Rebecca Perry Blog

My first job after graduating was working in a temporary ice-rink within one of London’s most popular landmarks during the Christmas period. The staff were a rag tag assortment of struggling actors, summer tennis coaches, and older people struggling to find steady employment during the recession.

Working ten hour shifts in a glorified tent was hard enough, trying to seem enthusiastic with Christmas spirit whilst being able to see your own breath was harder still.

Strangely, the hardest thing was not the discomfort or the forced gaiety, but the music selection: a forty five minute playlist on repeat ad infinitum. The compilation included such range as three different Queen songs (to get people excited), ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ (to get people excited about Christmas) and by Tracy Chapman’s ‘Fast Car’. I would find excuses to leave the public facing area so that customers and staff members alike wouldn’t have to pretend not to see me cry to Tracy Chapman’s distressing tale of cyclical poverty and abuse (Merry Christmas everyone!).

The experience made me very uneasy and it was hard not to become cynical. The environment felt bleak and cheap, sticky and hollow. The attempts to turn something cold, wet, overcrowded and overpriced into a ‘festive’ and ‘joyful’ experience came to encapsulate the wariness and contempt I felt towards Christmas, the city of London, and my personal future after graduating.

Throughout the ten week period I worked at the ice rink I learnt that many, many people will pay a lot of money to try and pretend that they’re enjoying themselves just because they think they ought to be. My role involved ensuring the smooth running of a crummy amusement, where expectations were unnecessarily and impossibly heightened, at a time of year abundant with vain attempts to invest in future memories.

As much as I tried not to let my face show the melancholy the experience was laying on me in abundance I don’t think I did a very good job. I also learnt that ice melts at a surprisingly low temperature, and that people will still skate in ankle-deep water, because they paid good money to do so.

Finally, the experience taught me something about understanding my own contentment. In the years since I have used the experience as a yardstick for measuring my own happiness. Each Christmas I ask myself: “Am I happier now than when I was working in a temporary ice-rink and plastic gloves were the only thing shielding me from the insides of 100 pairs of strangers’ sweaty rental skates?” Thankfully, the answer has, so far, been an unequivocal ‘yes’.

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In the world of click-bait attention spans and a fiercely competitive entertainment industry, few would choose not to be taken at face value and stereotyped for their looks alone when it makes progress all the less difficult. And many would misperceive that someone as stunning as actor-model Sabeeka Imam could simply use her looks as a gateway to success. “I was told a pretty face can be banked on,” says an irked Sabeeka.

But for her, it’s all about making a mark through her credentials. “For an actor, recognition and acceptance mean a lot. When a critic points out that I was ‘well-casted’ in a film, it translates as the fact that my acting had no appeal,” she tells The Express Tribune. With modelling assignments in hand, cinema tugging at her heartstrings and all eyes on her, she adds, “Artists are very shy creatures. They are loud around only those they trust. Being stereotyped is the last thing I’d want to be.”

Of British-Pakistani origin, Sabeeka came to the fore only recently. With her face plastered on billboards and hoardings across the country, she has quickly become one of the most known faces in the modelling industry. With that, she has film appearances to her credit in both Bollywood and the UK. But she was never hungry for the limelight and seldom came out against any criticism.

Sabeeka has always been one of those who want to play the “chor and the police” on screen — roles that entail character. But her Bollywood debut was branded as exactly what she always distanced herself from. Vikas Bahl’s Queen was a film that, despite its banal humour, went on to become a commercial and critical success, redefining many of Bollywood’s stereotypical rules of cinema. It was a film shouldered entirely by its female lead, who is treated better by a free-spirited, independent woman abroad than her own family and husband-to-be back home.

The film also brought Sabeeka to the forefront in an avatar few actors of Pakistani origin would dare take up for an Indian movie. “I always wanted to act in a film that had Kangana Ranaut playing the leading lady in any capacity,” she says. Initially, the role of a Middle Eastern belly dancer was what she was roped in for, which soon took the shape of a pole dancer who had migrated to Europe from Pakistan. Excitement turned into nervousness when she was informed about the change of plan. “I have been greatly criticised for that role. I must clarify that I had signed up as a belly dancer. My audition was great because I had trained as a dancer when I was young.”

Reminding herself that she is not all about looks, Sabeeka took it up as a challenge. “It was a bold step. It made me uncomfortable on many grounds. I was scared of the reaction, plus, I had never done anything like that on screen before. But had I not done that, what else was there for me?” she states. She finds no reason to have regrets. “It was something different from what I had done. I have only seen a role like this twice in films. I was not comfortable but it was a character … it was no bimbo role.”

She adds that not all’s well for a girl like her to make room in a space such as Bollywood. “I have seen how Muslim girls beg, plead and cry for roles in Bollywood films. They are exploited to a great extent.” In the backdrop of her Pakistani film debut with Jalaibee, she explains how this viewpoint pans out, “In India, they don’t generally let a Muslim get to the top. My life somehow belongs in Pakistan. I will do more movies here.” Sabeeka fancies more diverse and riveting roles in a reviving industry she joined of her own accord. “I now want to play a more fascinating role, such as that of an intelligent and strong Pakistani wife.”

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There's not much worse than waking up in the morning looking like a puffer fish, especially if you have an important work meeting or a special day ahead. First, there are a few medical conditions that can cause facial swelling such as hypertension, kidney disease, allergic reaction, trauma, dental problems or even conjunctivitis (pink eye). If there's any question facial puffiness may be a medical issue or you have other symptoms, check in with your doctor right away. When you're sure it's not something medical, and it only happens occasionally, it's most likely attributable to telltale lifestyle factors from not drinking enough water to imbibing too much alcohol, or the occasional lack of sleep. Here's why facial puffiness occurs in the morning and what you can do about it.

Why we wake up puffy

While it's no surprise that after a night of drinking you look puffy in the morning, you may be surprised that a host of other issues can also cause facial puffiness. Sometimes just the pressure of pillow up against face can cause fluid buildup. What's more, allergies or watching a tearjerker the night before can also wreak havoc, as will a super salty meal. Hormonal fluctuations can cause facial puffiness, too (blame pregnancy, menopause or your monthly cycle here). And as we mentioned, knocking back a few margaritas (alcohol plus salt), and not drinking enough water, can be killer for facial flame ups. I once got puffy the night after a wine tasting — either the sheer amount of wine I sampled, or a particular varietal of red wine was the culprit (the nitrates in reds can be particularly Stay Puft-inducing). Plus, a bad night's of sleep or even stress, such as a bout of nighttime anxiety, can lead to morning inflammation. Once you figure out the likely offender, you can take steps to avoid it.

How to treat morning puffy face

Wash in the sink. Instead of washing your face in the warm shower, wash it at the basin using cool or tepid water to quell swelling. It not only feels good, but it can help.

Don't skip your workout. Exercise not only releases feel-good hormones but working up a sweat and replenishing needed water may be enough to reduce puffiness.

Cool it. Try a cooled eye mask for 15 minutes or even a bag of frozen peas in a pinch.

Give it the spa treatment. Sliced cucumbers over the eyes can work wonders for puffiness.

Consider your pillow situation. Elevate the head of your bed or sleep on two pillows at night to decrease gravity's effects.

Sleep on your back. Smooshing your face against the pillow can be to blame.

Make any needed lifestyle changes. Drink less alcohol, more water, eat less salt and get more shuteye.

Remove makeup. Don't sleep with eye makeup on. It can irritate eyes and cause puffiness.

Eat fewer processed foods. Many of these are very high in sodium.

For the most part, facial puffiness can be alleviated or avoided by making simple lifestyle adjustments. Find out your triggers and you'll avoid looking like that marshmallow character.

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Ladies, take note! A simple daily makeup ritual may promote your self-confidence and even improve your love life, a new study has found.

The ritual consists of facing a mirror, using a favourite fragrance, applying makeup, savouring a candy, taking a deep breath and looking at yourself and smiling, researchers said. Researchers at Fordham University in New York measured how women and their partners reacted after a period of conducting the daily ritual.

The study was conducted on hundreds of women. About 97 per cent of the participants reported a significant positive change in them within the first week of adopting the ritual. For the study, women were asked to keep a journal to record the changes they felt after just four days following the ritual - 71 per cent reported an increased desire for romance, 69 per cent were more open to finding love, 77 per cent felt more outgoing and social, and 74 per cent said they were more likely to flirt.

About 85 per cent of the women in the study noticed a positive change in how others reacted to them, noting an increase in compliments from their partner or date (65 per cent), and more than half (56 per cent) confirming that others flirted with them more frequently.

By simply performing various actions in a specific order over time, one can truly alter their mood and outlook.

Rituals are unlike habits in that they are highly conscious, sensorial, and symbolically meaningful as they help transform emotional states.

The study conducted in collaboration with US-based cosmetics company Revlon showed that women experienced a positive change after folding the ritual into their daily routines and proves women are empowered to improve their love lives with a simple shift in mindset, the researchers said.

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The wedding season is set to begin soon.

And in a country where marriages are synonymous with jewellery, it is important to know what to look for. While purity and design is one thing you will definitely be checking out for, we'd urge you to spend safely and save wisely. Here are four tips which help you when you are buying gold.

Understand gold purity: Gold is a soft metal and has to be mixed with metal alloys to give it shape (read strength and durability). Higher the purity of gold, higher is the carat number (18K, 22K, 24K).

Hallmark jewellery: You might trust the street side shop you have been purchasing jewellery from for centuries. But remember that India has a process of standardisation — BIS as it is called — where licensed jewellery shop owners can get their products hallmarked.

Start early: When you start early, you have ample time to plan. Prices of gold keep changing and when you are watching the prices for a considerable time, you would always know when the right time for a buy is! This will also give you time to check out different jewellery makers and how they charge for making it.

Watch your style: You buy it just once and do not want to err. Keep a list of what all you plan to wear and ensure your jewellery matches what you are wearing and how you are made up. Also, gold comes in different colours — white gold, rose gold, black gold etc. which you might want to experiment with during the various ceremonies.

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Dreaming of a warm weather escape this winter? New York-based accessories brand Lizzie Fortunato can take you there.

Mother-of-pearl, African bead and black raffia "Hula" earrings transport you to an island luau in Kauai. A peacock-colored pearl, brass and bone "Moroccan Sun" necklace beams you to the Majorelle Garden in Marrakech, and an "Arrow T Bar" cuff to dinosaur fossil beds in Colorado.

Kathryn and Elizabeth Fortunato travel the world gathering stories of place and craftsmanship, whether they are visiting the Lightning Field in New Mexico or a beach bar in Tortola, and then translate them into artful modernist accessories with an exotic flair.

"We're not trend driven," says Elizabeth Fortunato during a recent interview in L.A., where she was hosting a trunk show. "Our pieces are for any age. We've never had a hot actress or model as a muse. We like dressing original dressers."

The 31-year-old twin sisters grew up in Wilmington, Del., and went to Duke University, where they started making jewelry as a hobby, to wear to parties and formals. By sophomore year, other students took notice and asked if they could buy the pieces. The sisters staged their first trunk show in the back of the Durham, N.C. restaurant where Kathryn was hostessing. They sold out of their seed bead necklaces with tiny charms in the first half-hour and continued to make jewelry throughout college to fund spring break trips.

After graduation in 2006, they moved on "to real jobs" in New York City. Elizabeth joined fashion PR firm Paul Wilmot, and Kathryn was hired as an associate in investment banking at Goldman Sachs.

But jewelry was still a dream. Elizabeth made pieces in her spare time and sent them to editor friends at magazines to try to slip into fashion shoots. After a year in PR, she decided jewelry was her calling. She started Lizzie Fortunato from her sofa on the Lower East Side in 2007. The first store that picked up the collection was Albertine General, an influential boutique on Christopher Street. Bergdorf Goodman followed, and Elizabeth officially had a business.

"I was sampling, producing and selling it," she remembers. "I would call Kathryn desperate, and say, I just had a meeting and they want 'net 30,' and I don't know what that means! She'd be in the middle of a trade but would go into the bathroom and explain it."

Kathryn Fortunato laughs when she recalls giving her sister business advice out of the bathroom at Goldman Sachs. (As for "net 30," that meant the retailer wanted 30 days to pay for an order.)

"I always told myself, if the business gets big enough, I'll leave," Kathryn Fortunato says. "I didn't want to wake up in my 30s or 40s and realize I never left to take the risk with my sister to become an entrepreneur."

Kathryn joined the brand in 2010 to run the sales and finance side. That first day, when the two were trying to make it work in an apartment without air conditioning, she questioned the decision to leave her cozy Wall Street digs.

But not now.

"Now we have a studio with air conditioning and eight people on payroll," she says. "We do production in New York and some in L.A. So much of the work involves intricate beading and metal work, so we have a lot of people who are seamstresses. We call it the slow production movement."

And they're fine with the pace.

"That's kind of our thing," says Kathryn. "It's not about retiring early or having explosive growth in selling. It's about having a sustainable long-term vision."

In 2012, they expanded into handbags, which have the same transporting look as their jewelry, often incorporating natural wood and raffia materials. Now bags represent 25% of their business. Lizzie Fortunato is sold in more than 70 retailers worldwide, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and specialty stores such as Ten Over Six in Los Angeles, as well as on the brand website LizzieFortunato. Prices range from $105 for Evil Eye brass and turquoise eye-shaped stud earrings to $795 for a T-flap leather purse with onyx bead-decorated bar closure.

In stores for the resort season, the Port of Call clutch ($575) is decorated with whimsical, raffia house plant details, and the Tropic Fringe style ($505) has a gold-and-navy blue palm print with gold braid fringe trim.

"For the woman who has her Celine or Balenciaga, this is something different — a conversation starter," says Kathryn.

A collaboration with Atlanta artist Sally King Benedict is scheduled to hit stores in February, incorporating her linear face paintings on leather and linen bucket bags, totes and pouches. "I love mixing fine art, travel and fashion," Elizabeth says.

On the Lizzie Fortunato website, product layouts mix jewelry, travel souvenirs and snapshots with images of art by Matisse or Agnes Martin. And last year, the sisters launched a new online category called Fortune Finds, where they sell art and decorative items from their travels.

"We decided to bring some things to our customers to help tell the story," Kathryn says. "Seeing a fringe necklace next to a fringe wall hanging, people understand Lizzie's world. That's how she decorates her apartment and what she wants to communicate to her customer. This week, we've sold necklaces and earrings online and a beautiful celestial print, a Moroccan rug and pillows we made from fabric we found in Oaxaca."

A store is a natural next step, they say. But again, they are in no hurry.

"I don't ever want to make things I'm not proud of," Elizabeth says. "And I never want to be creating just for the sake of creating."

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Avion Clothier, which specializes in men's and women's luxury shirting designed by Katherine Tsina Bird, has opened in Atwater Village.

The store offers the Avion Clothier line, along with Avion Feminin, Christina Lehr, Makie Clothier (for children), Eshelman Pottery and Portuguese rugs and blankets.

The spare, light-filled space is at 3153 Glendale Blvd., Los Angeles. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Made-to-measure is offered by appointment.

In other shopping news:

Events

L'Occitane at the Beverly Center plans to host a holiday shopping event Thursday and Friday offering complimentary bubbly, hors d'ouerves and hand massages. Make a purchase of $75 or more and you'll receive a tote and ornament plus a surprise gift, while supplies last. The store is at 8500 Beverly Blvd., No. 605, in Los Angeles. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Figat7th in downtown L.A. is hosting the Holiday Odd Market this weekend, featuring a variety of handcrafted art, jewelry, home goods and more (including a vinyl section curated by Beat Swap Meet). Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. In addition, break-dancing group Concrete All-stars is scheduled to give performances from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Figat7th is at 735 S. Figueroa St.

Chris Salgardo, president of skincare company Kiehl's USA, has two book signings scheduled in L.A. to promote his new book, "Manmade: The Essential Skincare and Grooming Reference for Every Man." The signings are set for 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 15 at the Christmas tree at the Grove, 189 The Grove Drive, and from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 16 at Kiehl's on Robertson, 100 N. Robertson Blvd.

A Current Affair is having a pop-up vintage market this weekend on the 11th floor at the Cooper Design Space, 860 S. Los Angeles S., Los Angeles. Hours are noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with a preview ticket available for admission at 10 a.m. Saturday. Tickets at the door are $15 per day, general admission, $25 including the preview, or $35 for a weekend pass. Buy tickets in advance on eventbrite.

The Echo Park Craft Fair is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Mack Sennett Studios, 1215 Bates Ave. in Silver Lake. Tickets are $10 per day or $16 for a weekend pass.

The Market Place in Orange County is partnering with Active Ride Shop for a snow day on Saturday. From noon to 5 p.m., kids can learn how to snowboard on the snow and make popsicle snowmen. Anaheim Ducks' mascot Wild Wing and the Ducks' Power Players will be on hand, too. Guests can enter to win a package of four Ducks tickets, dinner at the Market Place and a $500 shopping spree. The shopping center is at 2961 El Camino Real in Tustin, just off I-5.

Trunk shows

Hong Kong-based Marie France Van Damme will preview her Spring-Summer 2016 resort collection from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday (Dec. 9) at Saks Fifth Avenue, 9600 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills.

Pop-ups

Shifts is hosting a holiday pop-up at Nine Zero One Dec. 15 through Dec. 20 featuring Los Angeles brands -- including Shifts dresses, Sugarfina candy, Bauble Bar and ban.do accessories. The pop-up will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and will feature sweet treats, champagne and complimentary braids from Nine Zero One. For every Shifts purchase, customers will get a BaubleBar necklace as a gift while supplies last. The Nine Zero One salon is at 8469 Melrose Place, in West Hollywood.

Digital styling service Golden Tote is having a holiday shopping pop-up from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday at 2300 E. 11th St., Los Angeles. Customers can hand-pick clothing, accessories and shoes or schedule a personal styling session. Go online to reserve an all-day pass or make an appointment.

Warehouse and sample sales

Chic Little Devil's holiday sample sale is set for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday on the 11th floor of the Bendix Building, 1206 Maple Ave. in downtown L.A. Designers include Alexander McQueen, Elizabeth & James, Black Halo, Manoush, Thomas Wylde and more. Most pieces will be under $50, and there are sales bins starting at $1.

Black Halo is offering evening gowns at $250 and all other merchandise at $100 or less in a warehouse sale scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 648 Mateo St., Los Angeles.

True Religion has scheduled a warehouse sale Friday and Saturday at 5233 Alcoa Ave., Vernon. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Clothing and accessories for men, women and children will be offered at up to 80% off retail. Prices range from $5 for items such as scarves, hats and shoes to $35 for outerwear.

Apolis is having a sample sale offering up to 85% off regular prices. The sale is scheduled from noon through 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday at 836 Traction Ave., Los Angeles.

Ulla Johnson is having a fall sample sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 12623 Gilmore Ave., Los Angeles. Prices will be 50% to 70% off retail.

Crippen is having a warehouse sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at 336 N. Anderson St., Los Angeles. Prices are 50% to 80% off retail.

Opening

Brandy Melville has opened at the Promenade at Westlake, 100 Promenade Way, Westlake Village. The label is known for its "California-cool" knits, tees, denim, dresses and accessories.

Home furnishings store H.D. Buttercup plans to celebrate the grand opening of its new Arts District store in downtown Los Angeles Saturday. The event will include a hot chocolate bar, cookies, crafts and activities for kids. There will be a $50 hourly drawing between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and the first 25 people on both Saturday and Sunday will receive a gift. Customers can also enter Dec. 12 to 20 to win a $2,000 gift card. The store is at 2118 E. 7th Place and is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

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I went into a high-end fashion store the other day looking for a Christmas party dress.

I've lost a bit of weight recently and my other party dresses are a bit big on me so it was the perfect excuse.

The shop I went to is normally frequented by teenage girls from St Cuths and Kings but it was on Ponsonby Rd and I was passing so I wandered in. On the racks was a beautifully made, gorgeous silk dress, low-cut, nipped in at the waist and a bit of drapery at the front. I tentatively asked the young saleswoman if I could try it on and she showed me to a changing room.

She hadn't snorted with derision, which I took to be a good sign. I tried it on - and it fitted perfectly. I came out of the changing room to have a look in the bigger mirror and the saleswoman was complimentary. "Oh, it looks great on you!' she exclaimed.

But just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Yes, it fitted and it was a beautiful dress - but there was way too much flesh on show.

There was too much flesh and too little of the dress for me to feel comfortable.

Twenty years ago - sure. I would have snapped up that beautiful garment, buckled some strappy shoes and headed off to a chi-chi bar.

But I'm 50. And although that doesn't mean dressing in knock-off copies of Queen Elizabeth's coat dresses, it does mean, for me anyway, that you need to know your limits.

Older skin doesn't have that same gorgeous texture and luminosity that young skin does and no creams and potions will fix that. It's a trade-off. I much prefer the life I have now than the life I had when I was 30, even if I can't wear drop-dead-gorgeous sexy gowns with plunging cleavage, teeny-tiny straps and a low-cut back.

Other 50-year-olds might be able to. Other 60-year-olds might be able to. But not this one.

I understand and appreciate the luxury of growing old. I'm looking forward to getting even older, even though I know there will be accommodations along the way.

So I read with utter astonishment a story from Britain about a woman - also in her 50s - who has been given permission to refuse life-saving treatment because she feels she has lost her "sparkle".

The woman, known only as "C", felt losing her youth and beauty meant she had lost everything that mattered in life.

When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she refused chemotherapy because she feared it would make her fat.

And she refused to discuss treatment options except to tell her doctors she didn't want any change in the size of her breasts that would affect her wearing a bikini.

She told her daughters she wanted to go out with a bang, stating she would never allow herself to grow poor, ugly or old. She had been through four husbands and had raced through their fortunes, and had had numerous affairs to acquire a glamorous lifestyle.

She was furious when one of her three daughters announced she was pregnant because she felt being a grandmother would take her off the market.

She drank a vast quantity of alcohol to end her life after the cancer diagnosis but she survived. Her kidneys, however, were irreparably damaged and she required dialysis to stay alive. She refused the treatment and her doctors made a bid to the court for the dialysis to be imposed, because she had a "dysfunction of the mind".

The judge disagreed. He said the woman knew exactly what she was doing. "C has lived a life characterised by impulsive and self-centred decision-making without guilt or regret.

"She has been an entirely reluctant and at times completely indifferent mother to her three caring daughters. It is clear that during her life, C has placed a premium on youth and beauty and on living a life that, in C's words, sparkles."

Accordingly, the judge decided she was capable of making up her own mind on her treatment and was entitled to refuse it. It seems extraordinary that a woman could place so little value on life when so many people are fighting to stay alive for their families and for themselves.

To feel that you have no worth once you are no longer young, that your three daughters aren't worth fighting for, makes me so sad.

I have no idea what the woman looked like - she was granted anonymity - but surely nobody can be so beautiful that it would be better to be dead than to be old and, as she perceived it, undesirable.

And dead she is. She died a few days after the court ruling.

I can't imagine there's much sparkle six feet under - unless she was buried in a glow worm cave. If only she had looked outside herself.

There is plenty of beauty - and sparkle - to be found in the world around you when the image in the mirror starts to fade.

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Going down on your knee to pop the question with a solitaire is passe. Couples are choosing fancy tattoos instead

In a trend that is especially true of those who want to stand out and do something different, couples are now ditching the conventional ring for tattoos. Newly-married couple Anurag Arora and Vaishali Singh had opted for matching tattoos before tying the knot. Says Anurag, "Since we were studying Spanish together, our tattoo reads 'El Universo Encontrara Una Manera', which means 'The universe will find a way'. Since tattoos are forever, it just seemed right for us to get them." Post the wedding, they got each other's names tattooed on their wrists.

Inking heartbeats

A heart-shaped tattoo might sound cliched, but when done differently, it looks rather cool. Tattoo artiste Aryan Jaitley says, "A girl wanted to surprise her fiance on their engagement day, so she got a pink heart on her ring finger. This way, even the tradition of exchanging rings was intact." Getting your partner's heartbeats designed on the wrist is also gaining popularity.

To Infinity and beyond

Celtic knots with its mystic value and infinity symbol representing endlessness are in as well. Minimal, matching and as good as a platinum band, they are associated with eternal love. Symbols of togetherness like lock and key and king and queen are also popular choices.

It's all in the name

It may seem outdated to ink your partner's name, but there are newer ways to make it interesting. Says tattoo artiste Priyanka Gawand, "People are giving a twist to the trend by opting for ambigram designs, as it can be read from more than one direction. Getting matching tattoos are in vogue, too."

Numeric tattoos

If you see random cryptic codes tattooed on your friend's arm, do not be surprised. Numeric tattoos are outshining the regular tattoos, where the 'letter number' technique is used to get your partner's name inked. Thus, 1 stands for A, 2 for B and so on. Newly-engaged couple Atish Shah and Jeenal Gandhi recently opted for this style. Some have even taken the term 'saving the date' too seriously and are getting their wedding dates as designs on their ring finger.

Tip: While opting for finger tattoos, make sure to follow the aftercare instructions. Says tattoo artiste Arun Ronald Alva, "The skin on your fingers and the sides of your hand don't hold the ink too well. This may lead to fading or blurring of the design. To help it last longer, try not to saturate it with too much water. Also, avoid friction, especially with rough cloth. Ensure to moisturise your hands regularly and sun-proof it." Since ring finger tattoos tend to fade after three to six months, they need retouching. While ring finger tattoos cost `2,000 (approx.), you need to shell out around `1,500 to retouch it.

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