Indulge exclusive: Actress Sameera Reddy shares her beauty and fitness secrets for mothers

From being vocal about post-partum blues to overcoming self-loathing after putting on weight and starting the  #imperfectlyperfect campaign on social media - actress Sameera Reddy has recently emerged as social media’s darling! She might not be a regular name in Bollywood anymore, but the mother of two - son Hans and daughter Nyra - has taken social media by storm with her DIY beauty hacks, make-up tips and the recent flip the switch dance challenge with her mother-in-law, Manjiri Varde. One can’t help but notice that her hair is lustrous, her skin is shiny and she looks fit as a fiddle! She has also been talking about the need to concentrate on mental health during the trying times of the pandemic and spreading joy through her IGTV videos. 

When we caught up with the 39-year-old actress, we asked her, how she is maintaining a self-care routine amid lockdown. She confesses, “For the first few days, I couldn’t honestly stick to a fitness schedule. Slowly I have started getting into the groove.  When my daughter sleeps and son is doing his homework, I quietly slip away to do some yoga.” Take note, readers! She also says that she tries to stay active within the house by walking around and squatting to loosen up the muscles. “We are at home and tend to sit a lot and be sedentary, so movement is key right now,” adds Sameera.

When we ask her about the secret to her flawless skin and hair, she has a special word of advice for the mothers of toddlers and mothers-to-be. “I always insist on mothers keeping a basic routine. They shouldn’t let go of themselves, and try to make time for even the most minimal beauty regime - whether it is applying eye cream, night cream or even a basic besan face scrub,” says the Mumbai-based actress, adding,  “I had a lengthy regime with my hair and skin when I was in show business. Now as a mother of two, I can tell you it is quite easy to forget such about yourself.” That’s the reality with most mothers tending to toddlers whom Sameera urges to make at least a few minutes in a day for self-care.  What works for her, she reveals, is being mindful about drinking a lot of water and getting plenty of sleep. “First thing I do after getting up is to drink hot water with lime,” says Sameera, adding that during the times of lockdown, where there is little activity one must pay attention to what they eat and keep it light. She adds, “I also have a spoon of raw coconut oil and I believe that’s what helps me with healthy skin.”  Those who love her simple beauty videos or ‘Messy Mama’ make-up hacks and smokey eyes tutorials can hope for a lot more now! “During the lockdown, since I have time, you can expect many more to come out. The beauty videos that I post on Instagram are born out of the fact that I used to get overwhelmed looking at the intense tutorials online and I feel like they have become too technical,” says Sameera, adding,  “Don’t waste too much money on too many products. Try different things and see what works for you. Maybe a simple body scrub with sugar and lime, once the lockdown has been lifted and these ingredients are available in plenty, could do the trick.”