<p>Something is brewing at the HQ of beauty brands worldwide, and I’m not talking about just another <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/best-lip-balms-reviews-the-nod-team">lip balm</a> or <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/viral-overnight-bio-dance-deep-collagen-mask">face mask</a>. Alongside topical formulations, companies are treading into the world of oral supplements to make a case for holistic beauty and wellness. Internationally, US skincare brand Murad has launched capsules that balance the gut-skin axis to clear breakouts and bottled up potent ingestible antioxidants to help brighten the skin. Meanwhile, in Japan, Shiseido’s The Collagen range uses caffeine-free patented ingredients available in three formats—powder, tablet and drink—to support skin vitality.</p><p>Some brands like Elm Biosciences, founded by Martha Stewart and Dr Dhaval Bhanushali (the latter is also on Rhode’s advisory board) a few months ago, are taking it a step further by offering comprehensive solutions like the Dual Pathway Skin System—a bundle offering that pairs its A30 elemental serum with its clinically formulated supplements. UK-based brand You’re Looking Well, which launched in 2023, offers a regime that comprises pairings of a day pill and day cream, and a night pill and a night cream, to support skin, <a href="https://thenodmag.com/tag/sleep">sleep</a>, and <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/hot-girl-ibs-anxiety-mental-health">gut</a>. In India, founders are drawing from personal battles with skin conditions and interest in botanical ingredients to concoct their wellness lines. We are talking morning and wind down routines, made simpler.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“I grew up with acne and had lots of skin issues in general. I realised much later that what I put in my body mattered just as much as what I put on it. Dermatology practices today have evolved and doctors talk about these things a lot more, but back then I paid the price by relying on harsh actives that gave me dry, peeling skin and not really paying attention to what I was eating or how I was managing my stress,” says Elizabeth Issac, who started her brand Gunam Beauty in 2021.</p><p>Initially launching with topical skincare products manufactured in France (its Daily Liquid Exfoliant remains a <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/indie-beauty-brands-hero-products">hero product</a> till date), Issac shifted gears a year in to expand the brand’s range to include supplements, reflecting her faith and own experience with an inside-out approach to beauty. Cut to 2025, and Gunam’s turmeric super blend and blue spirulina powder are a firm fixture in the shopping carts of its health-conscious millennial customers who are looking for ways to optimise their body that isn’t rooted in superficial claims.</p><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1440/1910;" src="https://assets.thenodmag.com/website-assets/gunambeauty_golden_glow_blend_The_Nod_b2d4c16f01.jpg" alt="Gunam Beauty Golden Glow Blend|caption|" width="1440" height="1910"><figcaption>The Golden Glow Blend by Gunam Beauty</figcaption></figure><p>“From my perspective, both as a consumer and as a founder, I think it’s very intuitive and logical that we do both skincare and ingestibles because someone who is buying a face cream today may also be interested in <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/collagen-drinks-lattes-martinis-juice-nutritional-supplement">collagen powder</a>,” explains Issac. “At Gunam, we see a good amount of cross-sell happening and a mixed bag of orders; customers buying skincare are giving supplements a shot and vice versa.” When you look at the numbers, this shift is even more palpable. India’s dietary supplements market, valued at ₹178 billion in 2024, is expected to reach ₹557 billion by 2033, according to an <a href="https://www.imarcgroup.com/india-dietary-supplements-market">IMARC report</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>But back in 2011, when wellness wasn’t the buzzword that it is today and Instagram had not yet infiltrated our beauty standards, <a href="https://thenodmag.com/tag/ayurveda">Ayurvedic</a> practitioner Kavita Khosa wanted to craft something utilising the full efficacy of medicinal plants found in the Himalayan region. Rather than starting off with skincare—which would have been a safer bet—Khosa launched Purearth by banking on detox herbal tisane infusions that featured wild nettle, rosehip berries, and other handpicked ingredients and are effective in treating acne and fighting inflammation and are a rich source of vitamin A, among other nutrients.</p><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1400/1400;" src="https://assets.thenodmag.com/website-assets/Purearth_IMMUNOBOOST_WILD_ROSEHIP_and_MINT_TISANE_INFUSION_The_Nod_5ef10a6ff3.jpg" alt="Purearth IMMUNOBOOST WILD ROSEHIP &amp; MINT TISANE INFUSION|caption|" width="1400" height="1400"><figcaption>Purearth’s Immunoboost Tisane Infusion with wild rosehip and mint</figcaption></figure><p>Speaking to the complementary nature of supplements, Khosa remains a big believer of seeing beauty in its totality: “We are all multitasking like never before, and that is leaving us frazzled and time-poor. Something has to give. We have moved from skincare to self-care to holistic wellness, which is a good thing.” This doesn’t mean popping a <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/magnesium-bodycare-supplements-sleep-stress-relief">magnesium</a> capsule will negate your greasy lunch or magically smoothen the under-eye bags from last night’s 2 am doom-scrolling session. As Khosa tells me, “You can’t band-aid the issue.” She cites PCOS and increasing period pain as a symptom of changing lifestyles, diets, and chronic stress levels that are rampant in the younger generation looking for holistic support to deal with internal imbalances.</p><p>Not to leave out the impact of consuming <a href="https://thenodmag.com/tag/tiktok">TikTok</a>-derived aesthetics and living in an <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/struggle-weight-personal-essay-loss-drugs-ozempic-wegovy">Ozempic</a>-obsessed world, Issac further adds: “At some point we had really unattainable beauty standards, like the clean girl aesthetic and ‘skinny’, making a comeback. But now, it’s about actually feeling good and healthy as opposed to just focusing on the visual.”</p><p>Meanwhile, dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad lends another perspective that accounts for the growing commercial interest in ingestible beauty. “Ingestibles have higher margins. They fall under FSSAI rather than strict drug regulations, and the Indian FMCG system allows broader wellness claims than pharmaceutical claims. So, brands may find it easier to launch powders, tonics, and pills than to create high-efficacy topicals. At the same time, the Indian diet is often deficient in vitamin D, ferritin, and B12, which makes the concept of ‘internal beauty’ appealing,” she explains.</p><p>While supplements help when there is a documented deficiency, and early scientific studies around collagen peptides for skin elasticity and <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/adaptogenic-mushrooms-pros-cons-healthcare">adaptogens</a> for <a href="https://thenodmag.com/tag/stress-management">stress reduction</a> are optimistic, Dr Sharad heeds caution. “Ingestibles can support overall wellbeing, but skin improvements usually come from a holistic plan and not a single supplement. Always know its benefits, whether it is really science-backed, and make safe choices. Steer clear of snake oil.” So, while brands continue to tap into the curiosities around ingestibles, it would be best to triple-check your choices alongside a medical expert before betraying the next-door pharmacist for your daily dose of vitamins.</p>

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Beauty products you can nibble, swig and gulp

<p>If I had to sum up my 2025 in two words, they would undoubtedly be ‘woo-woo’. Over the past year, cryotherapy and sound healing have felt like child’s play; you may as well sell them on vending machines for how common they’ve become. I have <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/joali-being-maldives-michelin-nominated-wellness-resort">officially moved onto a higher realm</a>, from reconsidering my entire life while floating in a Japanese watsu pool to hand-mixing herbs to create tea that balances my chakras. I’ll try anything for the feel-good plot.</p><p>So, a few weeks ago, when I landed in Bali for a vacation, I knew I needed to discover something equally whack—sorry, wellness-first—to keep the streak going. Everyone gets massages and scrubs, but what will fix me from inside out? What will look as silly and soul-y as it feels? Of course I turned to my trusty TikTok algorithm for notes; it knows me so well it could script my birth chart. And lo and behold, within seconds of scrolling, it throws up <a href="https://www.instagram.com/48collagencafe.bali?igsh=MWoyanZqMTFpN3Zwcg%3D%3D">48 Collagen Cafe</a>, the party island’s first self-care bar that takes our obsession with the supplement to a whole new level.</p><p>There was a time when the ingredient would elicit a vague familiarity or demand context and decoding. Not anymore. First it slid into our night creams and face gels, then it entered the wellness spaces as powdered blends, and now you can Zepto a jar of marine collagen to your house in under 10 minutes. Your smoothie bar probably has it on their menu too.</p><p>48CC leans into this love for collagen and zhuzhes it up. Quick sleuthing revealed that the concept cafe, first launched in Paris, kicked its doors open in Bali in July and has since become aura-point paradise for internet girlies. Understandably so. Cafes around the world may spill the supplement in your matcha, promising to boost skin and gut health; here, you not only sip it in your drink, you also wear an anti-ageing LED face mask to enhance its effects (!!).</p><p>The setup was just extreme enough to have me down, and with some coaxing I also convinced my mother and my best friend (both notoriously sus) to join in. As our cab pulled up to 48CC, it felt nothing short of walking into the future. I was expecting soothing spa music, plush recliners, and the faint fragrance of lemongrass, but the mood was more Brat than Buddhist. A central bar was surrounded by industrial-looking highchairs. Everything from the artwork to the steel counter was a metallic chrome, while the playlist was a mix of soft techno and Sabrina Carpenter. They know their audience.</p><div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ9K41bEvKF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ9K41bEvKF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; 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<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>As we plonked ourselves onto the cold metal chairs expecting to see menus and cutlery, another surprise awaited on the table—a selection pink and purple Foreo massagers for firming, toning, cleansing, and shaping your face. The idea—our server explained—is to get a head start on some lymphatic drainage as you waited for your collagen drink to arrive. Flipping through the menu, I quickly realise 48CC isn’t playing when they say drink your health. Each bev lists a multitude of superfood ingredients and explains exactly what they will achieve.</p><p>The Leaf Shot combines coconut water with pandan and chlorophyll (yes, like photosynthesis!) for skin repair and detox; the Blue Latte pairs cashew milk with ginger, cinnamon, and phycocyanin, an immune-building antioxidant, to relieve joint pain and make you resilient. Obviously, each drink comes with a dollop of collagen mixed in. After much perusal, I settled on the Ube Latte, which fuses taro, soy foam and “secret oils” with coconut milk—no explanation for what the ‘secrets oils’ are when asked. But after days of picantes by the beach and struggling through my period, I thought I could use some of that hormonal support and skin-gut detox that the drink teased.</p><p>My mum got the cacao- and reishi-rich Chocollagen, while my friend picks the Slinky &amp; Sporty: vanilla protein and bee pollen with mixed berries. Crafted in front of us, the drinks look nothing less than science experiments. Each ingredient is masterfully measured in beakers because “supplements have to be used with care”, the bartender explains, also readying three LED face masks for us to plug into shortly. The cafe truly goes ham on the idea of selling a wellness lifestyle. Just as gyms offer memberships, 48CC has a recovery club membership where people can access weekly collagen and red-light therapy.</p><p>On weekends, they host puppy yoga, run clubs, and meditation workshops, packaging the quest for longevity in every activity. But this lab-style focus on health does not take away from the aesthetic. Our drinks arrive in bubble jars topped with foam clouds in shades of pink, purple, and blue; you can tell they are made to be photographed.</p><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:1080/1440;" src="https://assets.thenodmag.com/website-assets/Collagen_cafe_The_Nod_02d0c33dc2.jpg" alt="Collagen cafe_TheNod|caption|" width="1080" height="1440"><figcaption>Functional drinks, but make them aesthetic</figcaption></figure><p>Sipping in, I’m a little shook that something that’s purported to be a health drink could also taste this good. Halfway through our drinks, we take a break and strap on the Nooance LED face masks and set a timer for 10 minutes on the little remote control. Watching my mother’s face glow red behind the robotic mask sent me into a fit of giggles; I’ve never seen her look so unserious. A sceptic, she kept saying, “Nothing is happening,” as if one drink and a mask were going to roll back time on her skin by decades.</p><p>Truthfully, the jury is still out on just how effective collagen and LED therapies are; conflicting studies emerge each month with little confirmation. But as my face turned warm from the light sensors, I realised it didn’t matter. I may never know if the treatment stimulated skin health, but I do know how whimsical we felt while sipping hot-pink drinks with our faces tucked behind remote-controlled masks. And that thrill—and subsequent calm—makes the woo-ness of it all worth it.</p><p>I can’t help but imagine how sickeningly successful this concept would be in India. No one loves alien wellness propaganda like us city-dwellers: one step into Bandra and you can find sound healing but on a pool float in a luxury hotel and birthday parties that double as cacao ceremonies. The Physique 57 and Chakra Athletica-abiding fitness enthusiasts would sign up for a social collagen and red-light therapy membership before you can say ‘biohacking’.</p><p>Money-makers, if you’re listening: this is your chance to win over Instagram for a hot minute. Just be sure to make the seats more comfortable and add sanitisation tools to the counter; we’re too prissy to use communal tools without a cleanse. Maybe throw in playful tote bags so we can signal just how invested we are in irreverent wellness, and you have a bestseller on your hands.</p>

At 48 Collagen Café, it’s more than just pretty drinks, it’s functional beauty in a cup. ✨Each r.jpg

This Bali cafe serves Foreo massagers and LED masks with your collagen smoothie

Take all my money

<p>Every year, there seems to be a <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/do-beauty-drinks-work-collagen-vitamin-supplements">new drink</a> that promises to change our lives. First it was <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/matcha-trend-social-media-gen-z">matcha</a>, turning lattes into a green badge of mindfulness. Then came <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/protein-snacks-in-india-healthy">protein</a> shakes, filling gym bags and Instagram feeds alike. The latest star on the menu is collagen. What used to be tucked away in supplement jars is suddenly everywhere. It is no longer just something you take; it is something you show off.</p><p>On Instagram, influencers are filming glow shots with scoops of collagen powder. Lifestyle magazines are running first-person pieces about how collagen “changed my skin”. In India, collagen is quickly becoming the sip of the season. At a recent Soho House <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DOnbji-iPDM/">sundowner</a> in Mumbai, Mokai served collagen-infused dirty martinis, proof that the craze is no longer limited to smoothies and lattes.</p><p>Collagen might sound like a buzzword, but it is really just a protein your body produces naturally. It keeps your skin firm, your nails strong, and your joints moving smoothly. Supplements promise to top up what your body slows down on, but doctors remain cautious. The evidence is mixed as there is no solid proof that powders erase wrinkles or deliver a glow, though studies also show no major harm. In short, it is low-risk, uncertain reward, and a trend people are happy to try anyway. Even so, many users say they notice a difference.</p><p>On Reddit <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/45PlusSkincare/comments/1n8oi3u/has_anyone_over_45_actually_noticed_results_from/">threads</a> like 45PlusSkincare, elder millennials are sharing that collagen seems to make their joints feel better, their nails stronger, and their skin more resilient. These are personal anecdotes rather than scientific proof, and there’s also the placebo effect to factor in, but they do reflect why collagen has built such a loyal following despite the lack of conclusive evidence.</p><p>The collagen glow-up makes sense when you think about it. Protein is already sneaking into everything from popcorn to ice cream, so of course its beauty-obsessed cousin was bound to show up in your latte.</p><p>In Delhi, The Grammar Room has gone all in on collagen. The cafe, tucked into Mehrauli’s leafy lanes, is one of the first in India to offer a dedicated collagen menu, tapping into a growing market of wellness-hungry regulars. The drinks, created in collaboration with wellness brand Be, range from citrus blends to plant-based coffees, all infused with either marine or vegan collagen. For co-founder and CMO of Be, Angela Toppo, the idea was simple: make skincare something you can sip.</p><p>Toppo says the response has been “overwhelmingly positive”, particularly among the 25-to-35 age group. “They’re experimental, invested in preventive skincare, and love the idea of getting their glow while sipping their daily coffee or smoothie,” she explains. Customers don’t just treat it as a novelty, they’re also coming back for it. The cafe is already sold out of its first 45-day stock, a clear sign of how eager people are to swap capsules and powders for collagen they can casually order at brunch.</p><figure class="image"><img style="aspect-ratio:4563/6844;" src="https://assets.thenodmag.com/website-assets/Be_Passionate_11zon_de0651696c.jpg" alt="Be. Passionate_11zon.jpg|caption|" width="4563" height="6844"><figcaption>The collagen drinks at The Grammar Room in Delhi have been created in collaboration with wellness brand Be</figcaption></figure><p>Sakshi Singh, a 23-year-old Literature student in Delhi, says collagen fits perfectly into the kind of lifestyle she has always gravitated toward. “I started with collagen supplements, and honestly, they’ve done wonders for my hair. Now I’ve become a regular at The Grammar Room because they serve it. I feel like I’m at least putting something good into my body and that matters to me.”</p><p>And it’s not just Delhi. In Mumbai, the newly opened Hydration Bar at Scarlett House, co-founded by Malaika Arora, is every sober curious person’s dream. Instead of cocktails, it serves handcrafted functional drinks, including an “anti-ageing” mix of Himalayan water, collagen, chlorophyll, lime, and ginger. For Arora, it’s about creating a space that feels celebratory without alcohol, showing that wellness can be just as fun as a night out. At their <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/bandra-restaurants-gen-z-fomo-viral-sandwich-dosa-queues">queued-out cafe in Bandra</a>, Mokai serves a marine collagen spirulina matcha, an Erewhon-coded concoction with green, blue and white swirls.</p><div class="raw-html-embed"><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM2k8yjo2KC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM2k8yjo2KC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; 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<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>Further south in Bengaluru, Garden Café by Foodstories is giving customers the chance to build their own wellness ritual. Any juice from its juicery can be customised with add-ons like moringa, hemp oil, protein powder, and, yes, vegan collagen.</p><p>Taken together, these examples point to a bigger cultural shift. Wellness is no longer just about gym routines or skincare products; it has also become a lifestyle that shapes how people eat, drink, and socialise. The <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/diwali-handbook-sober-curious-party">sober curious</a> crowd is swapping late-night cocktails for functional mocktails, while new rituals like sauna raves and yoga festivals are drawing in crowds who want health with a side of fun.</p><p>Collagen slides neatly into this picture. In Japan and South Korea, collagen waters and gummies are everyday beauty snacks. In the US, Erewhon has managed to turn collagen smoothies into $20 status symbols. In India, it is finding space on cafe menus and bar lists as part of the same aesthetic—drinks that promise glow, look great on camera, and slot perfectly into the curated feeds of a generation that wants its wellness to be both aspirational and Instagrammable.</p><p>The numbers back up the buzz. The global collagen market is <a href="https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/collagen-market">projected</a> to hit $5.2 billion by 2025 and climb to around $9.1 billion by 2035, growing at a steady 5.8 per cent CAGR. From beauty to beverages, the demand shows no sign of slowing.</p><p>Whether or not collagen actually turns back the clock, it has nailed the vibe check. Drinks that promise glow, taste good, and look great on Instagram were always going to catch on. For a generation chasing wellness with a side of fun, collagen has found its sweet spot, and right now it is shining brighter than a glassy-skin filter.</p>

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Brace yourselves, now collagen is coming for cafe menus

<p>I never understood the hype around <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/insulated-water-bottle-stanley-cup-alternatives">Stanley Cups</a>. It doesn’t matter what vessel holds my water, because I’m a dehydrated diva who finds having eight glasses a day rather challenging. A jumbo pink tumbler is hardly going to change that.</p><p>This trait also prevents me from being the target consumer for actor Bhumi Pedneker and her sister Samiksha’s new aqua brand, Backbay, which launches this month. Its core product is mineral- and electrolyte-rich water sourced from the Himalayas, sold sustainably in a paper carton and sealed with a bio cap. The product is branded as ‘more than water’; initial public feedback (re: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/BollyBlindsNGossip/comments/1mml7pu/bhumi_pednekar_thinks_200_water_is_accessible/">Bollywood subreddits</a>) forebodes that the brand might just have a testing time justifying its premium positioning (750ml at ₹200).</p><p>The jury is still out on that, but the growing number of functional beverage players in the Indian market clearly points to an existing cohort of seasoned sippers who, unlike me, are into advanced hydration. Back in 2019, Vadodara-based brand Evocus launched alkaline-infused black water that promises improved detoxification and gut health—yes, the water is actually black. This year it expanded its portfolio to include Hydration IV, an electrolyte drink with zero sugar or caffeine, in flavours like yuzu and tangerine. Unilever’s offering to this market, Liquid IV, launched in India this year with a similar variety of fruity flavours and a promise of enhanced hydration.</p><p>Then, there’s Aquatein, founded by Mitisha Mehta and Ananth B Prabhala, which introduced India to its first <a href="https://thenodmag.com/content/protein-snacks-in-india-healthy">protein water</a> in 2018. Soya-detesting vegetarians struggling to meet their daily protein intake could now increase it by at least 21 grams with something as basic as a bottle of water.</p><p>“Initially, the overall protein market was very focused on powders for bodybuilders and gym goers, where there was a lot of negative connotation towards protein itself because of the powder format. Even today, I think it’s not busted completely. On the other hand, beverages were either sugar- or taste-based. No one wanted to move beyond that and see if the Indian audience wants to accept fortification or something better in the nutrition and beverage format,” says Prabhala about Aquatein’s inception. Co-founder Mehta adds: “I remember a day when we were walking in Foodhall’s beverage section and wondering: what if there was an aisle of just healthy, functional beverages?”</p><p>Seems like Aquatein was onto something, because fast-forward to 2024, and the Indian protein water market generated a whopping revenue of $43.2 million, an amount expected to reach $74.6 million by 2030. “People’s acceptance of beverages is much faster and better, especially in a tropical country like ours, where the majority of the time we spend in the heat,” says Prabhala.</p><p>Somewhere, a gym bro reading this is shuddering at the thought of swapping his boiled eggs or chicken for protein water.</p><p>Prabhala and Mehta were ready for the initial scepticism; you can’t take the road not taken without some pluck. “There is a fear factor in Indian consumers over whether what brands claim is actually there. Acceptance of innovation is often a question mark, no matter the industry. ‘They’re trying to replace my food’—that’s the first myth every consumer starts off with, because that’s what the West did; they had protein shakes as meal replacements. But Aquatein supplements a healthy diet; we’re not here to replace it,” they explain. The brand’s latest launch is collagen water, born from the lack of vegetarian-friendly collagen supplements and tapping into our obsession with great skin, hair, and nails.</p><p>Electrolytes, by comparison, have been around for longer, but their customer base until recently was confined to a niche athletic set. Sohrab Khushrushahi, a Mumbai-based fitness trainer and co-founder at Func. Lab, a new nutraceutical brand, shares that electrolytes tend to be associated with athletes or those who play a regular sport, but just by virtue of being humans who sweat daily, especially in humid cities like Mumbai, we all need it in some capacity. “When you sweat, you don’t just let water out of the system but also essential minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium. They need to be replenished in the system, and that doesn’t come back from just plain water but through electrolytes,” adds Khushrushahi. Along with protein supplements, Func. Lab has a range of fruit-flavoured electrolytes that are sugar-free, kid-friendly, and science-backed.</p><p>Brand launches aside, what’s the larger narrative behind water’s rebrand? While we indulge our obsession with trendy water tumblers with a misplaced centre of gravity, maybe it’s also finally dawned on us that it’s what inside that counts. Self-optimisation is moving out of fitness circles and into the mainstream, and it’s natural that the basic amenity gets co-opted as well. “People are waking up to the idea of performing better and not only in terms of sports. I’m speaking about life in general—being more active at work, being more active with their kids. Covid-19 helped that process; everyone started taking their health a little seriously and are now willing to spend on it,” adds Khushrushani.</p><p>Premium hydration, not in terms of price but quality and benefits, feels like part of a personal upgrade or private access to a members-only club where wellness is the ultimate status symbol. As Mehta puts it, it gives you an ‘edge’, perhaps in a way that cold water plunges and red light therapy are deemed cool, aspirational activities.</p><p>We now know more about our bodies’ needs than ever before, and that’s a good thing. The flip side is when it becomes an obsession with wellness and using products as a status marker. Nicole Linhares Kedia, a sports nutritionist and integrated health coach from Mumbai, observes: “Water is being marketed not just for hydration but as a way to signal a healthy, high-performance lifestyle. It pushes the idea that peak well-being can be conveniently bought rather than built through daily habits.” Bengaluru-based fitness instructor Darshan is of a similar opinion, adding that functional drinks can give you an inflated sense of actually doing something for your health instead of getting your steps in and maintaining a balanced diet.</p><p>Before making up your mind about this new entrant jostling for space in the endless new-age wellness vocabulary, it’s worth asking: are you truly seeking self-optimisation or do you need a self-check?</p>

A representative image for electrolytes—the latest trend in health drinks

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Is it over for regular, filtered water?

Overheard At The Gym

<p>There was a time when the ultimate bridal skincare flex was a 10-step routine and a sheet mask that promised “glass skin.” Now? It’s a drip bag hanging elegantly by your hotel bed. Welcome to the new age of wedding prep—where brides are swapping collagen creams for coenzymes, and the real glow-up starts not in your vanity kit, but in your bloodstream. IV therapies are the new bridal glow-up. It’s like feeding your cells a super smoothie—except directly into your bloodstream, so nothing gets lost in digestion. This glow up speaks to brides who want to arrive at their pheras radiant, revived, and fully recharged and one that proves: the most effective kind of luxury is the kind that actually works.</p><p><img src="https://assets.thenodmag.com/website-assets/TWC_REVIV_7021deea9e.png" alt="Reviv, The Nod Mag|caption|"></p><p>Once reserved for biohackers and jet-setters, IV drips are now a pre-wedding essential. And leading the charge is the global wellness brand REVIV, whose curated suite of IV therapies and booster shots has become the quiet heroes of bridal prep. Their approach is simple: treat the cause, not just the symptoms.</p><p>Need deep hydration after a month of caffeine and fittings? Book the Hydromax—an electrolyte-rich IV designed to replenish, revive, and keep you glowing from sangeet to vidaai.</p><p>Or there’s Vitaglow, a cult-favourite glutathione drip that detoxifies the body, boosts cellular health, and delivers that lit-from-within clarity brides swear by. It’s the kind of glow no highlighter can replicate.</p><p>And then there’s NAD+, the IV that does the most. This coenzyme-powered infusion supports DNA repair, mental clarity, energy levels, and inflammation—all the things brides need when running on adrenaline and four hours of sleep. It’s not just anti-ageing—it’s anti-exhaustion, anti-burnout, and very pro-camera-close-up.</p><p>Short on time? Enter Vitaboost—a potent glutathione booster shot that works as a pre-function pick-me-up or mid-week maintenance between drips. Think of it as bridal wellness in under five minutes.</p><p><img src="https://assets.thenodmag.com/website-assets/TWC_REVIV_ee3004218a.png" alt="Reviv, The Nod Mag|caption|"></p><p>Together, these therapies reshape the pre-wedding ritual. REVIV’s approach isn’t about crash-cleansing before the big day—it’s about layering in real, functional self-care throughout your journey. Book a NAD+ session two weeks before the wedding. Slip in a Vitaglow drip after your final lehenga trial. Keep a Vitaboost vial ready for the morning of your mehndi. These aren’t trends—they’re tools. And they’re helping modern brides walk into their weddings looking incredible, feeling unstoppable, and functioning at their absolute best.</p><p>Because this time, it’s not just about how good you look walking down the aisle. It’s about how strong, clear-headed, and glowing you feel while doing it. This is what REVIV’s quiet luxury is all about—one that works beneath the surface, but shows up where it matters most.</p>

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The bridal glow-up goes clinical: Inside the science of wedding-ready wellness 

In collaboration with Reviv

<p>I’ll try just about any beauty treatment that promises to transform my skin overnight. So, when the Bio Dance Deep Collagen mask started dominating my social feed with the promise of plump, dewy skin by morning, I knew resistance was futile. This overnight collagen mask had me at “wake up glowing”—but nobody warned me about the slippery journey ahead.</p><h2>Flight of fancy (and failure)</h2><p>My first attempt at using this viral sensation came during what I thought was a stroke of genius—an overnight flight to Europe. “I’ll arrive looking refreshed instead of like a dehydrated prune,” I reasoned, as I applied the cool gel-like, two-piece mask across my face somewhere over the Atlantic. I briefly debated whether I’d look unhinged to the flight attendants or my aisle mate—this wasn’t exactly my usual in-flight routine—but vanity won. I don’t usually do sheet masks on flights (I’m more of a melatonin-and-movie person), but consider me influenced by the 10 daily reels that say this is a great idea. Besides, if not 37,000 feet in the air, then when could I look like this?</p><p>Within 20 minutes, gravity was having its way with my beauty ambitions. The mask, which had promised to stay put, began its slow migration down my face. As I dozed off, it slid toward my chin, then onto my neck, and eventually made its way to my travel pillow. By the time the breakfast service rolled around, more mask had been absorbed by my airline blanket than my actual skin.</p><h2>The bedroom test</h2><p>Undeterred by my airborne disaster, I decided to give it another go in the controlled environment of my bedroom. Bio Dance’s Deep Collagen mask is, after all, packed with hydrolysed collagen, hyaluronic acid, and Galactomyces filtrate extract—a trifecta of ingredients known for boosting skin elasticity and moisture retention.</p><p>Application was simple enough: after my regular skincare routine, which included a toner, serum and moisturiser, I put the pieces of the mask on. The mask felt like a slightly stickier version of aloe vera gel, promising to create an occlusive barrier that would work its magic overnight.</p><p>Our attempt to watch a late-night episode of our current binge was disastrous. Every laugh sent ripples through the mask, which was now slowly seeping upwards (?!) into my hairline. By the time the credits rolled, I had mask in my eyebrows, ears, and, somehow, on my elbows.</p><p>Then came bedtime reality. As someone who rotates between side and stomach sleeping positions with the motions of a rotisserie chicken, I was immediately confronted with a dilemma: learn to sleep on my back for beauty’s sake, or risk transferring half the product to my pillowcase.</p><p>Lying awkwardly on my back in a stiff attention position, I drifted off to sleep. Three hours later, I woke to find myself on my side, with my cheek fused to the pillowcase. When I lifted my head, the pillowcase came with it, like some bizarre craft project. My partner had retreated to the far edge of the bed, having apparently been slapped with a gooey palm during my sleep gymnastics.</p><p>I have to wonder if my face shape just doesn’t play well with these masks. Those Instagram creators make it look so easy, with their masks fitting perfectly (while they sip a matcha!), while mine seems determined to slide off at every opportunity. Maybe there’s such a thing as a mask-compatible face?</p><h2>The morning after</h2><p>Despite the comedy of errors at night, I woke up curious about the results. The different pieces of the mask had congealed together, so it peeled right off. After rinsing off the remaining product (significantly less than what I’d applied), I was surprised to find my skin noticeably plumper and more hydrated than usual. The fine lines around my eyes seemed softened, and my typically parched cheeks felt supple and bouncy.</p><p>According to the product claims, this is thanks to the mask’s collagen peptides that penetrate deeper than traditional collagen molecules. While dermatologists agree that topical collagen molecules are typically too large to penetrate the skin barrier, the hydrolysed versions in this formula are engineered to be more bioavailable. The hyaluronic acid had done its job too, holding moisture in my skin despite my best efforts to transfer it to my bedding.</p><p>What makes this mask worth the overnight gymnastics is how it addresses multiple skin concerns simultaneously. The mask’s formula contains niacinamide, which helps regulate sebum production while strengthening the skin barrier. While I can’t verify this claim scientifically, I did notice a sustained bounce to my cheeks that lasted well into the following evening, suggesting some longer-term benefits beyond simple hydration.</p><h2>The verdict</h2><p>Would I sleep in the Bio Dance Deep Collagen mask again? Absolutely—but with some strategic modifications. Next time, I'll apply it earlier in the evening and let it absorb for a few hours before bed. I’ll also skip trying to use it during air travel entirely (sorry, row 27, seats A through C).</p><p>For the slip-sliding inconvenience, I’d give this a 5/10. For the morning-after results? A much more impressive 9/10. Just remember: beauty sleep takes on a whole new meaning when it involves navigating a face full of gel through the night.</p>

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Every thought I had while using the viral Bio Dance Deep Collagen mask

<p>When Lewis Carroll’s Alice drank a bottled liquid and shrank, then ate cake and grew to an enormous size, it was fantasy. But if social media influencers and ads are to be believed, there are drinks out there that claim to magically change how you look.</p><p>Welcome to the weird wonderland of beauty drinks that promise healthy, glowing, plump skin with reduced blemishes and wrinkles in just a few weeks—all while tasting delicious. These beverages fall under a category relatively new to India, called nutricosmetics. Expanding on the idea of beauty from within, they are mixtures of vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids, and minerals, and mostly target skin health, although some focus on hair and other aspects. Everything from skin-tightening (collagen peptides) to increased hydration (hyaluronic acid) is available in a powder to be mixed into a drink.  The most popular are collagen powders, which claim to replenish the naturally occurring collagen in our body that we lose as we age.</p><p>Many of these brands claim their products are made of botanical extracts, adding to their natural-beauty-from-within cred. Take Vibha Harish’s plant-based supplement brand, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cosmixwellness/">Cosmix</a>, which recently made it to <i>Shark Tank India</i>. One of her first products was Feel Good Skin, a blend of watermelon, pineapple, bamboo shoot, burdock root, gotu kola (Brahmi), maqui berry, and monk fruit. “It contains adaptogens, which target the root cause of common skin concerns such as acne, hyperpigmentation, and dullness,” she explains. In testimonials on her website, users share that their oily skin, hormonal acne, and rosacea have seen considerable improvements. None of this is radically different from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or Ayurveda, both of which are based on an inside-out approach: what you consume is reflected in your appearance. So why are these drinks all the rage now? The short answer is they’re a shortcut.</p><blockquote><p>Few people have time for a 10-step skincare routine...So, when the solution comes in a quick and tasty drink, it feels like magic.</p></blockquote><p>Think modern living and you immediately think of stress, pollution, poor work-life balance, lack of sleep, and erratic diets and mealtimes. All of this takes a huge toll on our skin, and few people have time for a 10-step skincare routine. Even people who create content for Insta and TikTok skip a few steps. So, when the solution comes in a quick and tasty drink, it feels like magic.</p><p>And the numbers add up. Multiple studies and reports predict a stratospheric rise in the nutricosmetics market. A <a href="https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/report/global-beauty-ingestible-market/1049">2023 report</a> from Insight Ace Analytic says, “The Beauty Ingestible Market Size is valued at US$3.56 billion in 2022 and is predicted to reach US$9.22 billion by the year 2031.” It explains why there seems to be a new nutricosmetics brand on almost every retail website every other day. Even in brick-and-mortar pharmacies, the shelves are crowded with effervescent tablets listing ingredients such as glutathione and collagen and vitamin C powders, all claiming to solve everything from loose skin to pigmentation.</p><p>The claims have their detractors. “Ingestible supplements rely heavily on marketing hype rather than solid scientific evidence,” says Dr Anjali Mahto, a cosmetic dermatologist practising in Harley Street, London. “Many supplements contain common vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can be easily obtained through a balanced diet. True improvements in skin health are more likely to come from consistent skincare habits, including a healthy diet, proper hydration, sun protection, and the use of evidence-based topical treatments.</p><p>But while most people focus on asking <i>if</i> these concoctions work, what they should consider is <i>how</i> they work. The problem is that most of what we drink is digested and/or flushed out long before it can enter the bloodstream, which is the main conduit for the supplements to do the heavy lifting. Dr Kiran Sethi of Isya Aesthetics in Delhi elaborates, “Ideally, you want to take supplements designed to be absorbed—so you need better bioavailability, better absorption, something that doesn’t get flushed out immediately.</p><p>Since the approach is inside-out, improving and maintaining gut health is certainly key to ensuring these supplements work for you. The good news is that many nutricosmetics brands are working on this aspect as well. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gunambeauty/">Gunam Beauty</a>, for example, has just launched its Golden Glow Blend. The primary ingredients of this powder mix are “fresh turmeric juice powder and curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, known for its anti-inflammatory and immunity-boosting properties,” says founder Elizabeth Isaac. “We added trikatu, the Ayurvedic blend of ginger, black pepper, and long pepper, also known as the ‘three bitters’, which boosts the absorption of curcumin and promotes healthy digestion, improving the gut-skin axis.”</p><p>The finer details matter—for example, always pick hydrolysed collagen because its smaller molecules enable better absorption. Dr Sethi points out, “Ingestible collagen is not going to [fully] replace the collagen you lose through natural ageing, but it does improve elasticity. A few studies have shown some lost collagen does come back, but not all. Otherwise, we would all look like we are 20 when we are 50.”</p><p>The bottom line? If you like beauty drinks, have them; just choose wisely. Most of us have some version of a nutricosmetic on our kitchen counters because it’s so easy and it feels like something we can control, which, in today’s world of multiple challenges, can feel really freeing. And that’s not a bad thing at all.</p>

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