What model Krish Kapoor puts on his face

Krish Kapoor didn’t grow up expecting to end up on a runway. “Mostly because I never saw anyone that looked like me,” he says. The conventionally muscular, hyper-masculine archetype dominated screens and campaigns for so long that there was barely room for someone like him—someone whose looks blend Iranian lineage with Indian roots and whose career, it turns out, would span everything from Louis Vuitton to Pepsi, Sabyasachi to Samsung. That changed. The industry’s appetite for versatility opened up a seat at the table and Kapoor took it, building a portfolio that reads like a brand directory most models spend a decade chasing.

What’s less expected is that when he isn’t walking shows or shooting campaigns for Zegna or United Colors of Benetton, Kapoor moonlights as a floral designer. It’s an identity he wears as easily as his runway looks, and it might explain why his entire approach to grooming is less about clinical regimes and more about ritual and intuition. He travels everywhere with a well-edited kit, keeps a dedicated skincare table at home, and has strong opinions about what goes on his face—and in what order.

There’s also the small matter of sharing a name with Ahaan Panday’s character in Saiyaara, a coincidence that has earned him a steady stream of misdirected fan messages and very inconveniently timed video calls.

Below, he walks us through the six steps he doesn’t skip, the holy-grail products he carries across time zones, and the champi that started it all.

My first real memory of skincare is actually my grandmother’s kitchen. She’d make her own face masks at home using fruits and whatever else was on the counter—no products, no fuss. I just followed her lead and started doing the same. That’s genuinely where it began.

Growing up with a lot of acne meant I was constantly reaching for over-the-counter products before I even knew what a skincare routine was. Looking back, it was my Ugly Betty glow-up moment. Now I have an at-home skincare table and a travel kit that never leaves my bag.

My skin has a mind of its own. It takes its cues entirely from the weather—oily in summer, dry in winter. Honestly, I’m not sure what it’s like on a neutral day because there’s always something on my face, whether it’s a moisturiser or sunscreen.

Before any shoot, I stop experimenting entirely. No new products, no trial and error. If my skin is feeling sensitive, I’ll cut the whole routine back to just a moisturiser for a night or two and leave it at that. Simplicity is the only pre-shoot strategy that’s never let me down.

I actually enjoy the stress of long shoot days. The only real hack I’ve developed is double cleansing as soon as I possibly can. I no longer use a makeup remover—it used to strip my skin completely. These days I go in with a cleansing oil first, follow it with a regular face wash, and finish with a heavy moisturiser. That’s the reset.

My night-time routine sounds more complicated than it is. Six steps, and done:

Step 1: Double cleanse—Beauty of Joseon Cleansing Oil followed by the Bioderma Sebum Hydra Cleanser; currently I’m on my fourth bottle. That should say enough.

Step 2: Tone—Currently testing out Ole Henriksen’s Salicylic Acid Toner, and so far, so good.

Step 3: Eye serum—Beauty of Joseon’s Retinal Eye Serum. Non-negotiable.

Step 4: Essence—CosRx’s Snail Mucin. My absolute holy grail. It gives the most incredible base before makeup and just feels genuinely good on skin. It travels everywhere with me.

Step 5: Serum—Estée Lauder Advance Night Repair. Another one I never leave home without.

Step 6: Moisturise—Ole Henriksen’s Banana Bright Moisturiser. On dry or flaky days, I’ll seal everything in with a few drops of marula oil on top.

And then—always—a generous layer of Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask.

The hand fan is a real thing. I keep a small one specifically to dry my face between skincare steps. I hate mixing up my layers and I’m too impatient to wait. Yes, it works, and yes, I recommend it.

For pimples, I go straight to the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. Spotted something overnight? It’s usually gone by morning. I keep it within reach at all times; it’s my holy grail go-to saviour.

I love a dermatologist’s office—not so much for treatments but for the conversation that follows. I’m curious about things that go on and around in the skincare world, like red light therapy, PDRN, and snail mucin treatments. I like staying informed about what’s worth trying next.

My hair secret came from my family, like most of the best ones do. Oiling before you wash—a proper champi with raw coconut oil—is something I grew up with and still do. Genuinely game-changing. My hairstylist then introduced me to Roz Milk Serum, which I’d describe as the professional extension of that same philosophy: nourish, then style.

I used to have hair down to the middle of my back. There was an elaborate upkeep routine involved. Now I wait to get it trimmed by my agency’s recommended hairstylist and call it a day. As for my next move? I’d genuinely buzz it all off—I’m just waiting for a client to request the look.

On off days, I prefer to give my skin a break. I’m not opposed to a little concealer or some colour when the occasion calls for it, but the baseline preference is always low-key, natural, and as makeup-free as possible. My skin spends enough time under professional products.

My blended heritage is, I think, part of why my hair grows the way it does. Iranian lineage meeting Indian roots is a combination I’ve come to appreciate.

My signature scent is jasmine. Fresh jasmine petals, new every week, somewhere in my room—that’s the base note I come home to. For something bottled and transportable, I’ve recently moved to L’Occitane’s Verveine—perfect for summer.

On planes, I become a different person. Face mask on, undereye patches in place, hair bonnet firmly tied. The aircraft is a vanity cabin if you choose to treat it that way, and since I often fly straight to set, arriving with a good base for the beauty team is just practical.

Backstage? Gua sha in one hand. Espresso in the other. That’s genuinely all you need.

The one wellness thing I haven’t tried yet is IV drips. I’ve heard nothing but good things, but I have a fairly significant fear of needles. I’ll get there eventually. Probably.

And yes—we have to address it. Krish Kapoor is also the name of Ahaan Panday’s character in Saiyaara. The WhatsApp messages, the emails, the video calls at 2 am and 5:30 am from strangers who are absolutely not looking for him—it’s ongoing. His words: “Trauma!!! I should ask them for royalty now.”