As a brand planner turned chef turned wellness mogul, Sasha Sabapathy is not a stranger to life’s stresses. After moving to New York when she was 22, Sasha’s active work and social lifestyle started to burn her out.
“High cortisol levels gave me a serious case of anxiety and depression which I couldn’t budge, and a close friend of mine suggested that I try an herb called Ashwagandha,” she says. Little did she realise, the evergreen shrub—also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry—would lead her down the path to a new venture.
Sasha started experimenting with adaptogenic herbs and developed her own elixir blends right in her home kitchen. These potions became so popular amongst her friend group that she realised she was on to something big. Glow Bar is a wellness company that Sasha founded to help women better deal with stress and look after both their physical and mental wellbeing.
We spoke with Sasha to hear her tips on being more sustainable and find out why she believes all women should introduce adaptogens into their daily routines.
What are adaptogens and why do you love them so much?
Adaptogens are ancient healing herbs that help the body cope with stress in a variety of ways. Unfortunately, stress is a normal by-product of living in today’s modern world but can cause havoc on our bodies and minds. Adaptogens are such an easy thing to incorporate into our diets and lifestyles and really help us to feel happy and balanced
What are your must-do beauty rituals/treatments before you travel?
Water! So much of it! And I always do a hydrating face mask the night before.
How do you adapt your beauty routine when you travel?
I typically have a low maintenance beauty routine anyway. During the day I just cleanse, use a toning spray, face oil, and eye cream. At night, I do an acid exfoliator or use a retinol oil. Generally, for travelling, I opt for the retinol oil because my skin gets uber dehydrated. Not much needs to change, which is great!
What’s the best way to downsize your at-home beauty product haul for travel?
I try to travel as light as possible, so I tend to carry mini versions of my usual products (real estate in my bag is so key)—Drunk Elephant is so great for that. I also take sheet masks for after flights and before nice dinners.
Which products are in your must-pack beauty kit right now?
Do you have a regular plane beauty routine?
I remove my make-up and then lather on some advanced night repair for eyes and a few layers of marula oil.
How do you overcome jet-lag skin/eyes when you land?
Infrared saunas are the best thing for jet lag! I try to find one in every city that I’m in. Drinking lots of water and avoiding alcohol on the first night also really helps.
What’s been your favourite country to shop for homegrown beauty products?
Australia, by far! I fell in love with natural skin care on a trip to Sydney in 2016.
What’s been your favourite vacation spa so far and why?
The Oberoi in Bali currently tops the list. Bali in general is super relaxing and filled with good vibes. Couple that with traditional Balinese massages and platters of tropical fruit and I was in heaven.
What are your top self care tips when travelling?
Skincare: keep hydrated, prop your head up at night to assist lymphatic drainage, and face roll or gua sha in the morning. Make-up: avoid cakey/heavy foundations; your system is tired and dehydrated. Keep it light with a tinted moisturiser and invest in a good under eye cream and concealer.
Hair: pack your own shampoo and conditioner; the last thing you want when you’re away is a dry scalp, limp hair, or excess frizz.
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Saturdays are for adaptogen spiked acai bowls & moon milks ✨💜🌱 📸: @christellejavelier
Could you share some actionable tips for those wanting to be more sustainable about their beauty routine?
Go natural where possible and suitable for your skin. Use less. Take apart your containers so that you can recycle them—FYI pumps are not recyclable; they have to go in the trash, sadly.
The Packing Lowdown
Travel light or over-packer?
Light always.
Spa facial or massage?
Massage.
Favourite cosmetics bag?
Glossier’s bubble bags—I can’t resist!
Vacation air-dry or blow-dry?
Air dry when I had long hair, but now that I’ve got a bob, I’d have to blow dry to avoid a mushroom situation
Skincare wipes, yay or nay?
They are SOOO bad for the environment, so yay only if they’re biodegradable.
Faux tan or au naturel?
Au naturel, always.
Any Questions or Tips to add?