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Welcome to our Special Edition for Diwali 🪔 With the festival just two weeks away, we’re bringing you the inspo you need for the perfect seasonal revamp even if you’re not celebrating. We also spoke to the founder of Old School Rituals, an Indian beauty brand that celebrates heritage recipes to bring you the best of Diwali rituals.
Diwali Barbie: Anita Dongre collaborated with Mattel to create a Diwali Barbie and everyone has an opinion.
All That Glitters Diwali Ball: Hosted every year by Anjula Acharia, this year it was at Pierre Hotel in New York City and the fashion was on point.
Treat your Staff: Do like this Chennai-based company who gifted 28 cars and 29 bikes to their staff for Diwali 👀
Designer News: Christian Louboutin has released a Diwali Edit including the Lady Bombay Diwali shoes.
Fam fun in Singapore: Here are fun activities to do with your kids for Diwali if you’re in Singapore. Serangoon Road is always great with the Deepavali Light Up.
In London: Here are the best restaurants to celebrate Diwali in London.
Skincare: Ranavat’s AHA Saffron Masque contains saffron, is gentle, cooling, non-abrasive and gives glowy skin.
Haircare: South Asian owned hair care brands have been blowing up the ayurvedic hair oil space for a while now. Products that have made a mark are Fable & Mane, indē wild and Uma Oils.
Beauty Influencer to Watch: Monica Ravichandran. Her honest review of YSL’s "Make Me Blush" in Lavender shade highlighted its challenges on melanin-rich skin.
Gift Ideas:
Kama Ayurveda x Nicobar have collaborated to create a special Radiant Rituals Gift Set, featuring Ayurvedic skincare essentials and a gold-finished brass incense holder.
MAC Cosmetics India launches the Embroidered Opulence range which has deeper toned lipsticks that are perfect for darker skin tones.
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Singham Again: This multi-starrer Bollywood blockbuster is back with a bang, ready to entertain families and become the must-watch Diwali film of the season. Bollywood’s beloved star, Deepika Padukone, might just surprise us all with her post-baby debut, making it even more exciting for fans.
Vidaamuyarchi: Rumour has it this Ajith and Trisha starrer is set to release for Diwali.
Trip down memory lane: Binge on nostalgic Diwali releases like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Taal or Om Shanti Om.
Book a Diljit Dosanjh concert: The popular singer, is set to light up Pune, Maharashtra, with an electrifying show this 24 November 2024. Known for his high-energy performances in pop, hip-hop, and R&B, this is one you can’t miss.
Cookware you can display: In time for Diwali, Our Place has collaborated with cookbook author Radhi Devlukia-Shetty to launch a limited-edition Clay colourway of their beloved cookware.
To serve snacks: For Diwali snacks with friends and family, check out Plate & Peonie's Les Ottomans Lemon Collection for a sunny vibe. The Three Leaf Platter is perfect for serving small bites elegantly.
For your dinner party: Sobé Decor Copacabana Collection, hand-painted by skilled artisans in Sri Lanka, features intricate blue designs merging tradition and artistry and is our top pick.
To celebrate Diwali, we spoke to the founder of one of the coolest kids on the skincare block in India: Smita Vallurupalli of Old School Rituals. Smita shares her own personal Diwali traditions, favourite recipes and festival skincare rituals.
Smita is a well-known Telugu pop singer who won a Filmfare award in 2005 and started her journey in beauty at 22, which eventually led to the creation of her skincare brand, Old School Rituals. The brand has brought back heritage by combining age-old skincare rituals and science with thoughtful and effective products that evoke nostalgia and draw on heirloom family recipes for a global audience.
On the connection between Diwali and Old School Rituals
Old School Rituals is all about memories, love, and pure care. Diwali, celebrated across the country, is a time for gifting, and many households and companies seek exclusive, customised gift boxes for their loved ones during this festival.
Is Old School part of my Diwali tradition? Absolutely! While I don’t use many skincare products daily, I appreciate the simplicity of my routine. My favourites include the red sandalwood line, the turmeric line, and especially the Indian Spices line. The kumkumadi essential oil, is one of our most popular products and truly works wonders. In fact, all our products deliver fantastic results.
Heritage Recipes to cook for Diwali
Our festival celebrations have some familiar staples. We always have tamarind rice, kheer, and poornalu (round treats filled with jaggery and dal). We also make gaarelu, a homemade version of vadas, which are essential to our Diwali festivities.
Heirloom Bodycare Rituals for Festival time
One of the cherished rituals passed down through generations is the use of ubtans, where we oil children's bodies and mix a special powder with milk and saffron to create a paste. When applied to the skin, it dries and helps remove layers of dirt. This was a popular ritual in my childhood, especially during festivals.
We also believe in aura cleansing, which varies by household. Some people use salt, while others may burn fabric or paper. At Old School, we offer unique blends of salts designed for aura cleansing, and many of our customers can’t finish their bath without using our aura-cleansing salts.
This tradition of body care has been preserved at Old School, allowing us to share these unique products with everyone.
On perfecting the products
Over 200,000 customers tried our products even before we officially launched them, which I believe sets Old School apart from other brands—our extensive testing and customer feedback.
The most exciting part is when customers share their experiences. They often mention benefits we hadn’t anticipated. Hearing that our products have helped someone in unexpected ways is incredibly fulfilling.
People describe our brand as luxurious and pure. The stories, the packaging, and the effects of our products all contribute to this perception. It’s a bit like giving birth; while the process can be painful, the joy of seeing your creation thrive makes it all worthwhile. It has been an incredibly challenging journey, but also immensely rewarding. I truly believe this is just the beginning for us.
Experience the brand at the Brindavanam
To me, Old School Rituals is more than just a skincare brand; I envision it evolving into a lifestyle brand. Yes, we’ll continue to develop our product line and invest in research and development, but we’re also excited about our Old School Brindavanam, a space where you can pamper yourself.
In our Brindavanam, we offer unique services, sell crystals, and provide energised crystal therapy rooms. When you step inside, you feel transformed, as if your burdens have lifted. People often look forward to returning.
We’ve launched our first Brindavanam in Hyderabad, which is thriving, and we plan to expand to Goa, Chennai, and Fort Kochi. I also hope to introduce these spaces in other countries, as I believe Old School, while rooted in Indian tradition, has a place in the global market.
Some other stuff:
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