After nearly two decades in the high-stress fashion world brought ’s body to the brink of breakdown—including a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) during fashion week—chocolate became her unexpected savior. Specifically, high-quality cacao sans sugar, paired with natural ingredients and superfoods. It’s a recipe she came up with while earning her plant-based chef certification at PlantLab. Last year, Puthawala debuted Beauty Bar Chocolate ($12), a treat with 83 percent organic raw cacao sweetened by monkfruit and packed with adaptogens and pearl collagen. The Willy Wonka-esque wellness blend is meant to relieve stress and fatigue, help balance hormones and make skin glow—yes, all in one fudgy square! Now the brand’s second bar has launched, with a key addition: 100 mg of CBD ($18). “CBD works like an adaptogen, calming the mind and reducing stress,” says Puthawala. It’s been part of her own wellness journey, along with following a candida diet and meditating. And amazingly, Puthawala’s MS symptoms have disappeared. “Eating chocolate, running this business, trying to find peace—it really has healed me,” she muses. Now that’s sweet.
Photography by: Jaida Bentley