They say that becoming a mother is one of the most transformative experiences in life, and for Archana Sadanand Nair, it also proved to be the catalyst for her meteoric rise as a beauty and fashion influencer. Her authentic and relatable content not only showcases her love for fashion and beauty but also reflects the reality of being a mother and a content creator. In an exclusive interview with Dyuti Chetta, Archana shares what inspired her to start creating content, her most memorable moment as a mother, advice for new moms looking to enter the world of beauty and fashion blogging, and more.
Archana, who is known for her blend of beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and motherhood content, recently shared the secrets behind her cohesive and engaging feed. Archana’s focus on authenticity and relatability is evident in her answer, where she says, “Integrating beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and motherhood into a cohesive and engaging feed has always been about authenticity and relatability for me. Each of these themes is a part of who I am, and sharing them in a natural way allows my audience to connect with the real me. Balancing these themes starts with understanding that they are all interconnected in my daily life. As a mother, fashion and beauty are about practical and stylish choices that fit into my routine, while lifestyle content reflects the essence of my day-to-day experiences. I ensure my posts tell a story, whether it’s through a beauty tutorial, a fashion look, or a candid moment with my child.”To maintain a cohesive look across her feed, she keeps a consistent color palette and editing style, allowing her to create a unified aesthetic across diverse content, as she believes consistency in visual aesthetics plays a crucial role.
Engagement with her audience is an integral part of her content strategy. Archana shares, “I love sharing behind-the-scenes moments, asking for their input, and responding to their comments. This interaction not only makes my feed more engaging but also helps me understand what resonates most with my followers.” Ultimately, her goal is to inspire and connect with others by sharing her passions and experiences. By staying true to herself and her journey, she hopes to continue creating content that is both engaging and meaningful.
Her journey from a fashion and beauty influencer to a lifestyle content creator and now a motherhood advocate has been a natural progression. Archana shares, “If you notice, my page has been a progression of my life. I started with sharing beauty and fashion, which organically progressed into lifestyle content once I got married, as that’s what my followers wanted to see. When I became a mother, it was only natural to share glimpses of my life as it evolved. So, I continued sharing what a major chunk of my life was about—motherhood.”
Her passion for fashion and beauty has not faltered in the face of motherhood, as she explains, “ Blending fashion into motherhood comes very naturally to me because people who know me understand that fashion and beauty are a huge part of my essence. It’s extremely important to me. I wanted to show everyone that you can still be fashionable even while being a mother. There is so much negativity surrounding how a mother ‘should be’ dressing. I still get passive-aggressive comments in both reel and real life, like, ‘so this is what motherhood/mothers look like now.’ I couldn’t care less about what others think. But hopefully, my page inspires mothers to continue to look and feel their best while wholly embracing and rocking their new roles as moms.”
By sharing her motherhood journey, Archana hopes to create a community of women who support and celebrate each other. “Sharing my motherhood journey allowed me to connect with my audience on a deeper level, bringing a sense of authenticity and relatability to my content,” she shares. “My goal is to build a community where we can celebrate all aspects of womanhood—beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and motherhood—supporting each other in every step of the journey.”
Archana has an enviable ability to balance motherhood and her passion for fashion and beauty. She shares her secret to keeping up with the latest trends while raising a family. “Staying updated with the latest trends while juggling motherhood requires a blend of passion, organization, and a genuine love for what I do. First and foremost, fashion and beauty are a huge part of my essence. I have always been passionate about these fields, so keeping up with trends feels more like a hobby than a task. I regularly follow leading fashion and beauty publications, attend virtual fashion shows, and keep an eye on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to see what’s trending. Engaging with fellow influencers, brand representatives, and industry experts also provides valuable insights and keeps me in the loop.”
Archana understands the importance of prioritization and organization in managing her work and family life. She explains, “Being a mom means I need to be efficient with my time. I often schedule my shoots and content creation during my child’s nursery hours or on weekends when my husband or family can help out.” This way, she can focus entirely on her work without any distractions. This work-life balance is essential in ensuring that she can dedicate her full attention to her work, while still being present for her family. “Ultimately, it’s about balance and passion. By staying proactive, organized, and authentic, I can navigate the demands of motherhood while continuing to share fashion and beauty content that resonates with my audience.”
Balancing motherhood and social media content creation can be an intricate dance, especially for a mother as dedicated as Archana. One memorable moment from her experience encapsulates this balancing act perfectly. “One particularly memorable moment as a mom that significantly influenced my approach to content creation happened during a family event. My daughter was just a few months old, and I was trying to balance capturing content for a brand collaboration while being fully present for her and my family. I remember feeling overwhelmed and questioning whether I could continue juggling both roles effectively. During this event, there was a moment when my daughter reached out to me with her tiny hands, needing my attention. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of being present in the moment, both as a mother and as an influencer. This experience taught me the value of authenticity and prioritizing quality over quantity in my content.”
The message Archana took away from this moment was a shift in mindset that now resonates throughout her content. “From that point on, I decided to embrace a more genuine and relatable approach to content creation. Instead of striving for perfection, I started sharing more real, behind-the-scenes moments of my life as a mother mainly in my stories. This shift not only made my content more relatable to my audience but also allowed me to connect on a deeper level with other moms who were going through similar experiences.” She also shared that balancing motherhood and her career as an influencer is challenging, but it has also made her content more meaningful.
With her genuine passion for beauty and fashion, Archana takes a personalized approach to selecting products to feature on her Instagram. Nair explains, “First and foremost, I choose products that I genuinely love and believe in. My audience trusts my recommendations, so it’s crucial that I only promote items I have personally tested and feel confident about. I look for products that align with my style, values, and needs as a busy mom, ensuring they seamlessly fit into my life and can do the same for my followers. Audience engagement is another key factor. I pay close attention to their feedback, comments, and messages to understand their interests and preferences. I strive for diversity in my content.”
Her approach to product selection is unique in its focus on balancing her own preferences and the needs of her diverse audience. She believes that by featuring a range of products from various brands, price points, and categories, she can cater to a wider audience and ensure that there’s something for everyone. Archana shares, “Ultimately, my goal is to share products that resonate with my audience, enhance their lives, and reflect my personal journey and values as an influencer and a mom.”
Archana strikes a perfect balance between authenticity and a polished aesthetic in her lifestyle posts. She values authenticity above all else, but she also recognizes the importance of a consistent visual style in her content. “It’s all about finding the right harmony between real-life moments and the visual standards that my instafam expects,” she explains. She continues, “Firstly, authenticity is at the core of everything I share. To maintain a polished aesthetic, I focus on consistency in my visual style. This includes a cohesive color palette, thoughtful composition, and quality editing. Even when sharing more spontaneous or everyday moments, I pay attention to lighting and framing to ensure they align with the overall look and feel of my feed.”
Archana’s commitment to authenticity extends to the way she engages with her audience, as she shares a glimpse into her daily life and experiences. “While I schedule and plan certain posts to maintain a consistent feed, I also leave room for spontaneous, in-the-moment content. This mix keeps my feed dynamic and true to my life’s unpredictability.”
In the highly competitive and visually-driven world of Instagram, Archana has found a way to manage the pressures of social media while staying authentic. She unveils several strategies that help her maintain a healthy relationship with social media. “By prioritizing mental health, staying grounded in my values, curating content mindfully, engaging with my instafam, balancing transparency and privacy, embracing imperfection, continuously self-reflecting, and seeking support, I can navigate the pressures of social media while staying true to myself.” She places a strong emphasis on mental health, recognizing that her well-being is of utmost importance. “If I feel overwhelmed I tend to take social media breaks too which I’ve found to be extremely helpful too.”
Becoming a mother has been a transformative experience for Archana. Motherhood has deeply influenced her perspective on beauty and fashion, as she reveals, “Motherhood has shifted my focus towards practicality in beauty and fashion. I now prioritize products and outfits that are not only stylish but also functional and comfortable. I remember there being a time wearing the most uncomfortable clothes or pair of heels in the name of fashion, sorry will never make that mistake again! I’ve come to appreciate the beauty in embracing imperfections and the natural changes that come with motherhood. Motherhood has definitely made me more aware of the importance of selfcare.”
Her experience has also had a significant impact on the content she creates. Her newfound focus on practicality, functionality, and comfort is reflected in her Instagram feed. “My fashion choices have evolved to reflect a balance between style and practicality. I now feature outfits that are both chic and suitable for everyday wear, demonstrating that you can maintain a fashionable look while managing the busy life of a mother. One of my main goals with my page is to change the stigma around how people think in their head a mother should ‘look like’ or ‘dress like’. Becoming a mother has reinforced my belief in the importance of confidence and selflove.”
By embracing the changes and challenges of motherhood, Archana has managed to create a unique niche in the Instagram influencer space. She combines her passion for fashion and beauty with a relatable, down-to-earth approach that resonates with her growing audience.
Archana’s relatable content on motherhood has built a strong connection with her followers, leading to many deeply resonant moments. Two instances stand out for her. “One was when I shared the challenges of being a girl mom, especially the humorous but heartfelt reality that girls often seem to choose their dads over their moms. I posted about these experiences, and the response was incredible. Many mothers reached out in the comments and through DMs, sharing their own similar experiences and expressing how much they related to the post. It was heartwarming to see how a shared experience could create such a strong connection and sense of community.”
Another instance where her content deeply resonated with her followers was when she shared her family’s travel experiences with their toddler. She recalls, “The overwhelming love and support we received from other parents were inspiring. Many of them mentioned how our posts motivated them to travel with their young children rather than leaving them behind. It was fulfilling to see how our journey encouraged others to embrace the adventure of traveling as a family.”
As a mother and an established influencer, Archana has a wealth of advice for new moms looking to enter the world of beauty and fashion blogging. Her suggestions focus on striking a balance between parenting and passion, as well as maintaining authenticity and honesty in content creation. She shares that balancing beauty and fashion blogging with motherhood can be challenging, but rewarding. She gives a few tips to new moms, such as:
- “Create a content calendar that includes both beauty/fashion posts and family-friendly content. This helps manage time and keep a consistent schedule.
- Show how you balance parenting with your beauty and fashion interests. This can make your content relatable and engaging for other parents.
- Set specific times for blogging and content creation that align with your childs schedule.
- Consider hiring help for tasks like editing or social media management to free up time for both blogging and parenting.
- Understand that your time and energy might be limited so set achievable goals and adjust your expectations as needed.
- Share your journey and struggles honestly. Building a community can provide support and understanding from fellow moms. Make time for yourself.”
Her genuine love for her family and her passion for beauty and fashion have created a harmonious blend in her content, making her a true inspiration to mothers and influencers alike.
Archana’s success as a beauty and fashion influencer is a testament to her dedication and passion for her craft. But more importantly, it is a testament to the power of authenticity and the strength of community. By embracing her role as a mother and sharing her experiences honestly, she has created a space where mothers can connect, find support, and celebrate their unique journeys. As we reflect on her story, we are reminded that the most inspiring content is not just about the products or trends, but about the people and the lives that shape them.
By – Dyuti Chetta
