10 Skincare Secrets Indian Women Swear By to Look Ageless

In India, there are more than 19,500 native languages. This means that every ingredient in the kitchen has several names. Many of these can turn into a quick pick-me-up for the skin. The ingredients most of us use to cook, Indian women also use to look ageless. Even if they call them by different names.

Bright Side delved into the secrets of the most beautiful women from India and rustled up the top results, with science backing up the ingredients.

1. For a brighter glow, try some turmeric.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Miss World 1994, looks stunning at 47. The secret to her radiant skin is a regular application of a paste made of chickpea flour, milk cream, and a pinch of turmeric.

Studies have linked turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, to many skin benefits. Curcumin can aid in healing and collagen growth. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that prevent aging as well. Just remember that when it comes to turmeric, don’t use too much as it can leave your skin with a yellow pallor.

2. Honey heals skin and zaps away dullness.

Padma Lakshmi is 50 and does not look it. According to this model, author, and cook-show host, the secret to her flawless skin is honey. Her tip is to apply honey on a clean face and neck, avoiding the sensitive eye area. She then recommends patting it into the skin as if playing the piano and rinse it off.

Honey has many skin healing properties and can help reduce acne and inflammation. It can also speed up cell healing and repair. It also takes away the dullness from tired skin, leaving you looking refreshed.

3. Sandalwood powder can stop unwanted cell growth.

Kareena Kapoor Khan is an established Indian actress. At 40, she has the skin of someone much younger. She attributes her bouncing back to shape after pregnancy to yoga. She is also a fan of homemade skincare. Her favorite DIY mask is two tablespoons of sandalwood powder, two drops of vitamin E oil, and a pinch of turmeric.

In case you want more hydration, you can mix the sandalwood powder with honey. But if you need a mask for oily skin, mix the sandalwood powder with rose water and a pinch of turmeric. Apply any of these masks, wait for it to dry, and then rinse off with lukewarm water.

Sandalwood comes with plenty of beneficial properties. Along with being anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial, it also stops the growth of unwanted cells. It can reduce pigmentation, sun and age spots, and keep the skin glowing. Plus, it smells great.

4. Coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer.

Freida Pinto went from being a Bollywood model to a Hollywood actress with ease. Now 36, her skin only seems to be getting better with age. Freida believes that the key to good skin is hydration and that moisturizing needs change with the weather. So, on really dry days, slathering on coconut oil the night before keeps her skin feeling moist and supple.

Studies have shown that coconut oil can kill microbes, heal wounds and scars, reduce inflammation and keep the skin hydrated as well. Plus, it also has SPF in it, although it cannot replace the daily SPF sunscreen you use to protect your skin.

5. Brighten the skin with yogurt.

Miss World 2000, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, has a flawless red carpet appearance. At 39, she looks stunning. Her secret to good skin is a firm belief in homemade DIY scrub masks, called ubtans. These exfoliate skin and also remove the fine hairs on the face and neck.

She mixes a cup of wholewheat flour with a pinch of turmeric, a few drops of lemon juice, and rosewater with enough full-cream yogurt to form a paste. She applies it to the skin and lets it dry before scrubbing it off to reveal glowing, exfoliated skin.

Yogurt face masks have many effects on the skin, including lightening and tightening it. The lactic acid, present in yogurt and other dairy products, aids in the reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, and inflammation. Lemon juice can brighten the skin too, as long as it is used in a medium. Applying it directly to the skin can lead to citrus burns.

6. Coffee can tackle cellulite.

Another Indian beauty is Malaika Arora, known for her lithe body and tight skin at age 47. She attributes her beauty to a steady practice of yoga but has a secret beauty hack as well. She loves a good coffee body scrub which she makes by mixing coffee grounds, brown sugar, and some coconut oil.

Coffee has several skin benefits like reducing cellulite and inflammation. Studies show it may even help prevent skin cancer. It’s a great exfoliator that sloughs off dead cells, while the coconut oil hydrates for nourished skin. Also, the smell of coffee can perk up the brain.

7. Aloe vera can heal the skin.

In 2000, when Priyanka Chopra took home the Miss World crown, Lara Dutta became Miss Universe. At 43, she now has her own beauty line and radiant skin. Her beauty secrets involve getting enough sun in the morning for a daily dose of vitamin D. In case her skin breaks out or gets inflamed, she raids her backyard for an aloe vera leaf, using the gel inside to massage her skin.

Science backs aloe vera, with studies showing it has beneficial properties for the skin. Aloe helps heal the skin by tackling acne, inflammation, sun damage, and even scars.

8. You can keep age at bay with bananas.

Anushka Sharma is a 33-year-old model and actress from India, known for her glowing skin. Her secret skincare tip is to mash a banana to massage it all over. You can choose to shower off immediately or leave it on for a few minutes for better results.

Some studies suggest that the skin benefits of bananas include anti-aging properties, and they can tackle fine lines and wrinkles, making it a fruity way to fight aging. In case you’re out of bananas, you can use papaya or mangos as well. The AHAs in these fruits exfoliate, brighten, and have anti-aging properties too.

9. Improve skin tone with Fuller’s Earth.

Then there’s Alia Bhatt, a rising star in the Indian film industry who is 28 years old. She believes in taking care of her skin, and her tool is Multani mitti. It’s literally translated as mud of Multan but known as Fuller’s Earth. It’s a mineral-rich composition that can take the dullness off your face and leave it feeling oil-free, hydrated, and revitalized.

Considered safe for cosmetic use, Fuller’s Earth is known to absorb impurities from the skin and improve skin tone and condition. In case Fuller’s Earth is unavailable, Bentonite clay is a good substitute.

10. Chickpea flour keeps you radiant.

Sushmita Sen was crowned Miss Universe in 1994, back when she was just 18. Now 45, she still glows with youth with a simple DIY secret. She makes a homemade scrub/mask by mixing besan (chickpea flour) with malai (milk cream). This makes a coarse paste with which you can scrub your skin. For added benefits, leave it on as a mask for 5-10 minutes before washing off.

This DIY mask exfoliates your skin because of the lactic acid present in the cream, and the zinc in the chickpea flour helps eliminate acne and also adds to the radiance. Plus, the milk cream is also a humectant and adds moisture to your skin, thus staving off fine lines and dryness.

Do you also use some of these kitchen ingredients as beauty hacks? Or do you have other anti-aging secrets? Share them with us in the comments below.

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