All posts by : AyFa Collections

From commanding the cosmos to wishing upon shooting stars to simply surrendering to the tidal cosmic ways—Pisces, you may have felt like you’ve been on quite a roller coaster ride. And while you may have steadfastly held through it all, are you now tired of the lull? Breathe. Celebrate your tiny wins one at a time, Taurus, and create room for nurturing, happiness and an easy way of life. You are no longer trapped or bound by anything, and whatever you choose leads you onto a better space in life. Let your creativity, ideas and curiosity take the front seat while you let your chains and limitations hold back a little. Something may have felt suspended mid-air, and this is not because the cosmos wasn’t ready for you, Scorpio. It was because you weren’t. Your guides have a very clear message for you today—something you could mull over the weekend—your work, your passion, your ethos are not meant to be respected by the world. The first form of respect must come from within you, a nd the world will clearly reflect it in all you do.

Read on for what the stars have in store for you, and make sure you check out your sun, moon and rising signs for the complete picture.

Aries, you are not stuck anymore! The cosmos turns the light back green, the traffic begins to move, and you find your way forward. Take the wooden staircase and go up towards your goals—what your guides mean is that rely on old school ways of getting going with things. Instead of innovation, try out traditional, tried and tested methodologies to climb up the ladder. There is light at the end of this tunnel, and you can see it clearly. Your task is to make your way through to it, no matter what it takes.

Cosmic tip: Romanticise your life a bit and take the time to stroll your way to greatness.

Celebrate your tiny wins one at a time, Taurus, and create room for nurturing, happiness and an easy way of life. You are no longer trapped or bound by anything, and whatever you choose leads you onto a better space in life. Let your creativity, ideas and curiosity take the front seat while you let your chains and limitations hold back a little. You realise, this weekend, that life is a little less about rules and a little more about how you choose to live it.

Cosmic tip: When you are busy having fun, building your core, immerse yourself fully in it.

Done working and holding your guard? Gem, it may be time to weigh your options and really crusade your way through life, choosing only the lighthearted and uplifting moments to house themselves in your heart. The rest? Do what you must and move on. This is not to say cut off from the world. Your message today emphasises keeping what serves you and filtering the rest through so that you can make wise choices that lead you to lasting health, happiness and stability.

If one thread ran through the week in fashion, it was texture. From mirror work and coin embroidery to silk organza and hand-cut florals, surface played protagonist, ensuring each ensemble was layered in craft and tactility in new ways.

Rashmika Mandanna arrived in a mocha-toned sari by Tarun Tahiliani, marked by a fine bead and pearl border that edged the drape and pallu. The blouse, with a halter neckline fastened with strings of stones, featured sequins and zardozi work in floral motifs. The fluid drape in silk-satin fell in soft folds, while a string of diamonds coiled around her ears like a cuff. Her beauty choices featured a wavy side part, wispy lashes and a matte pink lip that completed the look.

Leaning heavily into craftsmanship, Ananya Panday’s look, styled by Priyanka Kapadia, in a Mayyur Girotra lehenga was rich in tones of yellow and blue, and hand-embroidered with mirror work and resham florals. Kapadia paired it with a mustard yellow blouse worked in botanical motifs, its cropped fit defining the waist against the gilded, cobalt-toned expanse below. Polki and meenakari jewellery by Golecha—an emerald-and-pink necklace, earrings, earcuff and a matching bangle set—extended the festive overtones, while makeup stayed radiant with a dewy base, centre-parted hair pulled back in a braid and a small bindi.

Arindam Chatterjee doesn’t believe in burdening his viewers with his own artistic intentions or sources of inspiration. “Drawing with a certain motive is one way of making art,” shares the artist, “But there’s another way, that’s like life itself, as KG Subramanyan put it.” The works on show at Emami Art, created over a decade-long period, have developed from his own observations and contemplations, essayed in oil, ink, watercolour, charcoal, dry pastel and acrylic. Chatterjee lets his canvas guide him as he freely improvises. He hopes that his viewers will take away their own interpretations of his work, layered as they are with meaning and material. Visitors to the gallery can also delve into the fifth edition of Imaginarium, a group showcase that brings together ten emerging artists whose work engages with the fleeting nature of contemporary life.

Both shows are on view at Emami Art, Kolkata from 7th November to 24th December 2025

The Geometry of Ash by Anju Dodiya at Chemould Prescott Road, Mumbai

Anju Dodiya’s new body of work is best described as ‘emotional theatre’. Comprising large-scale, colour-infused fabric panels, alongside a collection of works on paper, she creates a sometimes-playful, sometimes-haunting rendition of the disquiet mind. Layered with both material and meaning, each work represents a deeper narrative rooted in ancestry, the environment and a sense of introspection. “Anju speaks of stillness not as passivity, but as resistance,” writes Anish Gawande in the exhibition catalogue, “In an age of urgency, of constant outrage and digital noise, her paintings compel us to pause… offering space for reflection when space itself feels endangered.”

In astrological parlance, Mercury retrograde is one of the most notorious celestial events as Mercury is considered a troublemaker, a provocateur, a no-gooder. So when the planet enters the last retrograde of 2025 from November 9 to November 29, the question inevitably arises: Are we in for good or bad?

Jetteke van Lexmond, co-founder of the Moonsisters and their lunar calendar, gives the all-clear. “November is a month of deceleration: a sacred in-between space where time itself seems to breathe. It’s as if the universe is gently pressing the pause button before we enter winter,” she says.

Mercury retrograde shakes up old beliefs

When Mercury goes retrograde on November 9, it does so “first in the fiery, yearning sign of Sagittarius (until November 19) and then in mysterious, transformative Scorpio (from November 19 to 29),” van Lexmond says. This retrograde reminds us that the truth no longer reveals itself outside of us, but wants to be heard from within. “What we thought we knew is being revised. What we feel is refined,” the moon expert adds. “Old beliefs may be shaken—not to confuse us, but to make room for deeper knowledge.”

During the last retrograde of the year, Mercury slows down the rhythm of thought and language. Van Lexmond reveals, “We are invited to turn inwards, to the silent source from which words arise. Here, in the stillness of the mind, we can feel what we really want to say. Not to speak in order to answer, but to make a connection. Not to listen to understand, but to feel what remains unspoken.”

During Mercury retrograde, you are confronted with the unspoken

The weeks following the start and end of Mercury retrograde will revolve around “visions, truth and inner light, but also about rethinking the essentials behind our words and reconnecting with them,” says the moon expert. “It is the silence of the soul that now speaks louder than the voice of the world,” she adds.

Mercury retrograde in the sign of Sagittarius is now prompting us to question our previous convictions. Or as van Lexmond puts it: “Where do we speak out of fear and where out of trust?” Under the influence of Scorpio, this energy dives even deeper in the second half of Mercury retrograde. “We are confronted with the hidden levels of communication—the unspoken emotions, the words that have never been said but can still be felt between the lines.” It is a time of purification through language, of rediscovering the magic that lies in honest expression. If we really listen, we can finally hear what has always been there: the voice of the soul whispering: ‘The truth is here’.”

This article first appeared on Vogue.de

Also read:

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The super full moon on November 5 will have the most intense effect on these four zodiac signs

Mercury goes retrograde on July 18. Here’s how you can make the most of this time

“A well-cut pixie cut can make your hair feel much thicker, especially when styled with a good texturising product,” adds Percival. “I love the confidence a pixie cut gives off, and how versatile this look is.”

The same is true for blunt cuts. Rather than grow the hair out naturally to the point of wispiness, a blunt, straight-across cut can work to emulate the density of thicker hair.

Bute agrees, sharing that “ultra-long styles can pull the hair down, emphasising flatness at the roots”. Bobs, lobs, and pixie cuts each give the hair instant shape and fullness. If you are still a long hair loyalist, be sure to keep ends blunt and healthy with regular trims.

Which haircuts are best for thin curly hair?

“Thin curls need shape and bounce,” Bute asserts. “A rounded, layered cut, such as a curly shag or layered bob, enhances volume and movement.” Cutting the hair dry will allow you to see the hair’s natural fall, Bute also recommends using a lightweight curl cream or mousse, like the Hershesons Zhoosh Foam, to give curls definition without heaviness.

Elliott Fitzgerald, stylist at Larry King Marylebone, also recommends adding layers of an even length, “for a more elevated and refined curl”.

Which haircuts are best for thin, dyed hair?

If you prefer to dye your hair, try a shorter, choppy bob. Fitzgerald notes that this style will give you added volume and work alongside (not against) your coloured hair. Similarly, Bute recommends asking for blunt edges to build density and face-framing strands for even more dimension.

Which haircuts are best for thin, pin-straight hair?

Pin-straight hair looks great with “sharp haircuts, styled into a symmetrical shorter style”, says Fitzgerald. In fact, curtain bangs can create a floaty, textured effect.

Which haircuts are best for thin, grey hair?

A plethora of styles suit thinner, grey hair. For a statement look, try a bold pixie cut. “Grey hair can feel even finer or wirier, so aim for softness and polish,” advises Bute. “Dramatic, chin-length bobs are also a great choice and add a modern edge to your look.”

Still in need of some direction? Below, Vogue rounds up the best celebrity haircuts for thin hair for your moodboard.

Soft midi bob

Instagram.com/mrunalthakur

A midi bob is a great choice for those who want extra volume and definition, while still maintaining a super sleek look. For more texture, experiment with glossy flicked-in ends using a hair straightener and a small dose of styling cream. Lily Collins experimented with this style at Wimbledon this year.

Curly pixie cut

Halle Berry Steve Granitz

A brilliant thin hair disguise, the curly pixie is both practical and glamorous. Halle Berry wears hers short along the sides and slightly longer at the top, creating an airy, lifted look.

Floaty bob

Instagram.com/tarasutaria

Floaty bobs accentuate the cheekbones and make the most of soft waves. Kaia Gerber styles her jaw-grazing cut here with even layers for a uniform look.

Slicked-down bangs

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

If you’re currently struggling with thinning hair, try a slicked-down style. Hair gel is a useful tool that can be used to mask and fill gaps. Simone Ashley wears her raven tresses here in a sleek updo with an architectural fringe.

Wavy pixie crop

Instagram.com/fatimasanashaikh

Big waves can add the desired amount of texture and definition for those with thinner hair. Reach for a smaller curling tong (or flat iron) and gently curl the hair away from the face. Try this in different directions to create a tousled, rounded shape. French actress Audrey Tautou’s is full of definition and volume.

Short locs

Robin L Marshall/Getty Images

Locs are an excellent hairstyle for those with Afro-textured hair who also experience thinning tresses. Low tension, when installed correctly, partings can be used to make gaps look totally invisible. Try the faux option if you’re keen to experiment but not ready to commit just yet – Halle Bailey is a huge fan.

Asymmetrical bob

RihannaEvan Agostini/Getty Images

Rihanna’s asymmetrical bob was iconic. Here she adds a punky touch with some bright red highlights. A great choice for those with thinning hair, the chunky layers towards the front create the illusion of a thicker mane, while the longer strands at the back keep the style looking sleek and smooth.

Razor-sharp pixie

Emma WatsonDave M. Benett/Getty Images

Emma Watson’s super sharp pixie cut is extremely flattering for anyone with thin hair. This haircut lies intentionally close to the scalp, with a gamine micro-bang to frame the face.

The silky kicked bob

Instagram.com/anushkasharma

A kicked bob is a brilliant hairstyle for thin hair. It features a slight flip where the hair curves upwards. It’s all in the styling: create texture with a pair of straighteners. Alternatively, scrape your hair up into a low ponytail while it’s wet and let it all out once it dries. Heatless styling made easy!

Architectural pixie cut

Angela BassettJamie McCarthy

The architectural pixie crop is another fine hair favourite. Angela Bassett rocks hers here with the front slicked upwards, with the curls flicked in opposite directions for added volume.

The tomboy cut

Mia FarrowFrank Edwards/Getty Images

A pixie cut with shorter sides, Mia Farrow wears hers here with smooth, seamless edges and a full micro fringe.

Sideswept bob

Marion CotillardAndreas Rentz/Getty Images

Swishy, tousled and stylish, the side-swept bob looks effortlessly cool. For even more volume, gently blow-dry your tresses with a round brush. Use Marion Cotillard’s look, styled with eyebrow-grazing strands towards the front, for inspiration.

Dramatic asymmetric bob

Victoria BeckhamJon Kopaloff

Posh’s ultra-straight asymmetric bob was her signature once upon a time. With this look, the front is dominated by longer strands, which frame the face and add a dramatic layer of definition.

The bumped bob

Instagram.com/shanayakapoor02

If you’re struggling to create shape with thinner hair, try a bumped bob. Bella Hadid styled hers with shoulder-grazing, long layers in a stunning molten brunette colour. With highlights brought to the front, the cut and shade open up her face and complement her features.

The blunt cut bob

Instagram.com/sayanigupta

Charlize Theron has a plethora of fabulous beauty moments. If you have thinning hair, try her blunt cut bob, a style that creates the illusion of thicker hair, while still looking effortlessly chic.

The blocky bob

Instagram.com/kalkikanmani

No matter your hair type, the blocky bob features a uniform haircut with a small amount of layers. Penelope Cruz wore her jet-black mane with loose curls and shorter strands framing her forehead in the form of gappy, wispy bangs.

Also read:

How to look after fine hair, according to an expert

I slept on a silk pillowcase every night to test if it reduced hair fall—here’s what I found out

I changed the way I comb hair after a hairstylist told me this

Compromise—it is not really a negative or a heavily laden word. Break it down and see for yourself—’ com’ or common promise. Now, how can that be a bad thing? Its only goal is to balance things out. Its goal is not to strip anyone away from their identity or wishes. It is meant to be a midway or a truce to lasting happiness. Helpful people flood your life, and Pisces, while things may have been looking up in your recent past already, they are ready to amp up multifold. A year from now, your glow up will be unrecognisable and you will be grateful for it. You have been conjuring something wildly insane, Scorpio. And as of now, things may feel like you don’t know where you begin, and hence, you need a timeout. Space out, meditate, go for that game of golf, sign up for that class and do whatever else may feel exciting or relaxing to you that is unrelated to you being ‘productive’. Reconsider your choices, Aries. The cosmos is always communicating with you—all you need to do is engage through your presence, your senses and your eyes and ears wide open to pick up cues being left around you.

Read on for what the stars have in store for you, and make sure you check out your sun, moon and rising signs for the complete picture.

Reconsider your choices, Aries. The cosmos is always communicating with you—all you need to do is engage through your presence, your senses and your eyes and ears wide open to pick up cues being left around you. That random conversation that you pass by on the street that gives you the answer you are seeking, that feather along your path, that undying, restless energy you feel to simply take that chance, that nudge you feel to pick up the phone and call that friend—it’s all the cosmos communicating with you. Look, Listen, Act.

Cosmic tip: Reconsider your plan of action. You are being held and led at this time.

Stand up for yourself, but also learn to let go of things that will not matter an hour or a year from now. Taurus, this full moon in your sign may have got you all fired up and charged up, and yes, this fire is needed to find your feet on the ground. However, you also need to go easy on yourself and your loved ones. Your intentions may be pure, but the way you execute them or portray them may require you to land in softer ways. Before you use your words, listen to them in your head calmly so that what you need to share is impactful but with a gentle touch.

Pea’s headgear initially grew out of a desire to create distance from this vapid cacophony around her. Concealing her identity allowed her thoughts to take flight, neither anchored by the past nor pulled towards the future. When Pea went on walks, her mask piqued the curiosity of children, who wanted to speak to her and take pictures with her. But the mask wasn’t for shock value alone. Her 2018 project, Proxies, at the India Art Fair raised questions of female identity and self-worth; Rituals in 2022 drew from Mughal miniatures to depict women’s inner worlds. Another time, as part of a non-profit initiative to help raise awareness about women’s healthcare, Pea asked women and schoolgirls in Delhi to write an open letter to society, then made them reflect on why most of the words they’d used boiled down to ‘shame’. After creating multiple variants of the mask, she began sharing it with women around her, including housewives, small entrepreneurs and differently-abled women from across India. The headgear concealed their true identities and allowed them to speak freely.

Instagram.com/@princesspeaindia

A week ago, if you’d asked me about the Mumbai skyline, I would’ve responded with adjectives like ‘smog’, ‘pollution’, ‘barely visible’ and ‘overcrowded’. 23 years here, South Bombay’s Gothic gargoyles and Bandra’s cosy bylanes had all blurred into the background. What remained were towering cranes, traffic diversions and glass towers. The city I grew up in felt like one big construction site.

This changed when I met Tinaz Nooshian, creative director of Art Deco Alive!, a celebration marking a hundred years of the Art Deco movement through an exhibit at the Bhau Daji Lad Museum, a block party at Churchgate, Art Deco walks around the city and much more—all happening from the 6th to the 25th of November.

We spoke over coconut water and a cup of tea at Gaylord in Churchgate, a fitting location to relive Mumbai’s glory days. Established in 1956, Gaylord is one of those anachronistic spaces that can transport you to the past. Its walls are lined with photographs of esteemed patrons, like Pandit Ravi Shankar and George Harrison. Behind me, a piano stood in a corner.

“Every restaurant used to have its own band, its own musicians it was known for,” Nooshian tells me. “Hotel Astoria down the street had a very popular restaurant called Venice. People went just for the music.” She began sketching a Mumbai I’d never known—dimly lit bars with jazz always playing in the background, smoky rooms where art and politics coexisted. A newly independent city, pulsating with possibility. It was a Mumbai built on hope and dreams.

“Art Deco here is almost an entirely Indian contribution,” Nooshian adds. “It was embraced by local architects who wanted to differentiate themselves from the English colonisers’ Victorian architecture.”

Mumbai is home to the second-largest cluster of Art Deco buildings in the world. Clean and contemporary, these structures are a reflection of the new India that the architects wanted to build. Yet most of us, me included, pass them by every day, barely sparing a glance. If you start paying attention, you can see Art Deco everywhere. You can recognise it by its two-tone façades (like the butter-yellow and burnt-orange of Soona Mahal), the vertical banding, often in threes, that ends in geometric ziggurats, turreted rooftops, scattered bas-relief, curved ship-like balconies and ‘eyebrows’ shading the windows, made to answer the city’s tropical sun and rain.

Eros Cinema is perhaps one of the city’s most recognisable Art Deco structures. Partially made with Agra stone, its cream and red circular façade is wrapped in vertical bands and topped with a tiered crown. “They needed something imposing enough to stand at this junction,” Nooshian tells me as we watch the unceasing flow of traffic. If you look closely, you can see waves etched along its exterior—the ocean is a recurring Art Deco motif.

Mumbai is a port city, and the architects of the 1940s looked to the ocean liners that docked here for inspiration. Now, we have balcony railings that resemble those on ships and designs that look like portholes by window frames.

Of the few things my corner of the internet unanimously agrees on, it’s this: Zayn Malik is probably the hottest man alive. Hotter, since he got a nose piercing—first in 2015, then again earlier this year. “omg thank you zayn, he did this for me,” reads one of many thirsty tweets about the singer.

The current poster boy for men with nose piercings follows in the dashing footsteps of Tupac Shakur and Lenny Kravitz, the few male celebrities bold enough to get a nose piercing. But the risk (and pain, described as a sharp pinch) pays off.

“Men with no nose piercing, what is stopping you from simply piercing your nose? get to it thanks,” reads another tweet with over 2,000 likes. I tap on the heart button. Luckily for me, India has historically celebrated bejewelled piercings as a form of body modification. “Jewellery was a marker of celebration, identity and status,” notes Bhavya Ramesh, founder of the eponymous jewellery brand. “Kings, warriors and dancers all adorned themselves.” It was only under the influence of the British Empire, she says, that jewellery and piercings began to be seen as feminine. “What we’re seeing now is a revival: people reconnecting with the roots of adornment as self-expression beyond gender.”

In 1995, the first strains of this revival came from the unlikeliest of sources: Akshay Kumar, in a magazine photoshoot, pulling off a nose chain. Then Ranveer Singh followed in 2016. Aamir Khan’s 2017 nose stud—in addition to his pierced ears—only adds to what the internet fondly refers to as his ‘divorced lesbian’ look.

Now, from social media’s favourite DILF Kanan Gill to director Bijoy Shetty, it feels like every cool guy is lining up to puncture their nostrils and septums. Shetty confesses he got his nose pierced seven years ago, at the age of 20, only because his sisters had too. “They were just badasses and people in my family were scared of them. I wanted to emulate that energy and feel more confident,” he shares.

“Women are definitely still a majority but men have also started checking the option, especially post Covid,” says professional piercer and tattoo artist J’son D’Souza, who set up J’vaire Mumbai, a piercing and fine jewellery boutique.

My group chat heartily supports this uptick, as do the many women who slide into my DMs when I put up an Instagram story asking to connect with men who have pierced noses. “Send him my way once you’re done with journalistic work,” a friend quips. I ask them: What makes men with nose piercings so irresistible? “It shows comfort in their own masculinity,” one replies on the group chat. “That they’re not afraid to be a little feminine,” another adds.

Tinted moisturisers are among the beauty world’s best multitaskers. They are part skincare, part makeup and don’t require the tools one would need for the smooth finish of a foundation. They can even out tone, add a hint of radiance,and keep skin hydrated.

They’re ideal for anyone who wants coverage that still lets skin look like skin, whether you’re in your SPF-and-serum era, skipping full glam for workdays or just tired of your base clinging to dry patches. With added ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and antioxidants, the new generation of tinted moisturisers actively nourishes while giving you some coverage.

Here are some of our favourites:

Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Skin Tint

Bobbi Brown’s Vitamin Enriched 2-in-1 skin tint moisturises while delivering fresh, natural-looking coverage. This formula helps nourish skin while SPF 15 helps protect skin from UVA and UVB damage, making it a good add-on on top of your sunscreen.

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer

Made with French Polynesian Kopara, this Pure Radiant tinted moisturiser helps hydrate, condition and refine the look of skin for a softer and smoother complexion. Vitamin C protects against environmental aggressors and evens out skin tone for a brighter-looking complexion.

Makeup Revolution Superdewy Tinted Moisturiser

Formulated with wild berry extract, this hydrating moisturiser provides antioxidant properties and helps nourish your skin. The lightweight formula provides true-to-skin coverage that slightly blurs blemishes to even out your skin tone.

Smashbox Halo

This peptide-infused tinted moisturiser hydrates skin for up to 24 hours and delivers a healthy glow. Smashbox’s Halo also have SPF 25 that can help protect the skin against sun damage and prevents future visible signs of ageing.

ColourPop Pretty Fresh Tinted Moisturizer

If your skin could order a drink, it would probably choose this; something light, hydrating and slightly luminous. ColourPop’s Pretty Fresh Tinted Moisturizer offers light coverage that evens tone without hiding your skin. Hyaluronic acid and coconut water keep things dewy and fresh, making it ideal for dry or combination skin that wants hydration without heaviness.

Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20

Selena Gomez’s version of “your skin but better” comes with SPF 20. Rare Beauty’s Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer melts in like skincare, blurring pores and softening fine lines without ever settling into them. The result is a hydrated, lit-from-within finish that looks polished but not painted with the added benefit of vitamin E.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Natural Skin Perfector Mini

Laura Mercier’s cult-favourite tinted moisturiser delivers the kind of effortless finish that turns “I woke up like this” into a believable claim. Infused with macadamia and kukui seed oils, it keeps skin plump and hydrated, while tamarind seed extract helps lock in moisture. The addition of SPF 30, plus antioxidants like vitamins C and E, makes it as protective as it is pretty.

Urban Decay Hydromaniac Tinted Glow Hydrator

Meet your skin’s high-functioning multitasker. Urban Decay’s Hydromaniac delivers the best of both worlds: longwear, buildable coverage and a deep, all-day glow. The formula uses kombucha filtrate to detoxify and marula oil to nourish, making it as skincare-driven as it is cosmetic.

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