A shade of freedom brings you a clean awakening in a 92% natural-ethically sourced product. This Independence Day, we celebrate the freedom to choose conscious, sustainable and clean. At asa, we have taken great care to ensure that we not only deliver the performance-driven product you have long desired, but also give your skin the goodness it deserves.

Here’s someone who celebrates her freedom to choose consciously this Independence Day. Praachi Raniwala is a fashion and lifestyle journalist and a content strategist. Her repertoire spans digital and print features for leading publications like The New York Times, Vogue India, Condé Nast Traveller India, InStyle US, Mint Lounge and many more. In conversation with Praachi, we unravel the superfood for your skin: clean beauty.

Would you say you’re a conscious consumer?

I’ve always subscribed to the ‘quality over quantity’ school of thought. We’re all drawn to trendy pieces every now and then (as am I), but I’ve been very conscious of curating a wardrobe with staying power. I think about whether or not I’ll get multiple (and versatile) wears out of a piece before committing to it. I have several trusty favourites I’ve been proudly wearing on repeat for many, many years now!

What does Independence/Freedom mean to you?

Freedom is about having the luxury of choice. As consumers of fashion or beauty, there is a smorgasbord of options to pick from today. This kind of freedom, unrivalled by anything we’ve had access to in the past, also comes with a degree of responsibility. We need to shop better and more mindfully (not just use these words as lip service), and ask this of brands we consume as well.

What does ‘conscious’ mean to you? 

We live in such a hyper-connected world today that our retail decisions cannot be taken in isolation. Every purchase has a ripple effect, be it environmentally, politically or culturally. Being a conscious consumer means living in this awareness. It means mindful consumption, long-term buys and choosing brands whose values you can stand behind.

Do you agree with asa beauty's philosophy of integrating luxury beauty with wellness?

Praachi: This past year has really magnified the urgent need for wellness in our lives, and the importance of slowing down. It’s great to see asa champion of clean beauty with an all-round purposeful philosophy. Props for the refillable products. The multi-purpose lip and cheek tint is one of my favourite products from the line.

asa: Comment on the importance of the ‘made in India’ initiative. 

We have a 2,000-year-old legacy of hand craftsmanship, and it’s imperative we preserve it. 95% of the handwoven fabrics around the world are, in fact, Indian handlooms. We are the manufacturing backend of the world’s largest design houses ­— everyone from Dior and Gucci to Oscar de la Renta. The real need of the hour is that we own this superiority in crafts rather than simply play second fiddle to international labels and work behind the scenes.

There has definitely been this great wave of returning to our roots this past year. But ‘made in India’ has always been important, long before movements like ‘vocal for local’ made it dinner table conversation. Let’s not reduce the sentiment to mere Instagram captions, but let’s buy local and wear local with pride.

What advice would you give to someone who is looking to shift towards buying 'made in India’ brands?

Just do it, it’s not really different from buying clothes from any other label! Indian brands needn’t be limited to just your festive wear. A white shirt, well-tailored trousers, a tote bag, a cocktail dress or a go-to lipstick — you can pretty much buy everything from homegrown labels. With Instagram and online shopping, they have become more accessible than ever before. I love that many Indian pret labels happily customise pieces according to your needs too.

But I would also add that you don’t need to feel pressured into buying ‘made in India’. Your wardrobe, at the end of the day, should be a happy mix of labels you love and that tell a story about your personality and life, no matter which part of the world they come from. Stories and sources are both equally important when building a long-lasting wardrobe.

Name 6-8 'made in India' and conscious brands you love!

Praachi: There are far too many to choose! But some homegrown labels I love are Rahul Mishra, Payal Singhal, Anamika Khanna, Saaksha & Kinni, Amit Aggarwal, Dhruv Kapoor… and the list goes on! Bodice and Lovebirds are currently on my lust-list. A lot of my accessories are from Indian labels like Misho and Outhouse; and I’ve also been eyeing Anu Merton and Tara Fine Jewellery.

I’ve always packed pieces from Indian brands when travelling internationally (pre-pandemic, of course). They have never failed to serve as great conversation starters.

Find Praachi’s exclusively curated series of bite-sized Insta-articles with industry insiders here: #PennedByPAsks and follow her on Instagram here. https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/pennedbypasks/

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