HOT-BOD DEEPIKA ON her beauty basics and FITNESS ESSENTIALS:

KINGFISHER calendar ‘Who’s that girl?’ we wondered the moment we set our sights on this leggy looker in an itsy-bitsy bikini. Atul Kasbekar’s magic lens captured Deepika Padukone for the first time in the 2006 Kingfisher calendar. Smokin’ hot in a smoky purple bikini and accessories that teased her curves — DP gave us a glimpse (!) of things to come.

What are the skincare essentials for you, given that you are in a profession that involves heavy make-up and harsh lights?

I always feel less is more. So the less you do to your skin, the better it is. I don’t have a particular beauty regimen, apart from trying to keep it as naturally clean and healthy as possible.

Billu Trust her to do it differently each time. Deepika managed to push SRK out of the frame when she grooved to Love mera hit hit in a rainbow bikini top. Her washboard abs and toned arms made us girls go green.

What are the common beauty-related mistakes Indian women make?

Eyebrows are very important. If you have the right thickness and shape, I feel they define your face. Over-thinning and over-drawing are two faux pas that Indian women tend to make. Many people visit salons and keep threading and threading their eyebrows, and one day they’re left with pencil-thin eyebrows! Thicker eyebrows make you look younger.

Race 2 Glam meets sexy in this show-stopping look for the Party on my mind number in January 25 release Race 2. Colourful bikini top, sleeveless hot pink shrug and a layered blue pearl necklace are enough to crown Deepika the queen of the two-piece look.

What is your day-versus-night make-up routine?

I would rather focus on having great skin than wearing too much make-up. I think make-up can work only to a certain extent. But using certain skincare products, eating correctly, or leading a healthy lifestyle eventually help you look good.

Housefull Italy’s Porto Greco beach had a sizzling presence in the form of Deepika when she shot for Housefull’s Oh girl you’re mine. The 5’10” stunner upped the sexy quotient in a military green-and-white bikini top teamed with a canary yellow low-waist tie-around. Akshay Kumar gaped. So did we.

What kind of a regimen would you recommend for good skin?

Eat well, eat healthy, sleep enough, work out a little bit even if you don’t have the time… basic things like walking to your workplace, if it’s close by, or walking up and down the stairs. I think it’s very important to do some form of exercise. And I think it is important to be mentally positive.

Cocktail Deepika worked hard and ate right for this jaw-dropping citrus orange two-piece look in Cocktail, cavorting on the beaches of Cape Town. Chunky pile-ons on a bare arm and a perfect tan ensured that this bikini babe stole the show.

Your dietician Pooja Makhija says you are very disciplined about your diet. Do you ever let go and binge?

I have always maintained a healthy diet. People generally have the misconception that being on a diet is about starving yourself, but a diet is just about eating healthy — and eating often. What I allow myself to do is not work out for a day when I am tired, and then make up for it the next day. And it’s good to indulge once in a while. My indulgence is chocolates! I eat desserts once in a while.

What are the things you look for when signing up for a brand?

The brand has to suit my personality. Youth, fun, reliability and trust are very important. My qualities and those of the brand should match.

So, do Deepika and Garnier BB cream make a match?

I think Garnier is an extension of my personality and I need to feel for the brand and the product I’m endorsing. Garnier is something I’ve been using since childhood. I’ve seen my mother use it for many years. It has worked wonderfully on our skin and I think with the kind of innovation and technology they have, they know what it takes to make a beauty product work for Indian skin.