With masks covering the lower half of our face, eye makeup has been gaining a lot more attention in the world of makeup. But Nidhhi begs to differ; she says, “Beauty has no rules!” As a beauty buff myself, I can’t help but agree! “Right now, just stepping out is so exciting, that the last thing on my mind is how I am looking. I feel quarantine has given us time to become a bit more comfortable in our own skin. People have started posting pictures on social media where they are not all decked up. I think in the post-pandemic world the focus has shifted to skincare,” she explains.

Talking about skincare, I ask Nidhhi if she adopted any new beauty practices during quarantine and if she’ll continue to follow them post-pandemic. “Absolutely; I’ve been making my own simple DIY masks. If I’m eating a bowl of fruit, I just rub the fruit on my face for a while. Also, applying no makeup at all during this lockdown has made a huge difference to my skin,” she says.

And while Nidhhi takes care of her skin, is quite committed to clean beauty, and is passionate about creating awareness around cruelty-free skincare, she’s not one to follow a fancy-shmancy 10-step routine. She’s a self-confessed less-is-more kinda girl. “I don’t have a very elaborate beauty routine. In the morning, it’s just face wash and moisturiser for me,” she reveals as I wonder if that’s her only secret to glowing skin. She quickly adds, “I believe in letting my skin breathe.” At night, her routine is just as simple. “I tie my hair up, remove every trace of makeup (if I’m wearing any). Then I just apply some under eye cream and go to sleep.”

Nidhhi also happens to be a gymnast, so it doesn’t surprise me that she has kept herself in shape and all set to hit the sets as soon as quarantine ends. But that’s not the only secret behind her fit body. “I’m also an interstate yoga winner, so now that gyms are shut, I’ve gotten back to yoga and it feels amazing, it helps with both mental and physical health,” she reveals.

Just like the rest of us, quarantine has given our cover girl all the time in the world to reflect and frankly, learn a lesson or two on the importance of self-care. “Self-care to me means loving yourself, being kind to yourself, taking care of yourself--mind, body and soul. But quarantine also made me realise how important it is to check up on others, cheering someone up when they are feeling low fills you with positivity too.” From the looks of it, it was certainly a lockdown well-spent!