BAZAAR

BEAUTYBazaarOVER THE LAST FEWMONTHS, I’ve lookedinto skincare as a casualconsumer, at best.To understand the essentials,what my skin needs asI cross the age when itglows no matter how manyworkouts I skip or glasses ofwine I drink. Here’s therecommended list:Exfoliator. Under-eye gel.Facial oil. Acids—hyaluronic, glycolic,mandelic, lactic. Masks, sheet and clay. Retinol.Night cream. Vitamin C, even better withvitamin E, iron, and botanicals like olive leafextract. Did I mention there’s a particularsequence for application? Whew.First Water Solutions, then, is a relief. Rootedin Indian recipes and ingredients,it demystifies skincare through potentformulations that target any potential concerns.The range features a clarifying facial wash andscrub, face mists in six versions, like jasmine andwhite rose, a charcoal hair mask, and the Pure 21line of moisturisers, which includes a cream, gel,serum, and oil. “It takes care of every issue,so what you use depends only on your skin type,whether it’s dry or oily or combination,”says Mani Khurana, who co-founded the brandwith her sister Geeti Arora and niece NoorArora. “Life is simple, that’s the best thing. Themore you complicate it, the worse it becomes.”Her own regime? Cleanse, tone, moisturise.Though it launched only last August, FirstWater has been in development for perhaps overa hundred years. It all started with a stack ofnotebooks they found when Noor’s great-grandmother passed away—among her poemsand essays on life and philosophy werehomeopathic and topical treatment formulas.“It was eye-opening and very interesting,but you forget about it after a point. A few yearslater, my nani was diagnosed with breast cancer,and her radiation treatments led to pigmentationand hair loss. So we pulled out her mother’s olddiaries to cheer her up, and began to make the``````recipes and apply them on her.It made her happy because itwas a connection to her mom,”says Noor. More importantly,they appeared to work. Perhapsthere was something more tothe DIYs, they thought,and consulted with a biochemistto adapt the recipes and createnew, modern products.Some, like the Pure 21serum—which contains,among others, shea butter,almond oil, and essences ofmulberry, calendula, and bergamot—are almostentirely from the notebooks; others, theymodified, based on new research and advice bydermatologists. Yet, the core of their brandremains DIY. Apart from a few fair-tradesuppliers in Kerala and Uttarakhand, they sourcemany ingredients, like mulberry and cucumber,from their own farms. They use food-gradepreservatives, and are happy to demonstrate thatmost of their products are edible. (But by nomeans tasty.) “People should have access to goodskincare, natural skincare,” says Mani.This is the philosophy behind their newerinitiatives as well. First on their agenda, as afamily with “very curly hair”, is a silicon-freeserum: “She [her great-grandmother] had oneformula for a smoothener that is completelysilicon-free, and I really want to experimentwith that because silicon, in the long run,is what makes your hair dry,” says Noor, whostudied at Parsons School of Design and handlesproduct development. They’re also expandingtheir range to include everyday makeup,without talc and heavy metals: “It won’t be aspigmented without artificial ingredients but wewant to move away from that. It will be a moreneutral palette, with lighter formulations.” Liketheir other products, these too will be vegan andcruelty-free, free from parabens, alcohol,formaldehyde, and petrochemicals, and mostlyorganic (they have applied for certification).“You shouldn’t just take our word for it.”Judging by the results, we don’t have to. ■Available on amazon.in and ipkart.com``````Love the skin you’re in, with homegrownbrand First Water Solutions’s natural,fuss-free approach to beautyBy Esha MahajanTHE SIMPLELIFE(From top) First WaterSolutions Pure 21 Face Oil,`1,499; Earthen Ash hairmask, `600; Volcanic ClayFace Mask, `699.