Posted:
Groom like Saif
Aaron Rohan George |
Saif Ali Khan, actor and one of the best groomed men in the country, turned 40 last month. But rather than botox or a good plastic surgeon'as many gossip rags would have us believe' it's his grooming regime that he credits for his youthful good looks.
"As you age, it's quite important to pay attention to how you look and to take steps towards ensuring that you stay happy with how you look. And grooming, whether you just use a moisturiser or go the whole hog at a salon, can make that much-needed difference," says Saif, who'in his own words'has "probably never looked this good." Irrespective of whether he's wearing a tuxedo or a grungy T-shirt, Saif has always looked polished, except perhaps when a role demanded otherwise (remember Omkara?).
But for ages, he hardly changed how he dressed and even maintained the same hair-style (the mulleted long hair that followed him through most of the 90s). But he is now readily and happily experimenting with how he looks and dresses.
In fact, over the last couple of years, one has seen Saif re-invent himself a multitude of times! Whether it is the guitar-wielding rockstar, the red carpet-walking charmer or the relentless romantic, he's successfully donned each new look perfectly groomed. From styled hair to the length of his sideburns, he has even carried off the scruffy beard with lan.
"For far too long I didn't change how I looked or dressed. At the most I added on some muscle, but that doesn't really count now, does it? Just because everyone is doing something doesn't mean you should do it too! do it too! How can you be sure a look will really work for you or make you look attractive? What you need to do is experiment! Play around with your hair style or try sporting a goatee or even a beard. Of course you won't immediately figure it out, but it's a matter of what will work for you and not what you saw on someone!" says Saif.
Groom yourself ageless
Here's how you too can polish up with a little attention to grooming:
Watch your workouts: Sweating exposes your skin to salt water, which can break down the skin's defenses and allow more ultraviolet light and pollutants to reach the skin cells. Working out indoors, or before 10 am or after 4 pm outdoors, can eliminate 80 per cent of UVB penetration.
Check the back of the bottle: Propylene glycol, an ingredient found in many moisturisers and cleansers, can irritate the skin and cause infl ammation. So always check the bottle before picking up skincare products.
Say no to processed foods: A diet high in white fl our and sugar can create so-called glycation reactions between molecules in the skin. This reaction binds collagen and decreases elasticity, so the skin becomes more susceptible to fracture.
Simmer down: Emotional stress causes the release of immune compounds called histamines, which can cause infl ammation and disrupt the matrix of skin cells.
"As you age, it's quite important to pay attention to how you look and to take steps towards ensuring that you stay happy with how you look. And grooming, whether you just use a moisturiser or go the whole hog at a salon, can make that much-needed difference," says Saif, who'in his own words'has "probably never looked this good." Irrespective of whether he's wearing a tuxedo or a grungy T-shirt, Saif has always looked polished, except perhaps when a role demanded otherwise (remember Omkara?).
But for ages, he hardly changed how he dressed and even maintained the same hair-style (the mulleted long hair that followed him through most of the 90s). But he is now readily and happily experimenting with how he looks and dresses.
In fact, over the last couple of years, one has seen Saif re-invent himself a multitude of times! Whether it is the guitar-wielding rockstar, the red carpet-walking charmer or the relentless romantic, he's successfully donned each new look perfectly groomed. From styled hair to the length of his sideburns, he has even carried off the scruffy beard with lan.
"For far too long I didn't change how I looked or dressed. At the most I added on some muscle, but that doesn't really count now, does it? Just because everyone is doing something doesn't mean you should do it too! do it too! How can you be sure a look will really work for you or make you look attractive? What you need to do is experiment! Play around with your hair style or try sporting a goatee or even a beard. Of course you won't immediately figure it out, but it's a matter of what will work for you and not what you saw on someone!" says Saif.
Groom yourself ageless
Here's how you too can polish up with a little attention to grooming:
Watch your workouts: Sweating exposes your skin to salt water, which can break down the skin's defenses and allow more ultraviolet light and pollutants to reach the skin cells. Working out indoors, or before 10 am or after 4 pm outdoors, can eliminate 80 per cent of UVB penetration.
Check the back of the bottle: Propylene glycol, an ingredient found in many moisturisers and cleansers, can irritate the skin and cause infl ammation. So always check the bottle before picking up skincare products.
Say no to processed foods: A diet high in white fl our and sugar can create so-called glycation reactions between molecules in the skin. This reaction binds collagen and decreases elasticity, so the skin becomes more susceptible to fracture.
Simmer down: Emotional stress causes the release of immune compounds called histamines, which can cause infl ammation and disrupt the matrix of skin cells.
"Just because you've grown up with a certain image of how you should be as a 'man' doesn't mean it will work for you. There are chances that you can be over groomed, but it differs from individual to individual.
I am an actor and I need to look good. But at the same time, the guy in the corporate job needs to look good too! It might not affect his work as directly as it does mine, but it does matter and can make a massive impact on your career," says Saif, and insists that the effort you put into looking your best is never wasted.
So do Indian men have to (and should) worry about exfoliating and moisturising? "Now don't get me wrong, I am not asking you to become vain. I hardly consider myself to be good looking. Kareena's good looking and she has people left, right and centre telling her that, whereas I have to work at looking attractive. But then putting an effort into how you look isn't a bad thing, because it eventually repays you in every other aspect of life," he adds.
But aren't men supposed to look and act a certain way? "Honestly, there is no set design you have to follow to be a man or to act like one! It just so happens that, at times, we are brought up with preconceived notions of masculinity, which does nothing but create stereotypes. And stereotypes are never close to the actual truth; history and our present are filled with such examples," he says.
So, what is the secret behind the transformation of Saif Ali Khan? "It's not a plastic surgeon, but my new workout regime," he says with a chuckle. "I was introduced to power yoga, which literally works out your body from inside out. That, combined with doing normal weights to maintain muscle definition, has helped me lean down and tone up, while literally changing the texture of my skin. And that's what a good workout should do. You don't just need to work your muscles'you need to work your body in its entirety," he says.
"More than love, clothes or a good stylist, working out can make you look good!" says Saif. And as he slips into the jacket of his customtailored tuxedo, you wonder if its success or adoration that has taken him from being a lean guy to a chiselled superstar? "I now work out with Kareena, so I guess it's a combination of love and abs."😆
"Every time I see a beautiful woman working out, I want to be her male equivalent, rather than compete with other men. She has the attention of all the men, and I'd like the attention of all the women," he adds, speaking of the motivation you ought to use. After all, a little vanity never hurt anybody!
Make fitness your personal stylist
Stretch right: Nothing beats stretching before bed. This will sustain the flexibility earned from your pre- and post-workout stretches and will release all the tension built up from your busy day. Create a nightly habit of stretching your hamstrings, followed by your back and shoulders.
Update your training: Try to incorporate a new move into your workout each month. Try the hack squat: Place a bar on a squat rack at hip level. Stand with your back to the bar and grab with an overhand grip. Hold the bar at arm's length behind you. Bend your hips and knees to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push back to the start. Do six reps.
Time your meals: A combo of protein and carbs is the best after-workout food you can feed your tired muscles. If you're trying to pack on muscle, have a 1:2 ratio of protein to carbs diet within 10 minutes of finishing your workout. And if you're trying to lose weight, have a preworkout protein bar, then eat a light meal within an hour of finishing your workout.
I am an actor and I need to look good. But at the same time, the guy in the corporate job needs to look good too! It might not affect his work as directly as it does mine, but it does matter and can make a massive impact on your career," says Saif, and insists that the effort you put into looking your best is never wasted.
So do Indian men have to (and should) worry about exfoliating and moisturising? "Now don't get me wrong, I am not asking you to become vain. I hardly consider myself to be good looking. Kareena's good looking and she has people left, right and centre telling her that, whereas I have to work at looking attractive. But then putting an effort into how you look isn't a bad thing, because it eventually repays you in every other aspect of life," he adds.
But aren't men supposed to look and act a certain way? "Honestly, there is no set design you have to follow to be a man or to act like one! It just so happens that, at times, we are brought up with preconceived notions of masculinity, which does nothing but create stereotypes. And stereotypes are never close to the actual truth; history and our present are filled with such examples," he says.
So, what is the secret behind the transformation of Saif Ali Khan? "It's not a plastic surgeon, but my new workout regime," he says with a chuckle. "I was introduced to power yoga, which literally works out your body from inside out. That, combined with doing normal weights to maintain muscle definition, has helped me lean down and tone up, while literally changing the texture of my skin. And that's what a good workout should do. You don't just need to work your muscles'you need to work your body in its entirety," he says.
"More than love, clothes or a good stylist, working out can make you look good!" says Saif. And as he slips into the jacket of his customtailored tuxedo, you wonder if its success or adoration that has taken him from being a lean guy to a chiselled superstar? "I now work out with Kareena, so I guess it's a combination of love and abs."😆
"Every time I see a beautiful woman working out, I want to be her male equivalent, rather than compete with other men. She has the attention of all the men, and I'd like the attention of all the women," he adds, speaking of the motivation you ought to use. After all, a little vanity never hurt anybody!
Make fitness your personal stylist
Stretch right: Nothing beats stretching before bed. This will sustain the flexibility earned from your pre- and post-workout stretches and will release all the tension built up from your busy day. Create a nightly habit of stretching your hamstrings, followed by your back and shoulders.
Update your training: Try to incorporate a new move into your workout each month. Try the hack squat: Place a bar on a squat rack at hip level. Stand with your back to the bar and grab with an overhand grip. Hold the bar at arm's length behind you. Bend your hips and knees to lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push back to the start. Do six reps.
Time your meals: A combo of protein and carbs is the best after-workout food you can feed your tired muscles. If you're trying to pack on muscle, have a 1:2 ratio of protein to carbs diet within 10 minutes of finishing your workout. And if you're trying to lose weight, have a preworkout protein bar, then eat a light meal within an hour of finishing your workout.
Bespoke all the way: "When it comes to a suit, it shouldn't be a bit lose or a bit too tight. It needs to fi t you like a glove and the best way to ensure that is to have it stitched. That doesn't mean you go spend a fortune on a designer label'your local tailor could do an equally good, if not better, job. Just ensure you go for all the trials."
Accessorise it right: "When you're dressing up, the accessories you wear are as important as the actual clothes. From the cufflinks to your belt to your shoes, everything must be attuned to how you've dressed up and for where. For instance, if it's a formal suit, I wear cufflinks, a pocket square and a tie. It's just the right way to do it!"
Dress it down: "Sometimes, dressing down can be done with panache. There have been times when I have worn a tux jacket with denims to dress up, without actually dressing up! It depends on the kind of setting you are in. Be prepared, I always say."
Accessorise it right: "When you're dressing up, the accessories you wear are as important as the actual clothes. From the cufflinks to your belt to your shoes, everything must be attuned to how you've dressed up and for where. For instance, if it's a formal suit, I wear cufflinks, a pocket square and a tie. It's just the right way to do it!"
Dress it down: "Sometimes, dressing down can be done with panache. There have been times when I have worn a tux jacket with denims to dress up, without actually dressing up! It depends on the kind of setting you are in. Be prepared, I always say."
Sports
Jodha Akbar
3