Katrina Kaif opens up on post-pregnancy and motherhood: ‘Looking my best is now about feeling my best’

Dubai: Katrina Kaif says becoming a mother has changed how she thinks about beauty, and how she treats her own skin.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter India about her brand Kay Beauty's move into skincare, the actor opened up about her post-pregnancy skin, her daily habits, and why she has to make herself switch off. Her comments come days after her postpartum appearance drew body-shaming comments online.

'A really tricky time'

Kaif said pregnancy left her skin more reactive than before, and she had to relearn what suited it.

"Post-pregnancy, my skin became even more sensitive, so it was a really tricky time because I had to understand what products were working for me. I found myself looking for products that felt soothing, calming and restorative," she said.

How her idea of beauty has changed

Kaif started out as a model before moving into films, and she said the expectations she faced then were very different.

"It's changed a lot. When I started out early through my modelling and acting career, there were a lot of stereotypes about what the beauty standards were. Now for me, looking my best is really about feeling my best, and that comes from taking care of myself as a whole."

The habits she swears by

Asked what makes the most difference, she listed routines that have little to do with products.

"A healthy diet, keeping the inflammation in your body under control, staying active, meditation, a phone-free daily hour of your morning and getting natural light first thing in the morning. It all makes a huge difference to how I feel, and ultimately how my skin behaves. I think when you feel healthy, that confidence naturally reflects on the outside."

Learning to switch off

For someone juggling films and a business, rest does not come naturally, she admitted.

"Having downtime with your family and friends always helps you find your centre. For me, I have to discipline myself to switch off sometimes. It's ingrained in me to constantly be working and creating something, whether with films or with Kay Beauty, so learning to have moments where you disconnect is important to recharge and reset."

She added that quiet has become harder to find. "In today's fast-paced world where there is limitless information and entertainment available through digital mediums, creating moments of stillness and quiet for the mind to be calm is important."

The backdrop to her comments

Kaif and husband Vicky Kaushal, who welcomed their son Vihaan in November 2025, appeared together at the Ambani family's Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Mumbai. Photographs from the evening prompted body-shaming comments about her weight.

Fans pushed back, as did Pakistani actor Ali Zafar, her co-star in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, who questioned why men feel entitled to judge women's bodies against standards they have created. Salman Khan also addressed postpartum weight trolling during Bigg Boss 20's Weekend Ka Vaar, and a radio presenter has since apologised to Kaif for remarks about her appearance.

Kaif did not address the comments directly in the interview.