Latest / Skin Anarchy / Thanuska Interview
Transcript
- 0:01SPEAKER_00: Yellow four.
- 0:11SPEAKER_00: Five hours.
- 0:22SPEAKER_00: We have a four.
- 0:23SPEAKER_00: Available now.
- 0:24SPEAKER_00: Weighted and fermature.
- 0:25SPEAKER_00: Cap the banner 55 episodes page to learn more.
- 0:33SPEAKER_01: Welcome back to another episode of Sincare Anarchy.
- 0:36SPEAKER_01: This is your host, Ecta, and I have a very special guest with me today.
- 0:40SPEAKER_01: I'm so excited.
- 0:41SPEAKER_01: She had time in her schedule to come onto the show.
- 0:44SPEAKER_01: I'm sure you guys saw her and her Sephora Diwali special.
- 0:47SPEAKER_01: And if you didn't, you need to definitely go check it out.
- 0:50SPEAKER_01: So hi, Tanushka.
- 0:52SPEAKER_01: I'm so glad you're here today.
- 0:54SPEAKER_01: Thank you for joining us.
- 0:56SPEAKER_02: Hi, you guys are so sweet.
- 0:58SPEAKER_02: Thank you for having me.
- 1:00SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's truly our pleasure.
- 1:02SPEAKER_02: Very excited to be here.
- 1:04SPEAKER_01: So I actually wanted to invite you on and talk all about skin because you have amazing skin.
- 1:11SPEAKER_02: Oh my god.
- 1:12SPEAKER_02: It's so crazy that you're saying that because I'm actually going through a really bad skin skin reaction right now.
- 1:18SPEAKER_02: Oh no.
- 1:19SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, normally I do, I'm very blessed to have fairly good skin.
- 1:24SPEAKER_02: It was it's very genetic.
- 1:25SPEAKER_02: My mom had really, really good skin.
- 1:27SPEAKER_02: So, but yeah, no, I I just had a reaction with a new product that I was trying.
- 1:31SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
- 1:32SPEAKER_02: I think it's just I'm aging, so my skin is just becoming a lot more sensitive, and I know that's normal as you age.
- 1:38SPEAKER_02: So yeah, yeah.
- 1:40SPEAKER_01: Yeah, no, I know.
- 1:41SPEAKER_01: I've uh I hate when that happens because you can never figure out what did it.
- 1:44SPEAKER_01: It's like no, exact exactly.
- 1:46SPEAKER_02: That's a thing, and it it takes so long for like the reaction to go away.
- 1:50SPEAKER_02: And by the time you can get an appointment with a dermatologist, it's like it's not even there anymore.
- 1:53SPEAKER_02: So it's like it's so stressful.
- 1:55SPEAKER_01: I love that you said that you still go to a dermatologist because I know so many people don't anymore.
- 2:00SPEAKER_01: Like, I remember like back in the day when I had my acne breakouts in like high school.
- 2:04SPEAKER_01: My parents were like, Well, we don't know what to do.
- 2:07SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's like a hundred it just wasn't a thing then, a hundred percent.
- 2:11SPEAKER_01: So Tanishka, I want to ask you to tell us all about yourself because I would love to hear about your background and what got you started with um with modeling and you know, all the amazing Instagram work you've you do.
- 2:23SPEAKER_01: I mean, your pages such a delight.
- 2:25SPEAKER_01: Like every time I go on there, I'm like super inspired.
- 2:28SPEAKER_01: I'm like going on to all the websites to buy new clothes.
- 2:32SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
- 2:33SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.
- 2:34SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, I started doing content creation as of this January, would be starting my third year.
- 2:43SPEAKER_02: So I started doing content creation for I was I've been doing it for three years.
- 2:47SPEAKER_02: I also do freelancing on the side, but um, I focus a lot of my most of my time on uh content creation.
- 2:53SPEAKER_02: So I work with a lot of brands.
- 2:54SPEAKER_02: I I this past year I started working with Sephora and um I don't know, like I've always been into makeup.
- 3:01SPEAKER_02: Like when I was younger, I used to do I used to dance, uh rather than I do, it's like this Indian classical dancing.
- 3:08SPEAKER_02: Um, and I always had to do my own makeup for all of my shows.
- 3:12SPEAKER_02: So that's kind of where like the interest first sparked with makeup.
- 3:15SPEAKER_02: It's just I never thought I would pursue it because you know, in our like in my household, it's not seen as a normal job to have.
- 3:22SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
- 3:22SPEAKER_02: My parents are just like, my parents are still trying to figure out my parents are still trying to figure out why I'm doing a podcast.
- 3:28SPEAKER_02: Oh yeah, yeah.
- 3:29SPEAKER_02: They're just never they're never gonna understand.
- 3:31SPEAKER_02: It's like only when they see success, and I guess that's in the form of like you know, monetary gain.
- 3:37SPEAKER_02: That's when they'll look at it be like, oh, okay, that's a that it's a job.
- 3:41SPEAKER_02: But yeah, it's still it's not what I'm doing, it's not valued as a job, but I'm doing what I love.
- 3:46SPEAKER_02: So yeah, um, but I started, yeah, like I said, three years ago, and I'm really happy to be doing this.
- 3:53SPEAKER_02: I'm very glad I'm not working at regular nine to five.
- 3:56SPEAKER_02: I had a regular nine to five before, and I just hated it, and I'm glad I made the decision to leave.
- 4:00SPEAKER_02: But yeah, um, yeah.
- 4:02SPEAKER_01: What were you doing before?
- 4:04SPEAKER_02: It was such a random job.
- 4:06SPEAKER_02: Like it, I worked at an I think it was an engineering firm, but I had an administrative role.
- 4:12SPEAKER_02: So it was very unrelated to what I even did in school.
- 4:15SPEAKER_02: I graduated with a BA honors in kinesiology and minored in psych, and then I worked as an admin assistant.
- 4:22SPEAKER_02: And it was just like a it was just kind of like a starting job out of university that I just got for the meantime just to kind of make money.
- 4:30SPEAKER_02: But just the idea of working a nine to five and working for someone else's business, just I just never could understand.
- 4:35SPEAKER_02: So I this just this opportunity to start freelancing first came.
- 4:40SPEAKER_02: And my boyfriend, he also the moment I ventured off into content like makeup, he ventured off into videography, and so our paths kind of just made sense, and he started shooting a lot of my videos.
- 4:50SPEAKER_02: So that's kind of how I jumped into content creation, and now I'm here, I'm here now.
- 4:56SPEAKER_01: Yeah, oh my gosh, and and congratulations on your immense success.
- 5:01SPEAKER_01: I mean, this is thank you so so huge as a South Asian woman to see your page and to see the amazing, you know, creations with your with your wardrobe selections and your just the beauty aspect of it.
- 5:14SPEAKER_01: It's very inspiring.
- 5:15SPEAKER_01: I mean, uh honestly, because I you know, when we were growing up, we didn't have people to look at and be like, oh yeah, I want to be exactly like that.
- 5:22SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
- 5:23SPEAKER_01: Like, we didn't have that.
- 5:24SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, 100%.
- 5:25SPEAKER_02: Me, me too, actually.
- 5:26SPEAKER_02: And that's it's crazy because when I first started, like I didn't as when I first started uh posting content, it was mostly makeup.
- 5:34SPEAKER_02: Only like half like maybe a year later did I start posting like more cultural content, I guess they can say.
- 5:39SPEAKER_02: Um, but it's crazy because I didn't even I knew for me, like when I started getting into makeup, I knew there was a struggle to find, you know, shades that work for my skin.
- 5:48SPEAKER_02: And it was always hard to find other uh influencers and creators that fall in like my skin, not just my skin tone, but have the same skin concerns as me.
- 5:57SPEAKER_02: Like a lot of South Asians that have my skin tone have hyperpigmentation, and it's so hard to find those people as a reference.
- 6:03SPEAKER_02: So it was crazy because when I first started, that was like the most like the common feedback I received is oh my god, I finally have someone that I can look at and buy the same makeup.
- 6:12SPEAKER_02: And it really shocked me that other people were going through the same thing.
- 6:15SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
- 6:15SPEAKER_02: But yeah, and then when I started getting into like, you know, researching the beauty industry and stuff, I'm like, damn, it's really lacking like the representation.
- 6:24SPEAKER_02: So I'm I'm really glad that not just myself, but there's so many other creators now that look like me that a lot of other the younger generation can look up to.
- 6:33SPEAKER_02: So I'm I'm really glad that it's changing, it's definitely evolving.
- 6:36SPEAKER_01: Well, it's it's awesome that you're doing your work.
- 6:38SPEAKER_01: I mean, your work is really changing a lot of things, and I think um, yeah, and and you know, the one thing I want to focus on is that um, you know, I love that you brought up the whole shade range thing because I think um even as you know, looking into like just being uh Indian in general, I mean, our shades are always harder, I think, because our undertones are hard to match too, right?
- 7:02SPEAKER_01: Like it's not just like um you know, and that's that's something that I think brands are not, I mean, they need to understand that it's not just about making an another shade of brown, it's about like you need to formulate it so it looks good on, like, you know, for example, Indian skin or you know, whatever.
- 7:19SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I and so um let me let me shift focus.
- 7:23SPEAKER_01: I want to talk all about the Sephora special because I'm not gonna lie, when I saw you um uh on that, I was like rooting you on.
- 7:31SPEAKER_01: I was so excited.
- 7:33SPEAKER_01: I mean, that was huge.
- 7:35SPEAKER_01: Like, I I think I messaged you, I was like, small step for Tunushka, but leap for Indian women.
- 7:41SPEAKER_01: Like it was 100%.
- 7:43SPEAKER_01: So tell me all about it.
- 7:45SPEAKER_01: Tell me all about that.
- 7:46SPEAKER_02: Um, so like I prior to me getting that opportunity, I was already on Sephora squad.
- 7:52SPEAKER_02: So there were three of us models, myself, Nero, and Ankira that got asked to uh be the models for the Diwali campaign.
- 7:59SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, like I was the one out of the three of us that was on squad.
- 8:03SPEAKER_02: So I honestly I felt really honored that they reached out to me because there are other um uh South Asian Indian Sri Lankan women on the squad, but yeah, like I was very fortunate that they looked at me and they saw something in me to have me a part of the campaign.
- 8:17SPEAKER_02: But I was very honored because like you don't see people specifically, like I'm Sri Lankan and a lot of us have very, very, very dark skin.
- 8:25SPEAKER_02: You don't see a lot of our skin or our people like on ads or like in stores or on you know, like all these media prints and things like that.
- 8:34SPEAKER_02: So it was a very, very, very surreal experience.
- 8:37SPEAKER_02: Um, such a great experience to the team.
- 8:40SPEAKER_02: They were really amazing.
- 8:41SPEAKER_02: I'm glad that they were being very inclusive and they wanted to celebrate.
- 8:44SPEAKER_02: And it was uh support Canada's first ever Duali campaign as well.
- 8:48SPEAKER_02: So I'm glad that this honesty 2020 is a year of just change and like being more inclusive.
- 8:55SPEAKER_02: And I'm very glad that they finally took that step.
- 8:58SPEAKER_02: So it was I was very, very honored to be a part of that campaign.
- 9:02SPEAKER_01: No, I'm I'm so happy they took that step because I think that's the first time.
- 9:05SPEAKER_01: I mean, maybe I'm out of touch, but it's the first time I saw um a beauty, you know, not just not a brand, but I guess a distributor, and it's you know, like Sephora, do anything for Diwali.
- 9:16SPEAKER_01: I was like, I saw Diwali special and I was like, oh hell yeah, you know, because yeah, even growing up in school, I remember like I was hesitant to be like, hey, this is a a holiday for me.
- 9:27SPEAKER_01: Can I take time off?
- 9:28SPEAKER_01: You know what I'm saying?
- 9:29SPEAKER_01: And we never got like the Christmas holiday that most people get.
- 9:32SPEAKER_01: So it was huge.
- 9:33SPEAKER_01: I mean, it is a huge thing, and it goes a lot further than just beauty.
- 9:37SPEAKER_01: It goes into recognizing that this is an entire population of you know, people that we we bring so much into the the culture of America, you know what I mean?
- 9:47SPEAKER_02: So yeah, and it was such a it was such a good message, especially this year with uh COVID and all these hard like hardships that so many different communities are going through.
- 9:57SPEAKER_02: And like obviously Diwali is all about you know a new beginning and things like that.
- 10:00SPEAKER_02: So I really love the message that Sephora was trying to bring.
- 10:03SPEAKER_02: Um, and they really made sure that when we were creating our content for it, that we shared that message and shared like what we're grateful for and things like that.
- 10:11SPEAKER_02: So it's a very like it was a really, really good experience.
- 10:13SPEAKER_02: It wasn't just about, like you said, it wasn't just about the beauty aspect, right?
- 10:17SPEAKER_01: Right.
- 10:17SPEAKER_01: And that's wonderful.
- 10:18SPEAKER_01: I'm glad that you had a good, you know, like a good experience with all that.
- 10:22SPEAKER_01: That's really, really important.
- 10:23SPEAKER_01: And so I wanna I wanna ask you where your inspiration comes from because the styles that you showcase and the and model um are so beautiful, but they're also very classically inspired, I've noticed.
- 10:36SPEAKER_01: Because I, you know, I I love, you know, obviously, I think every Indian woman in the world, every South Asian woman in the world loves our designs and our and our you know what I mean, like our our uh uh what's the word?
- 10:49SPEAKER_01: I don't know.
- 10:49SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, like how do you get your inspiration um for what you want to like are are you talking specifically just about like our like the traditional wear that I wear, like the cultural aspect?
- 11:00SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we're okay, okay.
- 11:02SPEAKER_02: Um honestly it's just I kind of just look at like my wardrobe.
- 11:07SPEAKER_02: Like my mom, she had a whole collection of these vintage classic soris.
- 11:13SPEAKER_02: And like me and my sister just always used to go through her stuff and just collect things and put it put it aside.
- 11:19SPEAKER_02: And like, I don't know, like I I've I've noticed that anytime I do post a cultural look on my page, my audience definitely they respond to that a lot better than just regular content, so that's kind of why I do try to post as much cultural content as can.
- 11:33SPEAKER_02: But in terms of style, it's just like I think like growing up, I have always watched movies and I've always had my favorite actresses, and I just loved how they dress, and it's just like kind of combining that with like you know, like the western, like how we dry dress on this side.
- 11:47SPEAKER_02: Like, I just kind of like do a fusion of things, I feel like, especially like whenever I design my blouses, things like that.
- 11:53SPEAKER_02: I always try to do something different, and I I I like not not stand out in a bad way, but I like standing out like in a very unique way, like I like being different, I guess.
- 12:04SPEAKER_02: So it's just honestly, it's just what comes to mind.
- 12:06SPEAKER_02: I just kind of go with the floor, I kind of like look at I have a lot of clothes, so I kind of look at everything and I'm like, how can I pair these things together?
- 12:12SPEAKER_02: And it's just it's whatever, honestly, whatever comes to mind.
- 12:15SPEAKER_01: But so when did you when did you figure out your style?
- 12:18SPEAKER_01: Like, um, we're at a young age, did you know like this is what I kind of like to wear, and this is how because I you have a very unique style, like you like you said, it's like western, like I've seen your western posts too, like with the yeah, with your Western wardrobe.
- 12:30SPEAKER_01: So it's it's really cool.
- 12:31SPEAKER_01: I I love your style overall.
- 12:33SPEAKER_01: So, where did you get your inspiration from?
- 12:35SPEAKER_02: Just like honestly, it's so crazy to me because whenever I talk to people, they're like, Yeah, you have a really distinct style style.
- 12:40SPEAKER_02: But if you were to ask me what my style is, I don't even know what I would say because I feel like I wear so many different things, I dress in so many different ways.
- 12:47SPEAKER_02: Like, I I I like to pull off a very old school look, like it was specifically talking like a cultural look.
- 12:53SPEAKER_02: I like to pull off an old school vintage look, and then I like to dress very modern sometimes.
- 12:57SPEAKER_02: So it's like I I I can't it's crazy because I don't know what my style is, but I don't know.
- 13:02SPEAKER_02: Like, I there's I just I don't know, like whatever makes me feel like you just gotta go with the flow.
- 13:08SPEAKER_02: Yeah, literally, that's literally it.
- 13:10SPEAKER_02: Like, it's not like I have one specific, I just I don't feel like I have like one specific style.
- 13:16SPEAKER_02: I feel like I I could rock, like I'm I'm just that person I like doing everything, so yeah, I like trying different things.
- 13:24SPEAKER_02: It's not like I stick to just one look all the time.
- 13:26SPEAKER_01: I feel like I feel like that's the theme with women these days, is we want to be like every we want to do everything.
- 13:33SPEAKER_01: Um, I was talking to Dr.
- 13:34SPEAKER_01: Dave Gun the other day, and she has this amazing sweatshirt as part of her e-commerce site, and it says all I all I ever wanted was the world.
- 13:43SPEAKER_01: I was like, I was like, it's so perfect.
- 13:45SPEAKER_01: That's like everyone would I know.
- 13:48SPEAKER_01: So that's pretty cool.
- 13:49SPEAKER_01: I like that.
- 13:49SPEAKER_01: I like that you just go with the flow with things.
- 13:51SPEAKER_01: So um I wanna I wanna discuss like your beauty routine because obviously in this skincare podcast, so what is your skincare routine?
- 13:58SPEAKER_02: Do you have one or do you just um yeah, like I'm still like every uh obviously because I'm a creator, like I I do get a lot of PR and so I'm always experimenting.
- 14:08SPEAKER_02: I try to there are like a few things that I keep in my routine that I've been using for like the last two years, but um I for my morning routine I cleanse my face.
- 14:20SPEAKER_02: I also have an exfoliator.
- 14:22SPEAKER_02: Um, that's one thing that I never used to have in my routine an exfoliator, and I've realized how much an ex how important an exfoliator is to get rid of all that dead skin off your face.
- 14:30SPEAKER_02: Um, I use a serum, and my like holy grail serum is the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair.
- 14:36SPEAKER_02: I use that day and night.
- 14:38SPEAKER_02: Um, I know it's a repair serum, but I use it during the day too because it's for someone that has very, very dry skin, like that serum is like magic in a bottle.
- 14:46SPEAKER_03: Like I love it.
- 14:48SPEAKER_02: It's so good, so so so good.
- 14:50SPEAKER_02: Um, I use a moisturizer, eye cream, and uh sometimes honestly, eye cream is one of those things that I don't feel like everybody needs, even though it seems like it's something that's essential.
- 15:00SPEAKER_02: But um I just I use an eye cream and then lip balm is like a must.
- 15:05SPEAKER_02: It's like my lips are cracked up to another level.
- 15:08SPEAKER_02: I just have very dry skin, and then during the winter it's just that much more worse.
- 15:13SPEAKER_02: Um, and for my nighttime skin routine, like because I wear makeup all the time, like I literally use three different cleansers.
- 15:20SPEAKER_02: I use like a cleansing balm and I go between the pharmacy green clean and I go to uh go um also use Huda Beauty's Wishful cleansing brom.
- 15:29SPEAKER_02: Um and I use a regular gel cleanser, same thing, exfoliator.
- 15:34SPEAKER_02: I don't exfoliate every day, but depends if I do it morning or night.
- 15:37SPEAKER_02: I generally do exfoliating at night because I don't know, I just have this weird, like I don't know if there's like some sort of science behind it, but I don't like exfoliating and then putting makeup on my face.
- 15:46SPEAKER_02: Yeah, if that makes any sense.
- 15:48SPEAKER_02: Uh so I like doing it at night.
- 15:50SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
- 15:50SPEAKER_02: Um, I also use uh serum, same serum, uh, moisturizer, eye cream, lip balm.
- 15:57SPEAKER_02: Same thing.
- 15:58SPEAKER_02: Awesome.
- 15:58SPEAKER_02: So it's pretty, I mean it's pretty like minimalistic, but like efficient then.
- 16:01SPEAKER_02: Like I like that.
- 16:03SPEAKER_02: Yeah, like I actually like my skin reaction that I recently just experienced was because I used a retinol product.
- 16:09SPEAKER_02: So yeah, like I I've been researching, it's one of those things that I've been researching for so long because again, like I have pigmentation issues, I have dark spots, I would like to make sure that I'm taking care of those wrinkles and like fine lines.
- 16:23SPEAKER_02: So I've been researching it.
- 16:24SPEAKER_02: I know I have sensitive skin, and I know retinol is something like depending on the percentage, it could really, you could really react really bad to it.
- 16:30SPEAKER_02: So the one that I use, like I've heard really good reviews, and it's a mixture with lactic acid, and I thought it would be okay, but I think I just I for someone that has sensitive skin, I should have diluted it with my moisturizer, but I just put it directly on my skin and I use it twice in the span of a week and a half, and my skin just went crazy.
- 16:48SPEAKER_01: Well, retinal is one of those, like it's really tricky.
- 16:50SPEAKER_01: Like it's like everyone's coming out with a retinol product, but it's like you can't track you can't trust every you know what I mean.
- 16:56SPEAKER_01: Like it's like you have to really try that.
- 16:58SPEAKER_01: And I think that's where a dermatologist really comes in because they can really prescribe you something good, right?
- 17:04SPEAKER_01: So yeah, yeah, that's that's interesting.
- 17:06SPEAKER_01: And I hope you're I hope it goes away.
- 17:07SPEAKER_02: I hope you find something soothing that I know it's it's getting better, it's a lot better than it was a couple days ago.
- 17:13SPEAKER_02: So it's it's obviously skin when you react, it takes a couple takes longer for it to heal.
- 17:19SPEAKER_02: So I'm letting I'm taking a break in front of it.
- 17:21SPEAKER_01: Um I don't know if you've heard about the St.
- 17:23SPEAKER_01: Jane's uh C BD serum, but that's it's like magic in a bottle, honestly.
- 17:27SPEAKER_01: Sorry, I've never heard of it.
- 17:28SPEAKER_01: It's the Saint sorry, the St.
- 17:29SPEAKER_01: Jane's St.
- 17:30SPEAKER_01: Jane is is like it's one of my favorite drinker companies, and they have this uh beauty serum, it's C BD infused.
- 17:37SPEAKER_01: It is the most calming like oil beauty serum I think I've ever used in my life.
- 17:43SPEAKER_01: So like I genuinely think you should try it.
- 17:45SPEAKER_01: It's it's beautiful, but um, I want to ask you, um, actually, because you know, in terms of just like uh growing up and you know, like having to like kind of meld two cultures, right?
- 17:58SPEAKER_01: I mean, was that something that you had to deal with?
- 18:01SPEAKER_01: Because I know for me it was kind of difficult.
- 18:03SPEAKER_01: So, like, how did you manage that growing up in um, you know, in Western culture, but still maintaining your you know, Sri Lankan uh heritage?
- 18:11SPEAKER_02: It's actually crazy that you say that because it's I feel like up until like I wouldn't say content content creation definitely helped, but it's not that I used to be embarrassed of my culture or whatever, it's just I always felt like the need I'm sure a lot of people can agree, the need to fit in with the Western society.
- 18:30SPEAKER_02: So it's like uh I would keep whatever my culture was, I'd keep that within my home, like when it comes to food, things like that.
- 18:37SPEAKER_02: But when I when I go out, it's like I'm a whole different person.
- 18:40SPEAKER_02: And only after I started doing content creation and posting all these cultural looks did I really feel like, oh my god, like this is something I need to embrace because my culture is beautiful.
- 18:49SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it's I I grew up being a very cultural person, like um, and religious as well.
- 18:56SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
- 18:56SPEAKER_02: Um, my parents were, so that's kind of where I got it from.
- 19:00SPEAKER_01: Um, but but it was a private thing for you.
- 19:03SPEAKER_02: It was kind of like a main mainly, yeah.
- 19:05SPEAKER_02: It was a private thing for sure.
- 19:07SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
- 19:08SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think I you know, I think a lot of people can relate to that.
- 19:10SPEAKER_01: It's hard um kind of showcasing your culture because you know, nobody wants the the you know, there's so many ignorant people out there, you know what I'm saying?
- 19:18SPEAKER_01: So it's 100%.
- 19:20SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
- 19:20SPEAKER_01: I totally get that.
- 19:22SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
- 19:23SPEAKER_02: I mean, it c there were like like in high school, for example, we used to have like cultural events and things like that.
- 19:29SPEAKER_02: So there were events that took place as I was growing up where we were able to showcase our culture.
- 19:36SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, it's for the most part.
- 19:38SPEAKER_02: I think it's like I grew up just not caring to be, you know, embrace it, I guess, when I was younger growing up.
- 19:46SPEAKER_02: But yeah, now it's like a whole other story.
- 19:50SPEAKER_01: Yeah, now it's and that I mean, you know, I think we all need a little bit of, you know, like a drive, right?
- 19:56SPEAKER_01: Like, I mean, for me, it was like the same way.
- 19:58SPEAKER_01: And I think that a lot of people can relate to that.
- 20:00SPEAKER_01: And then you know, I'm sure someone's listening out there thinking the same thing.
- 20:04SPEAKER_01: So yeah.
- 20:05SPEAKER_01: Um, so okay, I want to ask you something really actually that's like uh, you know, it's very close to my heart, and I I want to get your opinion um about this whole thing about the skin whitening creams in India and how terrible that shit is.
- 20:21SPEAKER_01: Like, I'm sorry, but it's terrible.
- 20:22SPEAKER_01: Like nobody should have to, you know what I'm saying?
- 20:24SPEAKER_01: Like, what do you what do you feel about all of that?
- 20:27SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's like it's just such a mess.
- 20:29SPEAKER_01: And I and I I don't want us to talk about it because no one talks about it enough, I think.
- 20:33SPEAKER_02: A hundred percent.
- 20:34SPEAKER_02: And it's I was uh I don't know, victim is the right word, but I was I I growing up, I was a lot my skin complexion was a lot deeper than it is right now.
- 20:44SPEAKER_02: Like I because I used to play sports and I would always be soaking the sun.
- 20:48SPEAKER_02: So I I used to get made fun of that I was um dark skinned, and I actually went out and bought fair and lovely and thinking that it was gonna help me.
- 20:57SPEAKER_02: And I'm I live on the western side of the world, so and here it's more accepted to be dark skinned, but it still really affected me that because I'm I have two siblings, they're both on the fairer side, so I look like the black sheet pretty much.
- 21:10SPEAKER_02: So it's honestly like it's so hard for me the way I see it.
- 21:15SPEAKER_02: It's it starts within the house.
- 21:17SPEAKER_02: Um, you can't really blame.
- 21:18SPEAKER_02: I don't feel like people can blame these ads and the companies.
- 21:22SPEAKER_02: I think parents and guardians, they it they need to take it upon themselves to educate their children and let let them know that they, you know, are beautiful that the the way that they are.
- 21:32SPEAKER_02: Um, and I feel like for me, growing up in, and I feel like it's very, very prevalent in the South in a South Asian household, we also get made fun of by our parents that were deeper skin.
- 21:41SPEAKER_02: Like me, like my my mom's very fair, my dad's extremely dark, and he all he he'll just make fun of me, like, oh, like your dark skin, and like it would always they don't realize that that takes a toll on our self esteem, and that also is why we feel like we're very like not confident about our skin.
- 21:58SPEAKER_02: So it's I feel like it really starts within.
- 22:00SPEAKER_02: Household, and I know for me, like if I'm privileged enough to have children one day, that's something that I'm gonna like you know, make sure that they understand that they are beautiful that they they are, and their skin complexion is beautiful.
- 22:12SPEAKER_02: But yeah, it's it's definitely something that needs to stop.
- 22:15SPEAKER_02: Like, I know that there are a lot of petitions and things out there to stop like fair and lovely, from what I've seen, um, and like all of these whitening creams and things like that, but it's it's just really it's it's it's terrible.
- 22:26SPEAKER_01: It's very much, I think it's much more deeply rooted than just a petition, too.
- 22:30SPEAKER_01: You know, it's like what you just said, it's almost ingrained in a culture, and it's it's really disturbing to me because I when I first came to America, I'm not even gonna lie to you, Sunishka.
- 22:41SPEAKER_01: My first friends were black.
- 22:42SPEAKER_01: Like black girls were the nicest people to me.
- 22:45SPEAKER_01: You know, they embraced me, they they you know, showed me how to use lip balm or you know what I mean, just little things like and I fell in love with their culture and I fell in love with their hospitality, and you know, to me, it goes beyond just uh you know a South Asian problem or whatever.
- 23:03SPEAKER_01: It's a giant slap in the face to every woman of color or man of color.
- 23:09SPEAKER_01: You know what I mean?
- 23:09SPEAKER_01: Like it's just stupid, like it's just like you know, it needs to end.
- 23:13SPEAKER_01: And I and I agree with you that you know, we can't put the blame on the on the brands and whatnot, but you know, um the society, right?
- 23:20SPEAKER_01: It's like you're not gonna get married if you're dark skinned, you're not gonna have this if you're dark skinned.
- 23:24SPEAKER_01: It's like what the hell?
- 23:26SPEAKER_02: It's also it's even on the South like in the South Asian community, like in cinema, all you see are light-skinned actresses.
- 23:35SPEAKER_02: Like, why are all the females like light-skinned actresses?
- 23:37SPEAKER_02: Most of them, at least.
- 23:39SPEAKER_02: Like anytime I watch a Bollywood movie or in our in the Tamil industries, the Collywood industry, they're all freaking light-skinned.
- 23:47SPEAKER_02: And it's like there's not a single dark-skinned actress out there that's popular or booming where darker skinned girls can look at them and be like, Oh my god, I'm so inspired, or I feel I feel like I see myself in them.
- 23:57SPEAKER_02: Everyone is light-skinned and nothing has changed, and like the industry has been here for how many decades?
- 24:04SPEAKER_02: So it's like there's changes not just with these brands that are making the products, but like these industries or like these huge companies that are also making it seem like, oh, you're only gonna get these opportunities if you are light-skinned.
- 24:17SPEAKER_02: So it's like there's there's so many changes that need to be in like so many different areas.
- 24:22SPEAKER_01: Um but yeah, there's no, I think honestly, and I love your point about the Bollywood industry because um, as much as I love Bollywood, I think we all do, right?
- 24:31SPEAKER_01: I mean, we it's kind of gonna be in the mess.
- 24:33SPEAKER_01: But um one thing I really do not like is that you know, even um South Indian actresses, like for example, like you know, I'm not gonna name any names, but there's like a lot of South uh Indian actresses that have are huge, right?
- 24:46SPEAKER_01: And they they're literally they don't look at all like they're from South India, you know what I mean?
- 24:52SPEAKER_01: So it's like I don't understand, like I mean, I I understand that you know beauty sells, and I understand that you know, you gotta have the the prettiest girl for the for the for the film and all that, but there's so much beauty in you know a darker complexion.
- 25:06SPEAKER_01: And it feels in my mind, I feel like I identify more with that anyways, you know, because a lot of the western, like a lot of the westernization that has occurred in the South Asian community, I think, um, kind of stems from this whole, you know, almost whitewashing everything, um, in the most literal sense.
- 25:24SPEAKER_01: And so that's a problem.
- 25:26SPEAKER_01: And that creates this like almost a divide, even within that, you know, subcontinent.
- 25:31SPEAKER_01: Because if you're not dark or if you're not light, you're not gonna have these opportunities.
- 25:35SPEAKER_01: I remember my dad when I was young, he was talking about how you know, even something like age is a problem in, you know, in India.
- 25:42SPEAKER_01: It's like you can't get a job after you're a certain age if you're a woman, like that kind of shit.
- 25:46SPEAKER_01: That's great.
- 25:47SPEAKER_01: You know what I'm saying?
- 25:47SPEAKER_01: So it's like it's such a problem.
- 25:49SPEAKER_01: Like the whole society is a problem with these little things.
- 25:52SPEAKER_01: But anyways, um, I'm I'm glad you commented on that.
- 25:55SPEAKER_01: And I really um I thank you for that because I know that um, you know, pages like yours and and and you know, people like yourself, like you really are kind of paving the way for a lot of young women.
- 26:07SPEAKER_01: I mean, there's you know, I'm sure your followership, you have a lot of you know, teenage girls that are like, oh my god, you know, I love her style and I love how she's so proud of like, you know, herself.
- 26:16SPEAKER_01: And I that matters.
- 26:17SPEAKER_01: That's really in my mind on the ground level doing the work kind of thing, you know?
- 26:23SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
- 26:23SPEAKER_01: So but yeah, um, so thank you so much, Danishka.
- 26:27SPEAKER_01: This was really nice.
- 26:28SPEAKER_01: I I really enjoy talking to you because I don't get this opportunity every day to um you know yeah, to get this uh new perspective.
- 26:35SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much for your time and coming onto the show.
- 26:38SPEAKER_01: It's meant the world to us.
- 26:39SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for having me.
- 26:41SPEAKER_01: This is such a pleasure.
- 26:42SPEAKER_01: And um, what's your can you shout out your um Instagram handle for everybody out there so they can definitely go check you out?
- 26:48SPEAKER_02: So it's my name, it's the newska.s.
- 26:51SPEAKER_02: So it's t-h-n-us-k-a.
- 26:54SPEAKER_02: S.
- 26:54SPEAKER_01: Perfect.
- 26:55SPEAKER_01: Everybody go check out her page.
- 26:57SPEAKER_01: I promise you will be inspired and you will go shopping.
- 27:03SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.
- 27:04SPEAKER_01: I'm so so sorry in advance.
- 27:08SPEAKER_01: Trust me, it's it's it's gonna happen.
- 27:10SPEAKER_01: But no, um, thank you again and leave us some comments on the podcast art for this.
- 27:14SPEAKER_01: If you have any questions for Sunash Kai, we'll pass them along to her um if she has the time.
- 27:18SPEAKER_01: And um, yeah, let us know what you think.
- 27:20SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
- 27:21SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
- 27:24SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, this is Ekta.
- 27:25SPEAKER_01: Um, I wanted to pop in and share this awesome line I discovered about two months ago with you guys.
- 27:31SPEAKER_01: Uh, Fresh Chemistry is a brand founded by a woman of color.
- 27:34SPEAKER_01: Now, Nisha is very dedicated to her her craft and her vision, and it really, really shows in her line.
- 27:40SPEAKER_01: Um, the idea behind Fresh Chemistry is that you're receiving product and it's inactive form.
- 27:45SPEAKER_01: Now, when you get it, you're allowed to mix in all the um the active components in the formulation together.
- 27:52SPEAKER_01: And once you mix it, it's the whole serum is good for four weeks.
- 27:55SPEAKER_01: And what I mean by that, it's gonna be at its most potent form for four weeks.
- 27:59SPEAKER_01: I've been using this for about three weeks now, and I can definitely say I have seen a visible reduction in my fine lines on my forehead.
- 28:06SPEAKER_01: That it's my most um you know troubled area in terms of wrinkles and fine lines, and I'm just I'm I'm so thrilled that I've seen these results firsthand.
- 28:15SPEAKER_01: I know that a lot of websites, like beauty websites, are like, you know, 99% of women said that they felt like their skin was brighter.
- 28:21SPEAKER_01: You know, those kind of results are not something I've ever kind of gravitated towards.
- 28:25SPEAKER_01: So to be able to use a line and then really see my own results and then share them with you is a huge and a huge experience for me, and I'm I'm so grateful for this opportunity.
- 28:34SPEAKER_01: So um, if you guys are interested in checking out Fresh Chemistry, you can go onto their website and purchase any of their beautiful products.
- 28:40SPEAKER_01: Nisha has been very kind and offered us code um so enter in anarchy10, all one word, to receive a little bit of money back on your order.
- 28:49SPEAKER_01: Um, and I don't get any commissions from that by the way, just putting that out there.
- 28:53SPEAKER_01: But yeah, it's a beautiful line.
- 28:54SPEAKER_01: I've definitely seen a change in my overall skin health.
- 28:58SPEAKER_01: It's you know, I just I love seeing products like this because the entire idea here is to make skincare more skin health oriented, right?
- 29:07SPEAKER_01: I mean in my mind, that's what I that's what I feel is really missing in the industry.
- 29:11SPEAKER_01: So yeah, without further ranting, I just wanted to tell you guys about Fresh Chemistry.
- 29:15SPEAKER_01: Please, please, please go check them out on Instagram, check them out on um any platform you can find them on.
- 29:20SPEAKER_01: It's a great, great brand, and I would love to see all of us get behind it.
- 29:24SPEAKER_01: So thank you so much and stay tuned for this episode coming up.
- 29:27SPEAKER_01: I'm hoping you love it as much as I did.
- 29:35SPEAKER_01: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
- 29:37SPEAKER_01: Please make sure to hit subscribe if you're tuning in to us on any podcast platform.
- 29:42SPEAKER_01: We are available on so many different platforms.
- 29:45SPEAKER_01: So wherever it is that you're tuning in, just go hit subscribe.
- 29:48SPEAKER_01: You will be immediately notified when we publish new episodes.
- 29:51SPEAKER_01: This way, you're able to tune in to amazing insights from experts, brand founders, industry leaders, authors, all the wonderful people that we host.
- 29:59SPEAKER_01: And that's very important for me because I love to hear from you guys and really understand what you love and what you want to hear more of.
- 30:07SPEAKER_01: Also, make sure to give us a follow on all of our social media outlets.
- 30:10SPEAKER_01: We're available on Instagram, TikTok, X, you name it, we're there.
- 30:14SPEAKER_01: We also have a blog on Medium.
- 30:16SPEAKER_01: So if you're a reader and you love Medium blogs, check us out on Medium.
- 30:20SPEAKER_01: We publish some really great articles on there that do deeper dives than just what's available on the podcast.
- 30:25SPEAKER_01: And it's really a great place for all of you science geeks out there that want to learn a little bit more.
- 30:30SPEAKER_01: We go above and beyond with our research and making sure we're bringing you information that you usually probably won't hear about in other outlets.
- 30:37SPEAKER_01: So check us out, leave us a comment, leave us a review, and we'll be back next time with another episode.
- 30:42SPEAKER_01: Thank you.