‘I was suffering from alopecia’

Actress Zareen Khan speaks about her struggle with alopecia during the lockdown and how she is too lazy to follow a 10-step skincare routine

Actor Zareen Khan is not someone who uses makeup daily. “I indulge in skincare, but am a very lazy person and cannot follow a routine,” she reveals. “I feel skincare should feel easy. I just cannot do anything that feels like a task, especially when it comes to taking care of myself.”

The actor suffered from alopecia during the lockdown, and even though she tried several things, nothing seemed to work. “Forget as an actress, even as a woman, I didn’t want to go bald,” she says, adding that there were major bald patches on her head. She tried steroid injections and multiple medications, but in vain. “I was getting sad and almost depressed to a point.” But as luck had it, Zareen found a cure in home remedies. “I turned to natural ingredients like onion juice, castor oil and rosemary oil to make my hair grow naturally.” That terrifying phase inspired Zareen to come out with her skincare range called Happy Hippie. “It has come from my need to make skincare feel easy,” she says.

Many celebs in Bollywood follow a 10-step skincare routine, but Zareen candidly admits that she doesn’t know what these steps are. “Right now, everybody is leading such busy lives. Where is the time to sit in front of the mirror and do a 10-step routine in the morning before going to work?” she asks. “After you have finished a hectic day at work, and want to go off to sleep, where does one find the energy for another skincare routine before bedtime? I don’t think I have the time to do that.”

“My skincare has always been very basic. Before I sleep, I get my face cleaned. The city is so polluted that when you step out, your skin is exposed to so much dust and pollution. That’s why when I get back home, I wash my face and let it breathe.

“Before bedtime, I clean my face and apply a cream that takes care of my hydration and glow. During the day, I never step out of the house without my sunscreen.”

When you see Zareen’s skin, you will immediately notice her flawless complexion. But the actor has her share of challenges. “Even if I were to change my makeup artist, and they use a different brush, my skin acts up. I have to take care as my skin is super-sensitive. I am a foodie, and for healthy skin, I try to eat right as much as possible. I have tried home remedies, but because of my sensitive skin, even the most natural ingredients in their rawest form do not suit me.”

Zareen’s advice for fans would be to eat healthy. “When you internally take care of yourself, your skin will automatically glow. You won’t need too much makeup. You won’t have to turn to cosmetic procedures or anything artificial for your skin to shine. I see a lot of people trying to follow Korean skincare trends. But you need to understand that those products are made for the Korean skin type. Their weather and food are different.”

As a teenager, Zareen was a tomboy. “At that time, I’d look up to the female figures in my life to understand what’s happening in the beauty world and what I should be doing for my skin. In my early 20s, I met a dermatologist, and she introduced me to sunscreen. I am so thankful to her to date. Sunscreen is something one needs to start using early in life and never let go.”

Zareen’s natural hacks for dark under-eye circles are to get a good sleep of 6-8 hours daily, have a well-rested body and drink plenty of water. As for dark lips, she suggests using a good lip balm, moisturizing it and also using a scrub, very gently, once in a while.