Monthly Archives: May 2025

Building muscle is more than just hitting the gym and lifting weights. It’s about smart, targeted action. Whether you’re looking to tone, strengthen, or bulk up, the right approach can help you build muscle faster and more efficiently. To accelerate your progress, consistency, precision, and proper technique are crucial. We’ve gathered top expert advice on how to optimise your workouts, nutrition, and recovery to maximise muscle growth.

Ready to take your strength to the next level? Here’s how to build muscle effectively.

#1 Focus on the area you’re working on

“First of all, choose the right disciplines and vary them. For example, yoga isn’t enough if you’re aiming to tone your legs, and running won’t strengthen your abdominal muscles like Pilates. It’s essential to work with a qualified coach who can guide you effectively. And don’t skip the protein at every meal—it’s crucial for muscle building. Take inspiration from athletes or Joseph Pilates’ methods and focus on the area you’re working on. Contract those muscles—like your glutes when you’re on all fours—for quicker, more effective results and improved body awareness.”

Julie Pujols, founder of the Pilates Booty/Colour Sculpt methods

#2 Add weights

“It’s essential to know your body well, and to know how to execute an exercise correctly to achieve your goal. Regularity is also going to be an essential ingredient. The more you strengthen your body, the more muscular you’ll become. Stop doing 35 minutes of mat work every day and opt for polyarticular exercises, mobility, stretching and gentle, deep strengthening like Pilates, for example. Add weights to challenge yourself. There’s no need to work out for one hour a day to build muscle: 20 to 25 minutes are just as good if your workout is well planned. Finally, favour disciplines that insist on breathing, hypopressives and stomach vacuum to firm up your belly properly and quickly.”

Anaïs Jazmine, founder of the BellySculpting

#3 Work deep muscles

“It’s important not to think in terms of speed, but in terms of lasting results. Once you’ve grasped this concept, I’m a firm believer in the Barre method to build muscle (especially lengthening). The opposite of the cycling or bootcamp effect. This method was developed in the 70s by an injured dancer and combines Pilates with ballet movements and postures. So you work your deep muscles, your posture and you never bulk up. I’ve been hooked since 2015.”

There’s a new kind of glow catching the light—soft, seamless and dewy. And this week, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt and Ananya Panday led the charge. It’s not loud, sparkly, or overly sculpted. It’s satin skin: that lit-from-within finish that looks like you drank water, slept nine hours, and know the value of a good cream blush.

If glass skin was the disco ball and matte skin the velvet curtain, satin skin is the candlelit dinner in between—subtle, warm, and flattering on everyone. It starts with a well-prepped base, a light-reflecting foundation, a sheer wash of blush and highlighter so diffused it feels more like a suggestion than a statement.

Alia Bhatt, draped in a custom pink Paithani by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, paid tribute to Maharashtra Day with a look that felt both rooted and runway-ready. Her makeup was all about that satin-skin finish: luminous, lightly blushed with nude glossy lips that caught the light just right. A tiny green bindi added contrast to the pink, while her sleek, jasmine-adorned khopa bun pulled it all together.

Deepika Padukone walked into WAVES 2025 radiating quiet luxury in a soft beige Masaba Gupta kurta set worn like a second skin. Her makeup played to the same hush: a dewy, lit-from-within base, barely-there blush, and a soft sheen on the cheekbones. Kohl-lined eyes and feathered lashes (no falsies, no fuss) grounded the look, while a nude lip echoed the neutral palette. A sleek, low bun and minimalist earrings tied it all together; a look that did the most by doing the least.

Ananya Panday, as Chanel’s first-ever Indian brand ambassador, made her debut at the Cruise show in Lake Como. Dressed head-to-toe in classic Chanel, she kept her makeup fresh and unfussy: a luminous, second-skin base, soft kohl-rimmed eyes, and a nude lip that pulled it all together.

Manushi Chhillar, draped in a vibrant pink saree laced with delicate gold detailing, made an appearance at WAVES Summit 2025. Minimal accessories: a pair of circular studs and a matching ring—let her beauty look take centre stage. The makeup was clean but far from plain–flushed cheeks over a radiant base, pink-nude lips, and bold kohl-lined eyes framed by sculpted eyebrows. A side-parted bun finished with fresh gajra sealed the look, like she walked straight out of a ’90s Bollywood frame.