She made her film debut with the feisty character of Pammy in the award-winning film Angry Indian Goddesses. Meet the stunning Delhi-based actress Pavleen Gujral, who is a lawyer by qualification. Acting is her passion, and to her, the medium doesn’t matter. She faces theatre with as much panache as she does web series. She will soon be seen in City of Dreams, a web series directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. The Dirty Word, a short film featuring her is doing the round of film festivals worldwide. A self-confessed nature lover, she uses beauty products that are gentle on the skin as well as on the environment. Here’s a peek into her beauty diary….
What interests you in a project?
Pavleen Gujral: My character! Even if it is a small role but if it is an effective one that is all that concerns me. The screen time and the number of dialogues are not really relevant. I always look for roles which are a contrast to my own personality. I play a young assistant director in my short film, a popular soap opera star in my web series and a small village teacher in my film.
What does beauty mean to you?
Pavleen Gujral: Beauty, for me, is just feeling great in your own skin. It’s about feeling pretty inside and out. Like they say happy girls are the prettiest! One can always apply make-up to look beautiful but when that make-up comes off, it’s just you. One has to be comfortable in one’s own skin and feel that the no make-up look is equally beautiful, if not more. So just being happy with myself and the people around is the beauty in my life!
Is there any DIY beauty remedy which has been passed on by your mum to you?
Pavleen Gujral: ‘Besan and curd’ has been my go-to remedy since childhood. Be it for a glow on the face or to relieve itchy skin. Another DIY elixir I swear by is a mixture of glycerine, rose water and lemon. It’s what I call my skin saviour forever. It’s always next to my bedside and whenever I feel my skin is feeling dry, I use it for my face, hands and … everything.
Any beauty ritual which starts your day?
Pavleen Gujral: I drink a lot of water especially when I wake up and even before brushing as they say that our saliva has the capacity to even fight diseases like cancer, so we should always drink some water before brushing in the morning. This is a Japanese therapy and I take it very seriously.
What’s your beauty routine when you are shooting?
Pavleen Gujral: There are some things I am more particular about since I am required to face the camera for my work. I make sure I get plenty of sleep before a shoot as they can be exhausting mentally and physically. Also my water intake increases during a shoot. As a policy, I never use wipes on my face to take off make-up. Also, I try and do yoga asanas in abundance including exercising my facial features on the day of my shoot.
Make-up is a big part of being an actor as it also helps you to look a certain character. How do you cleanse your face to take the layers off?
Pavleen Gujral: I never use make-up remover wipes. First I use a make-up remover lotion and massage the entire face. Although for a while my whole face turns black it’s worth it. I use an organic, natural remover. I wash my face with water and clean it with a mild facial scrub. Then I spray rose water all over my face as a toner and finally apply apricot/coconut oil to restore the lost moisture to my face. So it is actually a four-step process which I have been trying to religiously follow during the past year, and I feel like it has helped a lot.
If a role demands you to be glamorous on screen, how would you use make-up to look the part?
Pavleen Gujral: Looking glamorous mostly means slightly exaggerated make-up, so I will definitely put on some false lashes to give that oomph and maybe apply a bold red lipstick. Although the look entirely depends on the character I am playing. I am not the sort of actor who would really increase make-up or decrease its intensity just to look beautiful on screen. I would rather concentrate on the overall look of the character and abide by the director’s vision of that.
During the sets, actors pick up some amazing beauty tips, either on their own after trial and error or from experts. Which has been that beauty tip that you would love to pass on?
Pavleen Gujral: I would really recommend everybody to highlight your own facial features rather than putting layers of make-up to look different, as we are blessed with beautiful features being Indian. Here are some things I have learnt on the sets:
Shaping your eyebrows well completely changes your look.
Sometimes keeping it subtle really works.
Lining the water line in the eyes makes an impact.
Good mascara is the secret to wide, bright eyes.
What do you consider before trying a skincare product?
Pavleen Gujral: It has to be as close to dadi ke gharelu nuskhe as possible. I like formulations that are derived from natural ingredients and are free of synthetic chemicals. I have really dry skin so I prefer products which are full of natural oils.
Why do you give preference to beauty products derived from nature?
Pavleen Gujral: I believe plant-based beauty products not only have long-lasting and effective results but are also environmentally friendly. I think synthetic chemicals do more damage in the long run than good. I don’t believe in a quick fix which is why I would rather go for a product which will eventually be healthy for my skin and not just an instant recovery.
What about Just Herbs do you like?
Pavleen Gujral: I like the fact that Just Herbs sticks to its name uses just herbs or ingredients derived from nature. My favourite product is the night cream which I find is not too heavy and just ideal for my dry skin. I also really like the Just Herbs Apricot Daily Exfoliating Scrub which I use every alternate day. If I am shooting, it’s a part of my cleansing routine, and even if I am not shooting, I use it regularly. In our city life, where our skin is exposed to environmental pollutions, a lot of dirt and grime penetrate into our skin, making it dull and lifeless. A gentle exfoliating product like this should be used at least three times in a week in my opinion.
If you had a genie to invent a skincare product for you, what would you want?
Pavleen Gujral: My dream skincare product would be something that would give me instant moisture especially around the eyes to escape dark circles that I frequently get especially if it is a hectic shooting schedule. If I had a genie I invent a night cream that would make anyone wake up to the dramatically younger-looking skin. I know that’s too far-fetched and quite impossible but it’s a genie which is quite impossible itself
What’s your biggest beauty challenge considering that your work involves frequent travels and erratic timings?
- My biggest challenge is dealing with bad make-up products and so I always carry my own products especially kajal pencil, mascara and a foundation base.
- With erratic shoot schedules is to stay hydrated and avoid the cutting chai which is very popular during shoots. Too much caffeine intake also ruins your skin and makes it dehydrated.
Who is your role model when it comes to being beautiful?
Pavleen Gujral: I think Jennifer Lopez is blessed with beautiful skin. Having Latin roots, she has it in her genes but I am also sure she takes incredible care of her skin and fitness regime. I also admire Anushka Sharma’s skin and the fact that it glows. I don’t know what her skin regime is but I am sure it requires a lot of effort!
Pavleen Gujral: Beauty Bytes
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The first beauty product you use in the morning….
I drink at least two to three glasses of water and then I have a glass of diluted apple cider vinegar after that. -
The product with which you pack up your day…
Rosewater. I spray some to relax my skin after using face wash. Even if I don’t moisturise after that, I make sure that my skin is rejuvenated with the rose water. -
The beauty ritual gives you an instant high…
Fruit face packs (like watermelon avocado and papaya) and some good bleach give me an instant glow. -
Beauty essentials you never leave home without…
Lip balm and hand cream -
Favourite fragrance and why…
I love the Diesel The Brave as it is a neutral smell so it is nothing too feminine or masculine. -
Beauty products you never fly without…
A heavy hand cream and water
