By Deepali Kini, Kulfi Team Member

Natasha Ramachandran is a fashion model from India. Having spent time in Paris, Tokyo, Mumbai, London, and now living in New York City, Natasha has cultivated a global identity and a look that is unapologetically herself. She lives with her husband Mihir, and their dog Storm.

When you see Natasha, you know almost immediately that she’s someone who wakes up looking flawless in the morning. I once made a trip to Soho with her, and we were stopped by three different men in a span of an hour. I admired their courage, and almost felt bad for them as their faces fell upon catching a glimpse of her wedding ring. You’d think that someone who’s walked in both New York and London Fashion Weeks, and modeled for Sabyasachi, would be unapproachable, intimidating even. But its quite the opposite. Natasha walks into a room with her infectious laugh and breezy demeanor and instantly puts you at ease. Natasha’s allure is not only her model good looks, but more so how she defies every model trope ever written. Kulfi sat down with Natasha, and talked about her connection to makeup and skincare, which all started with her mother. 

photo credit: Natasha Ramachandran

“My mom was a stewardess at Indian Airlines, and in my opinion those were the Golden Days. My mom is pretty. I guess everyone thinks so. She had her uniform, and she always looked perfect in it. The job requires you to look a certain way, and her makeup always had to be on point. I grew up seeing her put on her makeup, and I suppose it shaped my beauty sensibility. My aesthetic is quite minimal, like hers. Her go to look was eyeliner and this rich luxurious maroon shade of lipstick.

She also had this vanity case. And she knew I had my eyes on it (laughs), so she used to lock it and go, but then sometimes when she was in a rush, she used to forget. Those were my favorite days. I still remember she had this Nina Ricci face powder, which was one of the only luxury products she had. It had a beautiful pearl white box and she used it so sparingly. And it was the only foundation she ever needed. When I graduated high school, I wore a Satya Paul saree and used that Nina Ricci powder for the farewell party. Those were exciting times.

My signature beauty look is clean skin and a dusty rose lip, something very French. Obviously if you have good skin it helps. If you really moisturize your face and then just dab on a bright lip—that’s the aesthetic I really like.  Once in a while I’ll put on eyeliner. It really depends on what I’m doing and where I’m going. I love a glowy eye. And brows. If I don’t have an intense blush, I like a good highlight. If I’m keeping my face minimal, I like to go crazy with my lip. That’s my go to beauty look. I don’t think about wearing makeup as something that I need to correct my flaws.

For the sake of my sanity, I like to think that I don’t have too many flaws.

For me, it’s all about the process. I want to wear makeup the way I do, regardless of whether it covers my flaws or not. Because somewhere in your mind you have to accept what you look like, especially when my career and profession have been defined by the way I look.

My every day routine works great for my dry skin, and gives me a boost of hydration. I start with a gentle cleanser, my current favorite is the Mamonde Petal Spa Oil to Foam Cleanser. I then exfoliate & hydrate with the Son & Park Beauty Water Cleansing Liquid. Hydration is key, especially when I’m at home in New York or in countries with colder climates. So, I layer The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% +B5 and Sunday Riley C.E.O Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil and top it off with the Weleda Skin Food Original Ultra Rich Cream. When I’m in India, though, I feel I don’t need to layer as much. I also exfoliate once a week (no favorites here!) and add an eye cream with Vitamin C on days when my under-eye area needs that extra help.”

Watch the rest of the interview here: