1.⁠ ⁠When we talk about Vedic wisdom in beauty and skincare, what does that really mean beyond just ingredients? How should we think about it as a way of living and caring for ourselves? 

Vedic understanding of beauty has a very wide foundation. The starting point of the Vedas is that ‘we are already whole’ and thus perfect and beautiful—and while that is rather esoteric and perhaps difficult to understand, this thought does inform its philosophy on beauty. What it does is to expand the lens and with that comes a paradigm shift—leading to the ability to see and recognize the underlying beauty of the incredible intelligence of nature and in this case, of the human mind and body.

And as one makes that effort to go just a bit deeper and beyond the surface, we realize that everything is deeply interconnected and interwoven. We begin to see this intricate relationship between the human mind, the human body and of course the rhythms of nature, rta.  So what I think, where I put my attention, what I do on a daily basis, how I see the world deeply affects (in subtle yet profound ways) my inner wellbeing and that is reflected on my outer self.

The etymology of the Sanskrit word svasthya or wellbeing is ‘sva’ which means ‘one’s self’ and sthya comes from sthir which means stable, established in and thus the idea of wellbeing is when one is in harmony or in balance. If we become aware of this truth, it is bound to inform our thought process, decisions and our actions. Vedic wisdom does not prescribe anything as such, what it does do is to shine the light on reality. Once you have understood this reality that our outer beauty is impacted by our thoughts, our view of the world, our daily actions, where we choose to put our attention, then it is up to each individual to use their faculty of choice to decide what gives them that feeling of inner peace or joy or stability and to prioritize that.  That is a good starting point to create a shift in one’s lifestyle towards holistic beauty and harmony.

2.⁠ ⁠At Paro, there’s a strong focus on rituals rather than routines. How do you define a ritual in a modern beauty context, and why does that distinction matter? 

Ritual in the modern beauty context is about a) awareness of what you are doing—being present in the process; b) being aware of what you are putting on your skin. Because whatever you put on your skin impacts your entire system since it is absorbed into your bloodstream. And because everything is so deeply interconnected, it has a tangible impact on your hormones, your DNA, your cellular health.

A routine can be mechanical and is driven by habit, often urgency and it shortcuts or bypasses the laborious process in the brain—of thinking things through and is very useful for many things we do daily, for example, brushing our teeth.  On the other hand, a ritual, while it can also be done daily, does the opposite: it uses that faculty of awareness, of the mind to do things with more intention and presence—what today we call, mindful. According to the Vedic worldview, a ritual of self-care which is done with intention and meaning, carries the potential to be an offering for the self.

Ancestral wisdom understood this and daily practices like abhyanga, dinacharya, fragrant oiling were acts of reverence toward the body. In a modern context, a ritual slows time down, it transforms a mundane act into an act of self-knowing.

"It is so simple— this connection between beauty and wellbeing and healing. We tend to over analyze it, intellectualize it when it is truly so visceral and obvious to us all."

3. We often speak about aligning with time through AM and PM rituals, and even seasonal shifts. How can we understand chrono-responsive skincare through a Vedic lens?

Chrono awareness is inbuilt in our body—melatonin production for sleep, endocrine cycle, menstrual cycle, the cycle of aging etc. Cells are born, and they die constantly. So our bodies are always living in a rhythm and our evolutionary development was to try and remain in sync with the cycles of nature—day & night, bright moon phase & dark moon phase, and seasonal cycles. 

So, when your skincare products and routines work with the awareness of these cycles— AM & PM, and seasonal cycles it does our skin a huge favour by connecting it to the natural rhythms (something we modern urban people are often disconnected from). This in turn makes the skincare a lot more effective because our skin and body now are able to absorb and process the ingredients in the right order.

Ayurveda talks about the benefits of creating a personal dinacharya which is synced with the circadian and seasonal rhythms. And our skincare ritual can become an important part of this personal routine we create for ourselves.  The mornings are about getting the body ready for the day, getting it moving, perhaps connecting with the rays of the sun to activate the mind-body-breath complex. The movement and the heat helps with the activation of the lymph nodes—a very important aspect of health and beauty. Evenings would be about winding down, calming the senses, reducing stimulation and hopefully thus getting good quality sleep—again great for wellbeing and beauty. 

4. Paro is very rooted in the sensory experience - fragrance, touch, atmosphere. What role do the senses play in healing and beauty according to Vedic traditions?

The senses are our ways to perceive the world and to be able to navigate through it. Our shastras have never advocated denying them nor distancing ourselves from these gifts that we have been given as sentient beings.  The intelligent person is one who understands their power—to delight and enjoy all the sensory pleasures but also to be aware of their ability to take us down a slippery slope.

So once a person has assessed and understood this, the senses are there to enjoy and luxuriate in. Our tradition is filled with fragrant offerings, visual delights, sublime sounds, sensuous fabrics… all of them are celebrated in temples, in our daily lives—wearing mogras in the hair or lighting a fragrant agarbatti, draping soft cottons or silks on the skin. In fact, our daily pujas employ all the 5 senses so beautifully. The form of the divine is beautiful, filled with rasa and a delight to behold—that is how traditionally we connect beauty with divinity and a feeling of joy and wellbeing.

I invite you to do this quick exercise—close your eyes for a moment and think of a grey urban landscape with wires hanging, horns blaring, collapsing buildings—see what that does for you. Now imagine yourself in a meadow filled with flowers with mountains beyond, revealing a golden, multi-coloured sunset—what does this do for you?  Where do you feel a sense of wellbeing and upliftment?  It is so simple— this connection between beauty and wellbeing and healing. We tend to over analyze it, intellectualize it when it is truly so visceral and obvious to us all.

That is the reason I chose to focus on this aspect of shringar, svasthi and saukhya at Paro. These are an integral part of our tradition but often forgotten or seen as ‘lesser’. I, in fact believe and have experienced that surrounding oneself with beauty daily—in little ways, is a key aspect to our wellbeing. It is not complicated.

5. There’s this idea that true beauty comes from inner balance. How do you see the connection between emotional wellbeing, mental state, and the health of our skin?

I prefer the word harmony to balance. Harmony is a state when things are more in sync with each other. This harmony starts when our thoughts and our actions are aligned— that is a beautiful harmony; another is when we are able to reframe some of our difficult feelings and thoughts in a way which allows us a certain sense of freedom to enjoy our life, leading to emotional wellbeing. Who doesn’t want mental-emotional wellbeing? According to the Vedas, life is meant to be enjoyed and celebrated with a sense of lightness and freedom. The inevitable challenges are an invitation for us to go beyond our limited worldviews and if we choose to see them like that and are able to expand ourselves, then our state of wellbeing is enhanced and we feel more at ease, freer, in harmony and that certainly shows up in our entire being including the skin. The skin is our largest organ and a very sensitive one. It is like the cover of a book and it is the first thing you see in a person.

As Pratima Raichur very wisely says: “If you want to change your appearance, you must first change the thoughts, emotions, and habits where stress and aging originate. And if you want to be beautiful, you must first create a whole and happy inner life, so that “every cell in your body learns of your happiness and joins in.”

In classical Ayurvedic thought, the pursuit of beauty is integrally linked to the pursuit of health (swasthya), which is defined in Sushruta Samhita (ca. 600 BCE) as the equilibrium of doshas (biological energies: Vata, Pitta, Kapha), dhatus (tissues), malas (waste products), agni (digestive fire), and a balanced state of mind, senses, and spirit.

Saundarya or beauty was categorized into three dimensions: Shariraka Saundarya (physical beauty): characterized by clear, radiant skin, well- formed limbs, and bright, alert eyes. Two, Manasika Saundarya (mental beauty): denoted by tranquility, cheerfulness, and emotional resilience. Three, Atmika Saundarya (spiritual beauty): emerging from spiritual consciousness and ethical conduct

Vedic philosophy takes in all aspects of a human being—leaving out nothing which makes it highly nuanced, holistic, expansive and thus eternal. It is valid for all humans in all ages and in all cultures because the rishis went deep into understanding the person, her relationship with herself and her relationship with the universe. There can be nothing more eternal nor beautiful and healing than that.