Miss India Earth Shriya Kishore reveals her beauty secrets on her visit to Chembur for the anniversary of Nirmal Herbals

” Shriya, who is gearing up for the international beauty pageant that aims at creating environmental awareness, is living up to her nature-friendly role by shunning chemical treatments for herbal beauty treatments offered by Dr Nirmala Shetty.

“I feel you should live what you preach,” says Shriya. Nirmal's Herbal Skin and Hair Care Clinic lays emphasis on exclusive tailor made, safe and curative treatments for skin and hair, using freshly ground pure ingredients from nature like fruits, herbs, milk, dryfruits, etc. “Sometimes it’s tempting to lick the face pack from the side of your lips,” says Shriya.

Dr. Nirmala Shetty, the founder of Nirmal Herbals, who has done her ND and MD in naturopathy and alternative medicine, has officially treated Miss India International and Miss India World of 2004 for their hair  and trained them to use natural products made at home. Her participation in the serial Beauty Mantra which is being telecast in USA and UK has helped  create awareness on Indian herbal remedies.

She is on the panel of Grooming Dales that grooms models and others and Shriya was referred to her from there. The tall confident Shriya who looked like the girl-next-door decided to take part in the Nivea Visage Princess contest that offered a wild card entry into the Miss India contest and she wanted to look her best.

The hotel management graduate walked in with acne prone, no-glow skin that was accumulating dust and grime as she travelled in the city. She was delighted when in just four sessions of herbal treatment, her acne was gone.

Says Shriya, “Growing up in boarding schools I never really got to experiment with any beauty treatments, and I didn’t bother to look after my skin. It was only when I began preparing for the Nivea Visage contest that I took the opportunity of working on my skin and beauty.”

And work she did. She followed all the beauty regimens very seriously. She would travel from her residence in Kandivli to Nirmal Herbals’ Bandra centre for regular treatment.  “She has been very diligent in following all the regimens I gave her and trusted me with them,” says Dr Shetty. Adds Roopa Shetty, in-charge of the Powai centre, “She didn’t give up even when the Bandra centre was closed for renovation and she had to change two buses to travel to the Powai centre.”

Says Shriya, “I had never modelled before but Dr Nirmala had faith in me.” Roopa adds, “Because of the confident way she speaks we had a feeling that she would win and after she won the Nivea Visage contest, we were even more confident that she would reach greater heights.”

Now she is on a break for one week.  “I am allowed to binge and take it easy until my further commitments that include a show in Hyderabad and then Turkey,” she says.Shriya emphasises, “Environment is an issue close to me personally. After all, nature does not come from us, we come from nature. I have always been environmentally conscious. When I use plastic bags, I ensure that they are disposed of in a proper way. I don’t litter the place and don’t allow those around me to do it either.”

To those aspiring to look beautiful like her she says, “Eat right, use natural products, drink lots of water. For instant results you need chemical based cosmetics but for young skin for life there are no short cuts. And results don’t show up in a day.”

Revealing the secret behind her ‘natural’ looks she says, “I don’t like to pancake my face with foundation though I may use foundation powder. And I don’t use any face wash. To effectively remove make-up without any abrasions, I just pat my face with a damp cloth and use the brown herbal pack.” The pack contains neem, red sandalwood and rose petals according to Dr Shetty. Her favourite face pack however is kesar.

Praising Dr Shetty’s care and treatment she adds, “I would look forward to my visits here to relax and rejuvenate. With Dr Shetty’s treatment even skin colour can really lighten.” Dr Shetty was quick to add that it’s only tans that can be lightened. According to her one should learn to accept and appreciate one’s skin colour.

Dr Hema S of Pestom Sagar, a regular customer for the past 15 years says is also all praise for the refreshing effects of the herbal treatment. “I take time out from my busy schedule just to relax with a session here. Eventually people around me began to say that I was glowing. If you look at my face now, there is no sign of the acne marks I had before,” she says

Dr Nirmala makes it a point to mention that her husband Jay Shetty is a great support in her work and being a cosmetologist he carefully supervises the preparation of all the products used. Shriya will be treated for her hair and skin before contesting for the Miss Earth title.

Dr Shetty hopes that her treatments will stand in good stead when she faces harsher arc lights and emerges a ‘natural’ winner. She concludes saying, “It’s not only Shriya and other celebrities, but each person who walks into any of my branches for healthy skin is equally important to me and I take equal interest in all of them.”

Eat right, use natural products, drink lots of water. For instant results you need chemical based cosmetics but for young skin for life there are no short cuts. And results don’t show up in a day