#NTPeople: Nirja Shah
founder of Ineze Official
a true goddess
My first phone conversation with Nirja was when she invited me to join a women’s networking mixer group; a friendly, loud and clear voice indicated this is a girl full of youthful clarity and also very down-to-earth. Our conversations revolved around wellness, self-care, mental health issues and I noticed her deep honesty in her responses and innocence in her questions. When you meet her, you are struck by her exotic beauty – tall, lean, gorgeous – and a smile that surely shatters many hearts. And paired with exceptional outer beauty, there is a breathtaking personality that is refreshing in today’s dog-eat-dog world. What I love about her is her directness; she is unafraid to show her vulnerability, voicing out her uncertainties, apologizes when she has to, sans ego, and is unafraid to stand up in the murkiest situations! Nirja runs a very successful business single-handedly, Ineze Official, a jewellery and accessories brand in the affordable range with unique dainty designs, and a forte for personalized pieces – and boy, has she made moves in the industry! Every Indian female celebrity, hit movies and popular shows are wearing at least one piece of her jewellery – a no easy feat!
She inspires me through how she works on herself and self-discipline – she is on a constant mission to make herself stronger, work better, get fitter, and be positive. From going to Vipassana sessions and wearing a special UV hat to protect from sunrays, to following strict night self-care routines and diet goals to feel her very best – her willpower, determination and success rates is a true inspiration! Her hobbies are all-rounded – a voracious reader, fitness lover, eats brilliantly well (I have fed her a few times, and love cooking for her!) and unabashedly talks about her goals. She is relentless in her pursuit for success, her ability to restrain from meandering away from the right path, and striving to be positive, hopeful and confident at every moment.
Today, I get to be intrusive and really understand how she does it all and looks it all:
Tell us your relationship with skincare and how it has evolved over time – from teens to now?
Growing up I had acne prone skin and I had tried everything under the sun to cure it! I have always been cautious of the products I used on my face – from scanning the ingredients list, to making sure they were non-comedogenic and eventually, I only used products prescribed by my dermatologist. My skin started clearing up in my 20’s with careful skincare. I still follow a very simple, but strict, skincare routine because when it comes to skin care I believe less is more.
What’s your typical morning and evening skincare routine?
In the morning, I use a gentle non-foaming face wash, vitamin C serum, moisturizer and sunscreen – I am never without my sunscreen. At night, after cleansing, I use tretinoin and follow up with a thick layer of aquaphor.
What is one beauty advice you would like to share with us
This is based on my experience that when it comes to skincare keep it simple; less is more.
What’s your morning routine like?
I try to wake up between 7 and 8 AM and the first thing I do is drink a lot of water. For breakfast, I have a fruit yogurt bowl with some dried fruit along with half an avocado sprinkled with salt and lemon.
What is your favorite self-care indulgence and how often can you make it happen?
My favorite self-care indulgence is a good head or body massage. I try to do it at least once a week.
What inspires you in work and building your brand?
I am mainly inspired by the response I get from my customers and that really pushes me to want to do better. Also seeing so many young entrepreneurs trying to build their own brand is very inspiring.
#WomenOnTheGo: How do you balance your work and personal life?
I try to stick to a routine which allows me to do both. It’s not always easy but sometimes I try to prioritize what's more important at that point of time.
How do you deal with setbacks at work?
Initially they used to affect me a lot and I would stress about every small thing. Now I just feel like all you can do is give it your best shot and surrender. And when you are calm and patient things will always work out.
What advice do you have for aspiring jewelry and accessories designers?
Enjoy the journey and don't focus too much on the destination. It's very easy to start a brand but to keep things going is the tough part. There will be constant ups and downs and there will always be things you don't enjoy doing but that’s all part of the process.
What do you hope to achieve by the end of the year?
I hope to get my production process in order.
You can follow Nirja’s brand at:
Instagram: @inezeofficial
Shop at: inezeofficial.com
About Ineze Official:
Ineze is your one-stop-shop for the hottest fashion accessories. We are determined to offer a unique line of trendsetting fashion accessories (from jewelry to bags) at affordable prices, to people all over the world.
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