Geeta Rao
Southern Asia
beauty&health director ,vogue india
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Articles by Geeta Rao
Multiplexing of temporal and spatial information in the lateral entorhinal cortex
Abstract Episodic memory involves the processing of spatial and temporal aspects of personal experiences. The lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) plays an essential role in subserving memory. However, the specific mechanism by which LEC integrates spatial and temporal information remains elusive. Here, we recorded LEC neurons while rats performed foraging and shuttling behaviors on one-dimensional, linear or circular tracks.
Correction to “Gold Nanoparticles Inhibit Macropinocytosis by Decreasing KRAS Activation”
Figures References Support Info This publication has no figures. This publication has no References. Supporting Information Supporting Information The Supporting Information is available free of charge at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsnano.4c01293. (PDF) Terms & Conditions Most electronic Supporting Information files are available without a subscription to ACS Web Editions.
The Macallan's Global Twist
Whisky has its closely guarded secrets, and while it slumbers to maturation, thousands of molecular fissions take place, which make the final mature liquid so tantalizingly complex. What goes on inside the whisky cask is a mystery, perhaps revealed only to the Master of Whisky. But so much depends on the cask itself. That’s why I’m in southern Spain, in the Andalusian city of Jerez de La Frontera, known more popularly as Jerez and pronounced as Herez.
Tasting modern menus in a Maharashtra palace
Home > Food> Discover > LAST PUBLISHED 10.10.2023 | 09:00 AM IST Sawantwadi in Maharashtra is a taluka (district) of Sindhudurg, an area famous for Malvani cuisine that features coconut-based seafood curries often fiery, scooped up with rice-based roasted chapatis like ghavne and pancake- like soft lentil and rice amboli. It is also the seat of the Sawantwadi Bhonsle royals who once ruled the area.
Beyond gender mainstreaming: transforming humanitarian action, organizations and culture
Journal of International Humanitarian Action, Apr 2023 This is a preview of a remote PDF: https://jhumanitarianaction.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s41018-023-00138-1 Gupta, Geeta Rao, Grown, Caren, Fewer, Sara, Gupta, Reena, Nowrojee, Sia. , Journal of International Humanitarian Action, 2023, pp. 1-20, Volume 8, Issue 1, DOI: 10.1186/s41018-023-00138-1
Geeta Rao: The art of the possible
The starting point in communication is an idea, and however crazy or impossible its execution sounds at first, there’s always a way of making it possible Geeta Rao | Updated on: Monday, May 16, 2022, 10:25 AM IST This year’s Grand Prix winner at the Ad Club’s Goafest was an idea for Radio Zindagi called Applegram created by Famous Innovations. It had no smart copy, no witty one-liner, and no exciting TV script to back it.
Geeta Rao: What being ‘influential’ means for brands
Influencer marketing is estimated to be a $16 billion industry in 2022, and will be a key communication tool for many brands. In fact, if you are in the gaming, beauty, fashion or travel industries, it is likely to be a strategic imperative. I read an article recently that said influencers would play a very big role in financial marketing and fintech in the future.
Geeta Rao: Will war change brands’ equation with consumers?
As brands take positions to show where they stand on the Russia-Ukraine situation, will some things change forever? As I write this, trending words on social media like ‘metaverse’ and ‘Omicron’ have yielded to ‘Ukraine’ and ‘war’. As the situation continues to escalate, brands are under pressure to take positions and communicate exactly what these positions are. This is the paradox of our time.
Fashion forward: The age of ready-to-wear designer collections
Big players in the retail fashion space signing on fashion heavyweights as partners is a win-win, but the human cost of brand expansion must be considered as well Rahul Mishra’s store nestling in a narrow Kalaghoda lane in Mumbai is one I often walk past on my way to work, and there is always a moment to peek in and see the clothes on display. The designer is known not only for his exquisite workmanship and details, but also for his cuts and silhouettes.
Into the metaverse, one NFT at a time
As global brands link offers to Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), it is interesting to see how the trend progresses Into the metaverse, one NFT at a time. Or 30,000. Last week, Adidas’ foray into Web 3 with 30,000 NFTs in collaboration with Bored Apes Yacht Club and Punk Comics generated a huge response and sold out at a value of US $ 23 million in a day. Adidas has smartly saved a few NFTs for its next round.
Dabur ad: Another one bites the dust…
The Dabur Fem bleach ad raked up controversy and was withdrawn, but who is asking how many LGBTQ hires Dabur has made in recent times? Many years ago, my nephew - then a little boy of six or seven - came running home from school and said he had two new classmates and he found it unusual that X had two moms while Y had two dads. He studied in the United States and the school 20 years ago was trying to fulfill its diversity and inclusion commitment by admitting more children with same-sex parents.
BrandSutra: Is Clubhouse exciting for brands?
You have probably attended a Clubhouse meet by now or hosted a session of your own. Even if you haven’t, you have probably heard that Clubhouse is showing a steady rise in numbers in India. Is it going to be the Next Big Place for brands to tell their stories? Will it fade into brand oblivion like Orkut, Snapchat and Foursquare or stay relevant but niche like Twitch, Telegram and Reddit? Where did Signal go, by the way? Wasn’t it going to be the new WhatsApp?
After 'Mutual Funds Sahi Hai', 'Bitcoin Liya Kya' & 'Trade Kar Befikar' could dominate financial advertising, explains Geeta Rao
There is a huge opportunity for advertising to get in early into cryptocurrency and grow with this growing tribe I recently read an interesting news report tucked away in one of the pages of Free Press Journal. Cryptocurrency exchange WazirX said it had witnessed a massive 2648% growth in user sign-ups and most of these sign-ups came from Tier II and Tier III cities. Even more interesting was that the participation of women from smaller towns was high and way ahead of their urban counterparts.
For the greater good
Come awards season, you are likely to find creative teams and agencies looking for willing NGOs to fulfil their public service advertising goals and win some awards. It is a win-win for everyone. The agency gets a chance to show its creative skills for a social cause, a separate category at the big awards, the NGO gets some pro bono work, a willing client may be roped in to sponsor the ad’s release and earn some socially responsible points. If the campaign wins an award, the cause gets amplified.
BrandSutra: What makes vegan-nomics important
IT'S COOL TO BE VEGAN Veganism has been around for a very long time as a niche alternative lifestyle. Now, it's trending, it's fashionable, it's cool and vegan advocacy is led by young people. When young people own a trend, it could mean huge markets, huge profits and big brands entering the picture. The vegan universe now comprises dairy-free foods, alternative meats, vegan clothing, vegan beauty, vegan wines and yes, even vegan coffee.
BrandSutra: WOKE-VERTISING
Woke-ism is a powerful social trend that touches all our lives. It is colloquial and I don’t know if the Oxford dictionary has anointed the term as yet, but simply put, being woke is being able to show you are awake and espouse the cause of social and racial justice. It is a powerful youth value and connector. Which means brands can’t be far behind. If you want this new demanding segment to buy your products and services, you need to showcase your woke credentials.
Business as unusual amid COVID-19
Sitting in Mumbai, going through its virulent second wave and in lockdown again, I have a sense of déjà vu. It is coupled with a sense of how much has changed from a year ago. The New Normal has become the Old Normal and we have all changed. My class of advertising students will graduate in May without us ever having met in person. A year ago, I would have scoffed at this because in April, we thought June or July was as far as the pandemic would last.
The parallel branding world of e-sports, explained by Geeta Rao
It used to be called video-gaming and a generation of young kids were exhorted by their parents to stop playing and start studying or else face dire consequences. That world has morphed into the trending world of e-sports and if your brand isn’t registering some sort of presence there, perhaps you need to take another look at your marketing strategy.
Is it Love? Is it Dove? No, it’s Sebamed!
A lot of water, a court case and a huge amount of earned media have flowed under the bridge in the Unilever-Sebamed fracas already, but I couldn’t resist the headline. I worked on the India launch of Dove while at Ogilvy and these famous lines uttered in a testimonial ad by Gayatri Pandey were winning ones. Consumers replayed them in focus groups years later. The original line, “He said, ‘Is it love?’ I said, ‘No, it’s Dove!’” had a certain sauciness that appealed to the nineties consumer.
Why Mahendra Singh Dhoni and not Mithali Raj: Positive depiction of women in advertising and entertainment not easy
The Hollywood actor Geena Davis is known for her memorable role in the iconic film Thelma and Louise, her comic turn in the children’s film franchise Stuart Little and her role as a powerful leader in the television series Commander-in-Chief. A lesser known fact is that she is the founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media and has funded one of the biggest research studies on the impact of media on children.
Sorry, Not Sorry: What it meant when Tesco, Cadbury, Tanishq, Facebook and Pantene apologised
Just before the US elections were called, I set my graduate communications class an assignment. They had to create ads for the person who had lost the US elections. What would he say to his stakeholders and people who had put their hopes on him? Would he apologise for letting them down? Would he take responsibility for leading them into the future? To keep it neutral, half the class was given the Biden ad and half the class got the Trump ad.
How to take care of your skin and hair during the humid Indian summer
In most parts of India, the temperatures are soaring. When you add high humidity levels to the mix, it can feel stifling. Warm weather adds a whole slew of challenges to your beauty routine too, so you may have to switch up your repertoire to prevent acne, dandruff and redness. We spoke to Delhi-based dermatologist Dr Kiran Sethi, and lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho, for their take on an inside-out approach to cooling yourself down right now.
5 easy ways to get waves and curls in your hair without any heating tools
Whether you're intentionally skipping hot tools during the quarantine to boost hair health, or you just can't make the effort right now, there are enough ways to get easy waves in your hair without resorting to a straightener or curling wand.
Has the quarantine life made your favourite talk shows even more hilarious?
While hosting journalists, designers and celebrities who had flown in from all across the world, Milan Fashion Week found itself at the nucleus of the outbreak of a disease in February 2020. The front-rowers had arrived, the runways were set, and collections of haute couture were ready to be showcased. What followed a rushed introduction to COVID-19 was a rapid response from the fashion houses.
Madrid On A Platter
Patio de Leones, Madrid’s new trending restaurant and bar, is hyper-Spanish and hyper-cool. Designed by artist Sergio Mora, it features modern red tables set against yellow walls and views of famous Spaniards on witty blue — tiled murals. I spot artist Velázquez with his Meninas, singer Lola Flores, Flamenco idol Camaron, film maestro Luis Buñuel, artist Salvador Dali and writer Cervantes under the watchful eye of Mora’s female bull fighter — the Infinita de Cordoba.
A powerful anti-ageing Ayurvedic alternative to retinol
If the adaptogen ashwagandha was the trending herb in the beauty and wellness world over the last few years, it is now the turn of babchi. This Ayurvedic powerhouse has been “discovered" by beauty brands as the natural alternative to retinol. This is big news. Chemical retinoids are the biggest and most credible story in anti-ageing, with proven results (collagen boosting, anti-wrinkle, anti-pigmentation) in the beauty business.
How man-made textiles are changing fashion
Words like sustainability, circular fashion, upcycling and recycling may have entered the fashion vocabulary, but the real challenge is to find fibres that have a low environmental impact and non-polluting processes. Call it the cotton paradox. Cotton is beautiful, breathable and defines our national narrative. It is also a water-intensive crop and may be overdependent on pesticides. Its processing footprint isn’t great either.
Masaba Gupta launches a makeup collaboration with Nykaa
It is a hyper-cool evening at Mumbai’s Soho House. Digital influencers, stylists, Bollywood folk and Mumbai’s beauty tribe have shown up for the launch of designer Masaba Gupta’s make-up collection. Many are sporting Masaba prints. Dressed in her Nimbu Paani—a turquoise dress with giant lemon prints—Masaba is excited about first reactions to the collection, launched online and in her stores on 23 July. The response, she says, has been good.
Masaba Gupta launches a beauty collaboration with Nykaa
It is a hyper-cool evening at Mumbai’s Soho House. Digital influencers, stylists, Bollywood folk and Mumbai’s beauty tribe have shown up for the launch of designer Masaba Gupta’s make-up collection. Many are sporting Masaba prints. Dressed in her Nimbu Paani—a turquoise dress with giant lemon prints—Masaba is excited about first reactions to the collection, launched online and in her stores on 23 July. The response, she says, has been good.
Two new holistic wellness centres you need to visit for a transformational experience
Vedary Inside this alternative-healing centre lies hope for a better future There is a hush as you enter Vedary, the sort that lets the city fall away even though this is in the heart of Mumbai’s busiest traffic stretches. A sense of spaciousness envelops you as the lift opens into a sprawling hall in shades of muted grey. Vedary is a holistic wellness centre but as Harshvardhan Saraf, the soft-spoken founder, stresses,“Health is not an end; it is a means to an end.
Get into the groove with yoga
There is good news for purists who complain that yoga has been appropriated by the West and that there are more yoga studios in Los Angeles than Mumbai. Sharath Jois says he sees a lot of interest in yoga among young urban Indians. Jois should know. He is a paramguru and mahayogi who has taught celebrities such as Madonna the moves of the Ashtanga series that his school in Mysuru is known for.
Lecoanet Hemant’s Ayurganic brings together fashion and Ayurveda
Hemant Sagar, one half of the designer duo Lecoanet Hemant, is poised precariously on a rock above the gushing Neyyar river in Kerala’s Aruvippuram town. We are at a bend in the river below the cave where Narayana Guru, the 19th century reformer, is believed to have sat in meditation. Here, yards of organic cotton are being washed in running water.
Something to chew on
We all know what we should and shouldn’t do when it comes to health and well-being. Yet we continue to eat the things that are now proven to be toxic for us, like processed sugar. We continue to work long hours and wonder why acidity is an issue. We force ourselves into gruelling fitness regimes and end up exhausted instead of energized. We go on diets and fall into the familiar pattern of cheating and then negotiating with ourselves when we can’t keep up. So, how should one start changing patterns?
Would you try an IV drip if it promised you the best skin of your life?
by Geeta Rao Published: Apr 05, 2019 | 16:59:25 IST Are IV drips the one-stop magic skincare solution you need, or are they more trouble than they’re worth? Vogue investigates this celebrity-approved trend Perhaps I have watched too many re-runs of ER, but in my book, drips stay firmly in hospitals and emergency wards. They don’t seem like they belong in the skincare world, even though I admit injectables have been around for a long time in the business.
What happened when I followed a raw food-only diet for a week
by Geeta Rao Published: Mar 16, 2019 | 12:34:13 IST Benefits include a feeling of lightness, a mindful approach to diet, and a healthier gut The spectacular infinity pool overlooking the undulating mist-clad Panchalimedu Hills in Kerala, above rubber plantations and cardamom estates, could have you fooled into believing you are at a spa resort.
From mental health to IV drips—what wellness tourism looks like now
by Geeta Rao Published: Feb 17, 2019 | 09:00:29 IST [stay_connected_with_us]Everything you need to know about the state of health and wellness tourism in 2019 If I had to give myself a wellness treat five years ago, I would have checked into a quick three-day spacation, emerged somewhat de-stressed and plunged right back into work.
The best wellness retreats and spas to head to for a break from city life
Best for: Solo detoxing with a touch of community living Why go? It’s part Tanjore heritage, part rural village, part beach, with all kinds of architectural surprises thrown in, but if you are looking for a strong commitment to wellness and organic living, look no further. An added bonus, The Chopra Healing Centre by Deepak Chopra is right here.
Is The Keto Diet Good For Weight Loss? A Nutritionist And Dieter Weigh In
Here is a recommended breakfast that seems to turn all my years of received diet wisdom on its head. Two large eggs fried in salted butter, two rashers of bacon and a cup of mushrooms and spinach sautéed in generous amounts of olive oil. What’s more—you’re supposed to lose weight by eating this breakfast. Welcome to the Keto diet, where fat is good for you. But don’t rush in if you aren’t sure. “I started the keto diet about four months back,” says author and media professional, Anuradha Roy.
6 relaxing spa destinations that also make perfect romantic getaways
A mountain in Oman With its desert, mountains and valleys, well preserved culture, a history of fragrances like frankincense and myrrh (yes, they came from here) Oman has become a hub for travellers looking for an offbeat experience in the Gulf. Head to Alila Jabal Akhdar in the Al Hajar mountains where roses and juniper berries grow wild and make up rejuvenating treatment oils. Indulge in conscious living—yoga at dawn, starlight meditation at night and days of hiking and cycling in between.
8 great home remedies for glowing skin and healthy hair and why they work
There are as many home remedies for glowing skin and healthy hair as there are lab tested beauty products on the shelves. They have often been dismissed as unscientific but in reality, there is strong science to defend some favourite home remedies that have been a part of our families for years. From bananas to milk, here’s why these kitchen staples make for amazing beauty products.
5 celebrity-favourite facials you need to ask your skin therapist about
Bird poop was the buzz in the beauty world two years ago. It wasn’t any bird—it was the Japanese nightingale and the bird poop facial is euphemistically called the Geisha facial. The snail facial in its original form required you to have live snails leave all their slimy goodness on your face. While I am all for nature, I am not sure I want to be this close to the source.
Souping might just be the food trend slowly taking over juicing
Diet fads and detox trends have come and gone, but juicing has been one of the biggest ‘green-clean’ trends of the decade. Juice blends with names like Bliss, Energise, Sunshine and Sleep gave us our daily fix and affirmations all in one. I remember Odwallas was a favourite juice brand of mine in America. The Blue Print Cleanse—18 bottles of juice, 3 days became a rage. Juice bars like Liquiteria in New York became as much a go-to place as Magnolia for cupcakes. Pardon the irony.
How to choose the right night cream for your skin
In simpler times, skincare choices were slotted by age—twenties, thirties, forties—or skin type, that is, oily, dry or combination. Night creams signalled a milestone, an anti-ageing ritual you transited to once you turned forty. Not anymore. A new generation of night creams and hybrids in a jar are challenging the norm. And millennials, more concerned than ever before about the state of their skin, are discovering a range of choices on offer.
Wondered how to build the perfect lipstick collection? Here's how
Other people have food memories. I have lipstick memories. Where I was when I wore Mehr by Micky Contractor for the first time. The immigration official at an international airport with whom I shared notes on the lipstick shade I was wearing—M.A.C’s Chatterbox. The unexpected compliment from an unexpected person about my favourite Pink Bon Bon from Lancôme. Nothing like a pop of lip colour to make life more interesting, I’d say.
All the tips you need to get perfect, undisturbed sleep every night
Sleep has always mattered. Which is why there are Gods and Goddesses dedicated to sleep. Nidra is the Hindu goddess of sleep, Jum Sum is Chinese and the Greeks had Hypnose, Somnus and Morpheus. Today, millennials are being referred to as the “tired generation” because they simply don’t sleep enough. But it isn’t millennials alone who suffer from a lack of sleep. “Sleep deprivation and disorders affect more people worldwide than had been previously thought.
Have you tried micellar water yet?
“My daughters swear by it,” says Paris-based communications professional Gail Chapin. Chapin’s daughters Segolene (18) and Victoire (22) use micellar water for their early morning face-cleansing and skin prep, and late-evening make-up removal. They are doing what French women have been doing for two generations. Micellar water was invented in France decades ago as a no-rinse cleansing option to beat the local hard water that made rinsing off difficult and left an icky build-up on the skin.
Are you wondering how to stop your skin from breaking out
A couple of years ago, I woke up with giant zits on my face. Now, there are times when a bad breakout can assume the proportions of a bad break-up in your head and this was one of them. The instinctive thing was to go into DIY mode—a little multani mitti to dry the zits out, cooling calendula and sandalwood cream, washing frequently with a paraben-free, fragrance-free gel and yes, even a touch of toothpaste because hey, triclosan is a bacteria killer.
Planning a trip to Maldives? You can’t leave without trying this therapy
150-minute Signature Lime Light Treatment, Lime Spa, Per Aquum, Huvafen Fushi:Begin with letting yourself relax in the Lonu Veyo or saltwater flotation pool. Then move to the 24-hour Lime spa with underwater spa rooms, where you can see angelfish and stingrays peeping in as you surrender to the signature Limelight ritual that includes steaming hot sand poultices soaked in seawater and infused with a blend of coconut milk, camphor and kefir lime.
A wellness trail in Bhutan
Hot sand poultices in the Maldives, heated raw rice in Sri Lanka or hot stone baths in Bhutan—the fire element combined with medicinal herbs is as important in traditional healing in these countries as it is in India. It isn’t surprising, though—our connection with our neighbours goes back over a thousand years in a fascinating history of trade, knowledge and cultural exchange.
A Culinary Journey Through Spain
At the Restaurante Don Mauro in the main square at Salamanca — the north western Spanish town once ruled by the Celts and Romans — we sit under the stone eyes of Teresa of Avila and Miguel Cervantes as our waiter follows up cheese croquettas and duck salad with a platter of finely sliced chorizo, salchichon, lomo and jamón — this is no ordinary ham; it is jamón ibérico from black pigs or wild boar. I am advised to let the ham sweat a little before eating it to release its fats.
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