BY MAHIKA PANDITHA You may know her as @senurana on Instagram. Senuri Ranatunga is currently managing her family business and is a travel, fashion, and lifestyle blogger on the side! If you did not already know, Senuri also has her own event company named “Projects by SR” and she has some weddings coming up in the following year! And we just know that they are going to be absolutely stunning. Her passion is to explore places, culture, and cuisine – she also has a few travel IGTVs up that you should definitely check out. Senuri is a believer of the humble hustle – we won’t know what’s up till she’s there and that is just another reason for us to love her. If you follow her on the ‘gram, you will notice that she has some of the most beautiful images and content.Ihadthechancetotalktoherabout everything a little early on this week and here is what she had to say. A small fun fact about her before we begin is that for someone who travels quite a lot, she said she has both motion sickness and a fear of heights! (Girl, same.) But let’s dive right in! Q. We love your content! Tell us how you got into content creation. A. Thank you, that’s so sweet! At the time I joined Instagram, it wasn’t the powerful marketing tool it is today. When I started off, it was more about documenting the places I traveled to and dined at for my friends and myself to look back at one day. I eventually grew a following that was interested in my travel, food, and fashion posts. I only think of it as “content creation” when I’m collaborating with brands; if not, my platform is still a glimpse into my life, travels, fashion, and time with family and friends. Q. You travel a lot. What is your favorite place to visit and why? A. I truly believe there is no place as beautiful as home, but if I had to pick, it would probably be Italy. My family and I visited Italy two summers ago and we had such an amazing time. It was a reunion trip of sorts since I hadn’t seen them in over six months. You get such a diverse selection of things to do and I feel no matter what age and what interests you have, Italy is a great place to visit. It has so much to offer, be it the rich culture and religion in Rome, luxury fashion in Milan, beautiful coastlines in Capri, the exquisite Tuscan wines, or the amazing food all over the country. Q. What is your favorite place in Sri Lanka? If you asked me this question five years ago, I would have said Mirissa in a heartbeat. But after visiting Ella, I can never pick between the two now. Both places have so much to offer but are completely different. I love waking up early on a chilly morning to hike in Ella and seeing green for as far as the eye can see. Ella has such a peaceful energy about it, although it’s almost always buzzing with tourists, and I just love that. As for Mirissa, the stretch of beach is so lively and fun! The restaurants have the best food at such reasonable prices and the island girl in me just can’t get enough of that beautiful beach. Q. What do you love most about traveling? A. Experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, and making new memories. I feel like each time I travel, I’m pushed out of my comfort zone a little bit and learn a new thing or two about myself. Q. Any tips for people who are looking to explore different cultures and cuisines on a budget? If you’re being budget-conscious, I’d say booking ahead is a great way to save a few hundred dollars. From flight tickets to hotels/hostels, making use of those early bird offers make a significant difference. Other than that, staying at hostels (a great way to make friends with fellow travellers) or reasonable hotels is the best! I don’t see the point in spending exorbitant amounts on lodging, because at the end of the day if you will be exploring all day, all you need is a clean and comfortable bed and showers at the end of the day, and not much else. Q. Your fashion sense is absolutely beautiful. How would you describe your style? A. Thank you! I’d say contemporary chic. I love putting a modern spin on classic pieces and keeping my looks minimal and stylish. Q. What is one item you think every girl must have in their closet? A. Each person’s style is subjective, but for me, personally, it’s wide-leg pants. If you see me anywhere; be it an event, work, party, or just out and about casually, there’s a 90% chance I’ll be in wide-leg pants. They have basically replaced jeans in my closet and I can’t imagine life without them. They are the perfect combination of comfort and chic! Q. What is your favourite skincare/makeup product and why? A. I’m very particular about what I put on my face because I have sensitive skin and can breakout easily. I have a couple of favourites: The Lush Coal Face Bar is something I simply can’t live without (I love that all Lush products are cruelty free, all natural, and vegan) and the other would be the Clinface Gel that Dr. Shanika prescribed for me; it’s a real lifesaver when it comes to stopping breakouts before they pop up. Q. What is your favourite piece of clothing that you have ever purchased or received? A. My favourite piece is a Sonali Dharmawardena skirt I splurged on. I saw it on the resort wear runway of CFW (Colombo Fashion Week) 2019 and it was love at first sight. The colours are vibrant and stunning. It’s a beautiful combination of Sri Lankan batik and modern fashion. I absolutely love it. Q. You have recently been doing travel IGTVs. What is one of your favourite experiences whilst doing so? A. Yes, I’ve started branching out towards video content as well recently and have been enjoying sharing IGTV content. It’s fun because I have a bit longer to engage with my followers and show them more than I would be able to in a simple photo. My favourite experience so far was definitely getting my dad to be in my first IGTV video. I thought having him in it would be both funny and unexpected. I didn’t think he’d agree to it but we had such a fun time filming it and even though it was my first video and I’m already spotting a 101 things I could have done better, that video will probably be my favourite. Q. Any tips for aspiring content creators? A. Just three small tips: 1) Instagram is a platform to express yourself, so just be you! You don’t need to have the best camera and the coolest equipment in the industry. I started off just posting off my iPhone and most of my posts still are from my phone. As long as you’re creative and post genuine content and maintain a real relationship with your followers, that is what is most important. 2) While it’s great to draw inspiration from celebrities and content creators, keeping your posts original is the best way to go. No one wants to see the same thing over and over. 3) Most importantly, no picture or amount of likes is worth putting yourself in danger, so while being creative and adventurous, also be sensible.