We sat down with beauty director Sonia Haria, member of the British Beauty Council’s Advisory Board, to discuss the inspirations for her new book ‘South Asian Beauty’
Journalist Sonia Haria has dedicated her career to sharing beauty expertise. Current Beauty Director of the Telegraph, she now turns her hand to writing her first book ‘South Asian Beauty.’
Due to be published in July 2024, the book is an accumulation of Haria’s extensive knowledge. The culmination of tips and tricks from her own experience and from interviews with an array of South Asian beauty experts, the book is set to be both a practical guide and a celebration of a community that’s often misrepresented.
It feels like a long-awaited recognition of South Asian beauty. Considering the history South Asian beauty holds, as well as its power within the consumer market, there’s been a notable lack of mainstream books on the topic.
Speaking exclusively to the British Beauty Council, Sonia began, ‘[The book’s] a real celebration of South Asian beauty, which is a missing topic from bookshelves at the moment. South Asia is so rich with beauty rites, rituals and practices, and the interest in beauty is so vast within communities.’
The varied nature of South Asian beauty is showcased throughout the book. It explores joyful aspects – from Bollywood to bridal – yet also uncovers the powerful history behind centuries old practices.
Haria’s South Asian beauty bible comes at a time when long-standing traditions in the culture are increasingly relevant in the modern day market. Ayurveda, an alternative medicine that has a holistic approach to mental and physical wellbeing, is just one example with searches increasing by 100% over the last year.
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As Haria explained: ‘What is really lovely about South Asian culture is that a lot of beauty isn’t how you look, it’s about how it makes you feel. It’s always had a self-care focus, which feels of the moment, yet things like Ayurveda have been around for thousands of years. It’s great to bring that to a new audience.’
The book also dives into practical advice, with Sonia promising readers: ‘Problem solvers from skincare, haircare and makeup […] covering the queries that I always get asked, like how to deal with hyperpigmentation, or how to help dark circles.’
The need for expert beauty writers offering such tailored knowledge is apparent. Haria touches on mistakes made by brands trying to cater to the South Asian beauty buyer – for instance a lack of understanding of different skin undertones and textures.
Throughout the research process, the debut author found that there were common concerns amongst South Asian clients, including post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. She highlighted that, ‘products and their treatments are very different to what you would use on other skin complexions’.
Haria described the interview process as one of the most empowering and emotional elements of penning the guide. She interviewed over 30 South Asian women who shared their personal beauty stories. ‘There were quite a few conversations I had that left me in tears. I think beauty really has that power of conjuring up emotions in people,’ Haria explained.
The journalist made a heartfelt reflection that she would have loved to have her book growing up. ‘We loved beauty, but we didn’t always feel like we could talk about our beauty,’ she said, before adding: ‘Beauty was always a big part of our lives growing up but in a way that we didn’t outwardly express.’ She lovingly describes indulging in beauty practices like face masks, threading and hair oiling but not seeing these things outside of home.
When asked about the book’s potential impact upon young people with South Asian backgrounds, Sonia turned back to her experience growing up: ‘It’s so nice to be able to see yourself in books. Like I say, I always loved being a teenager and seeing incredible pictures of South Asian girls in the pages, finally being celebrated.’
