Behind The Beauty with Naimita Jagasia
- Apr 25
- 7 min read
For Naimita Jagasia, content creator and pastry chef and founder at Ode To Gaia, leisure is very much a way of life. And as it turns out, it is exactly what has helped her look and feel her best (and transform her skin, body and hair in the process), while creating content that encompasses beauty, wellness, food and fashion for her 27K+ strong community on Instagram.
So, who in her own words, is Naimita?
“It might sound strange, but the truth is that I don’t really know yet,” she tells me. “I am still figuring that part out — I don’t think I can be put in a box (I tried to do this for so long and never succeeded). I’ve always been drawn to multiple career paths, different interests that have nothing to do with the other and a range of experiences. There’s so much of life that I want to experience. I am always open to the idea of new things and reinventing myself every few years.”
After deciding that she wanted to learn how to make footwear, Naimita spent a few years in the UK before coming back to India. “Once I was back home, however, I realized that I didn’t want to get into that after all — it was unsustainable and not environmentally friendly,” she shares. “Around this time, I was baking for fun (which I am really fucking good at, by the way) and documenting my journey on Instagram. That started getting me orders for my desserts. When I began showing up on camera for it, brands started approaching me because they wanted me to wear a product of theirs or feature it in my videos. That, then, led me to the world of content creation, and that is where I am at right now.”
Below, she shares more on the philosophy that drives her passion for beauty and living (really, really) well, the exact products she uses to achieve that absolutely ethereal glow, the brands she loves and — my favorite — the smoothie recipe that you need for everything from PCOS to hairfall, and in between.
What does a typical day in your life look like?
I love starting my day on a super positive note – stretches, workouts, lymphatic drainage, the works. This is followed by time spent setting intentions, talking to the universe and cuddling my cat. I drink jeera methi water first thing when I wake up, followed by soaked raisins and an amla shot with kalonji oil (as someone who dealt with inflammation for years, this has been so good for me). I have to have thirty grams of protein and veggies first thing in the morning as well — this one is an absolute non-negotiable for me. Next, I head to either pilates or the gym, and then to work at the bakery. I try to read a book in the afternoon. Evenings are reserved for creator events – usually there’s a new restaurant launch or a brand is showcasing their new collection. I also make sure to get in about fifteen thousand steps per day.
I’ll end my day with a face massage, a long shower with magnesium and lavender that helps with relaxing and destressing the mind and body so much, along with an extensive ten step bodycare routine (yes, really). It sounds chill and it is — very intentionally so. I have consciously decided to be single and child-free and dedicate the next couple of years of my life to having the most insane glow-up and this is how I do it.
What does your beauty routine look like? Would you consider yourself to be a beauty maximalist or minimalist?
Oh, I am very much a beauty maximalist; I would have loved to be minimalist but I am always trying new products and trying to enhance its potential. My skincare routine is always changing and really depends on how my skin is feeling and what it needs on that.
I love the Youth To The People Kale + Green Tea Spinach Vitamins Superfood Face Cleanser for my morning cleanse. I absolute love the Freshly Juiced Vitamin Mask Cleanser from Dear Klairs — it is my OG. Sometimes, I’ll also use the Cleansing Complex from iS Clinical and the Rapid Clear Facewash from The Solved Skin. If you’re experiencing pigmentation, I highly recommend the Radiance Serum from Exuviance and the Anti-Pigment Peptide Cream from Froika. I use both in the AM, and in the evenings, I’ll do another round of the Froika.
I am a big fan of rice water based milky toners; the one from I’m From is so, so good. I also love the toners from d’you, Laneige and Thank You Farmer. I never, ever forget sunscreen and my favorite sunscreen on this planet is the Pore+Dark Spot Care Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++ by Celimax; it has ingredients that are amazing for pigmented skin. For my night routine, I use the Retinol Shot Tightening Booster by Celimax, about two times a week, and finish my routine with the Cicaplast Baume B5+ from La Roche-Posay. Barrier repair is the one thing that has changed my skincare routine completely. I also love to hydrate my skin with Laneige’s Cica Sleeping Mask before this. It is meant to be used as a mask, but is basically just a really hydrating moisturizer.
What is a beauty product that you absolutely cannot do without?
For skincare, it has to be Celimax’s Pore+Dark Spot Care Sunscreen SPF 50 PA++++. For makeup, I would say a lightweight foundation; I love how it has the potential to give you even-toned and glowing skin without using much product. Morphé and Dior are two of my absolute favorites, and closer to home, Luar Beauty does a great one too!
Both your brand page and personal one have this soft, feminine, almost goddess-like energy. Was that intentional from the start? What was the journey to bring both brands to that point?
I actually started my brand page — Ode To Gaia — first and part of the name itself, Gaia, means Goddess of the Earth. The whole point of that page was to show the feminine energy of our planet through pastry. I didn’t want to just make desserts, I wanted to show that you can have fun with it and use it as a medium to showcase your personality. I wanted to bring whimsy into what I make. I think that same philosophy extended to my personal page as well — I just really wanted to have fun and bring joy and whimsy as a creator.
I wanted to show the world that you don’t have to do what everyone is doing. The journey to get there was actually very difficult — over time, I realized that it was less about getting brands to notice me and more about being my best self and creating a community that found value in what I was sharing.
What does “modern feminine” mean to you when it comes to beauty, ambition, and the way we nurture ourselves?
The beauty and wellness industry is now focused, more than ever, on helping women be their most authentic selves. I love that the foundation here is learning to fall in love with your true self. You can have it all, while being yourself. You don’t have to pick one thing over the other and I am loving that modern femininity is rooted in self-care and community so much. It is no longer limiting, it is expanding and helping us be who we truly want to be.
What’s the most meaningful compliment you’ve ever received — not for your work, but for who you are?
This actually made me cry, but I once received a message on Instagram from a woman who said that I gave her courage. She was in a relationship
where her husband had neglected her for years; he was never there for her or their kids and didn’t really care for her. This led to a lot of physical and mental changes for her. I am so proud of the fact that she had the courage to start choosing for herself, and prioritizing what she wanted. Her life completely changed and she started falling in love with herself. For her to send me that message, meant so much to me and I am glad she found that strength within herself to demand better for herself.
Your beauty philosophy in three words.
Ritualistic, calm and glowy.
A smoothie recipe that best encapsulates your personality.
This recipe is so, so good – especially if you’re dealing with PCOS and hair fall. It will actually get you addicted to high-protein smoothies! Take a scoop dark chocolate plant protein powder, half a cup of frozen raspberries, two tablespoons peanut butter, half cup water or almond milk, two tablespoons plant-based or regular yogurt, half a banana (optional) and as much or as little ice you want. Blend, and enjoy!
Indian brands that you think merge beauty and wellness really well.
Aminu, Cosmix, Dhun and Gunam.
If you had the opportunity to create a beauty product, what would that be?
This is my absolute dream! I really believe a calm nervous system and a focus on internal regulation helps you glow like nothing else. This is also why I love to focus on rituals that calm you down from within. My dream beauty product would be a powder that you can mix in water, milk or your smoothies. It has beautifying and gut-healing ingredients (obviously) and something to help to reduce inflammation and bloating. Oh, and collagen. A blend of ingredients that do it all for you – boost your immune system, give you your daily supply of antioxidants, help your skin glow and calm you down. There’s so many brands that do something similar to this already — Gunam Beauty has a fabulous Golden Glow Blend and Cosmix has Feel Good Skin and Healthy Hair powders — but I am still on the lookout for a product that brings together everything that I am looking for!
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