For Sharmila Tagore, beauty lies in simplicity, humility and grace. The veteran actress swears by her grandmother’s ancient homemade ingredients for the skin, follows a fitness routine and a skincare regimen. Through an email interaction with The Telegraph Online, Tagore shares what she loves doing the most, the secret behind her ageless charm and her association with beauty brand ITC Vivel.
You have always been so graceful. Over the years, how has the definition of beauty changed for you? As in, from the time you got aware of it to the time you understood the real meaning of it.
Sharmila Tagore: Beauty rituals alter every half-decade, and the trends are hard to keep up with. I have always believed that beauty is in simplicity, humility and grace. For me, the real meaning of beauty lies in the ancient beauty secrets, which were handed down from generation to generation. Now that we are in modern times and losing touch, I feel it’s good to rewind and rediscover those golden beauty tips and tricks.
More than beauty, women are focusing on skincare these days. What’s your idea of a sustainable skincare and haircare regime for all age groups?
Sharmila Tagore: If I have to give a secret tip that can be followed across age groups, that surely would be to use products that are derived from ingredients like sandalwood, chandan, or any product that is made of flowers and herbs. Following these simple rituals will help one to beautify the skin cells. I highly recommend investing more time in a simple skincare regimen rather than complicated ones that involve multiple steps.
Now that conventional beauty standards are altering, do you feel it should have been like this forever?
Sharmila Tagore: Beauty trends alter every decade, and changes are more often nowadays. However, I have always lived by traditional beauty standards, that have a shelf life and will never grow old. I have been extremely close to my grandmother, and I was always fascinated by her beauty and used to admire her immensely. Her secret to beauty was using the right combinations in her beauty regimen. For radiant-looking skin, she used a combination of chandan and badam oil. Her magical remedy was extracts of natural nargis flower and kumkumadi oil. This is one of the best herbal mixtures that cures a lot of skin concerns. Inspired by her, my mother also adopted the same and today I have passed all of them to my children. Traditional beauty regimen, especially ghar ke nuske (homemade), have always worked for everyone.
We recently saw you in Gulmohar and everyone wants to know the secret behind your timeless beauty. What are the things you do to look so good?
Sharmila Tagore: Thank you! Well, Gulmohar has been extremely close to my heart. It represents beauty, strength, resilience, vibrancy, and connection to India’s culture and traditions. For constantly having natural and radiant-looking skin, there’s no real secret. It’s about adopting a healthy lifestyle that I have implemented throughout my life. I’ve always tried to use natural products that can be found in most of the ancient Ayurvedic texts. Keeping it simple through the years. I also credit my beauty to the Bengali genes in me that have helped my skin texture look so young and radiant. There are a few things that I can’t do my day without —— maintaining a fitness regimen, keeping myself hydrated, keeping a check on my diet, using ancient beauty ingredients for my skin, and consuming a lot of green vegetables, dry fruits and seasonal fruits.
Besides skin and hair care, what else do you do regularly for your mind, body and soul, on a daily basis?
Sharmila Tagore: To prioritise yourself and your needs, and keeping it simple is the key to achieving a healthy mind and body. Confidence comes from within. Women should be self-empowered and should try to be the best versions of themselves. Healthy eating and pampering the skin boost my confidence. I make sure to take out time for myself and spend some quality time with my grandchildren. I often write journals that help me keep my mind fresh and stress-free. My suggestion to other women will be to keep working hard for themselves and be independent. Also, love life and yourself to the fullest.
In your family, everyone looks great and you all love to eat. What do you want to tell people who think celebrities don’t eat at all and only follow a strict diet?
Sharmila Tagore: Haha! Well, yes, we are all very fond of food and love to eat but the art is finding a balance in everything. I think we also ensure to get a good amount of exercise and healthy living into our routines.
How is a day (workday and off day) in your life?
Sharmila Tagore: Every day brings fresh experiences, especially when I am with my grandchildren. I feel overjoyed to have them around to learn different things, be it playing or talking, and I make sure that every time I can impart healthy knowledge, be it eating meals on time, following discipline, and other such.
At the recent Oscars, actors Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Yeoh stressed that women should never be told that they have passed their prime. What’s your observation there?
Sharmila Tagore: In sync with the thought that women should never be told that they have passed their prime. I am not a believer in particular parameters applied to anyone for their identity. Time cannot measure someone’s achievements, passion for work and perseverance to explore life. However, it’s only the person who is the decision-maker of their choices. So, we should never feel compromised when we have the freedom to choose the best for ourselves at any given point in life.
What is your aspiration as an actor now?
Sharmila Tagore: I have always strived to bring the best in myself to my audience. While I am passionate about doing this, I make sure to prioritise my health and maintain a fit lifestyle to spend time with my family.
How is brand ITC Vivel taking your ethos forward?
Sharmila Tagore: I am delighted to be associated with the beauty brand ITC Vivel. The launch of Vivel VedVidya soaps offers the benefits of ancient beauty ingredients that take us back to our roots. Over the years, ITC Vivel has continued to reinvent itself, to stay relevant to the changing needs of Indian women. This association also inspired me to impart the beauty secrets that have been passed down to me by my mother and grandmother. I truly resonate with the brand’s commitment to offering timeless skincare solutions.