“I Grew Up Being Made Fun Of For Wearing Bindis & Henna…”

It's been a whirlwind year for Instagram star and all-around bad gal Sanam. From rocking her unique aesthetic to an adoring social media crowd to making a starring appearance in Rihanna's "BBHMM" music video, the Desi beauty is on one helluva roll. Amidst all that fame and glory, though, Sanam has managed to set herself apart in other ways than just being RiRi's BFF — from being an outspoken supporter on building confidence and embracing your cultural heritage as well as starting a dialogue around cultural appropriation. She's basically a life coach, but with way more tattoos and a killer cat-eye. We sat down with Sanam to talk about her style, how she finally learned to love her culture, and why she's not cool with your egregious bindi accessorizing. Sorry, Gwen Stefani.