becoming more inclusive?
But we also don’t need to beg to be in these spaces.
I think these spaces needus.
For brands to ignore a diverse range of individuals is simply problematic.
In fact, it’s in their best interest to include us.
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