Celebrity Style: Mandana Karimi Says “Beauty is Happiness”
Iranian/Indian actress and model Mandana Karimi is a woman of style. From her sartorial choices to experimenting with hair and make-up, the Big Boss 2015 second runner-up offers a lot of inspiration to her fans. Mandana decodes her beauty secrets and rules.
— By Esha Gakhar
How are you staying productive while maintaining social distancing?
I am staying alone with my two dogs and have found time to do everything from cooking and cleaning to working out, reading, and taking online acting classes. Also, I make sure to catch up with friends. I try to sleep early and wake up early too.
What’s your at-home skincare and haircare routine?
I like to keep it simple and use homemade face masks. I oil my hair before going to sleep, every 3-4 weeks and also apply coconut oil on my hands and toes.
Do you experiment with your looks — on or off-screen?
On-screen, it depends on the character I am playing and how much freedom we have to work on the look. I don’t use make-up when I am not working. I do love to experiment with my hair and make-up when I am attending an event or have to make an appearance. I don’t have a regular stylist or make-up artist; I work with five different teams as I believe that’s how I get fresh ideas.
How has your career choice influenced your personal style?
It has definitely had an influence on my grooming choices; I have to be ready to take pictures anywhere, anytime and that keeps me aware of my grooming. Earlier, I loved dressing-up and used to experiment with the clothes I wear. But now, for the past 3-4 years, I have been focusing on the importance of hair and make-up as well.
What has been your favourite look so far — be it on the red carpet or for a character you played?
We just finished shooting for my web series ‘Casino’; I play a glamorous role as the owner of a casino. So, there’s a lot of stylish costumes, hair and make-up. I enjoyed all the looks we did for this show. My hair and make-up was done by Ayushi and we did a variety of looks from casual to gell-backed hair, different shades of eyeliner, and played around with nail polishes. I kept the long nails too; usually, I like my nails short but this was one project where I the freedom to experiment with my looks.
Do you have any quick-fixes for your hair? Do you like hair extensions?
I used to be obsessed with long hair, but now I have cut it short and it has been the best decision of my life. It is so much easier to maintain now. But I do love using hair extensions as it gives you a variety of styles to play around with. I also use dry shampoo a lot — when I do curl on my short hair, I use dry shampoo instead of hairspray as it gives more volume and stays on longer.
How do you de-stress?
I love massages and can spend 3-4 hours at the spa and not get bored. My favourite is a deep tissue massage — I like the pressure points they give. At home, I use body scrubs a lot as I can’t visit the salon right now. I have been using Spa Ceylon products for head massages, especially their Aloe Vera Mint Massage Balm.
Do you have any beauty rules?
Just one — if my eyes are heavy, I go easy on the lips and vice versa. I have been following that rule for years. I am always open to trying out different looks, but what really works for me is less make-up. And, I love playing with lip shades, more than eye make-up.
Any message for your fans during these unusual times?
All I want to say to the readers is that beauty comes from within. Beauty is happiness which you can see glowing on one’s face and these days, it is important to take care of your mental health as much as your hair, skin, diet, and physical fitness. Make sure the news that you are consuming is not having adverse effects on your mental well-being. Stay happy, stay true, and stay simple.