The Secrets From My Dadi’s Beauty Drawer That Outshine Sephora

Before the influencer-driven hype and zillions of beauty brands hit the market, there was something pure, simple and incredibly effective. I’m referring to my grandmother’s beauty drawers and your dadi’s too! It was a collection of treasured pieces based on knowledge passed on to her by her elders.

I have nothing against the marketing-driven serums with ingredients hard to pronounce or even the chemicals in our skincare, which it turns out, are not so bad after all. However, I don’t want to entirely rely upon those and forget about that aromatic ubtan (the OG face mask) to the goodness of neem or mustard oil for my hair and body.

The secrets from my dadi’s beauty drawer and how I add them to my skincare routine

The purpose of this piece is not just to send you off on a nostalgic ride but to give you some top-notch tips. I’ll revisit some of the most iconic dadi-approved beauty rituals and show you how to modernise them for your current skincare routine.

1. Ubtan: The natural glow booster

She’d whip up fresh ubtan on the spot and use it for everything from pre-wedding rituals to daily cleansing.

How to use it: Skip the hassle and get market-ready ubtan powders from trusted brands like Forest Essentials or Kama Ayurveda. Add rose water for hydration and milk for softness.

2. Mustard oil

With dadi, a weekly mustard oil champ was a must, combined with stories of her childhood plus some random jokes that were popular in her childhood. Gossip was a must!

How to use it: It has a strong smell that I didn’t mind as a kid but now I’d mix it with coconut oil to neutralise that. Keeping it for an hour or so is ideal as it acts as a perfect pre-shampoo treatment.

3. Multani mitti

This was her favourite face mask. A simple paste of multani mitti and water was to be applied to the face during summer afternoons.

How to use it: Add aloe vera gel or green tea for extra hydration as well as the anti-inflammatory benefits of the latter. One can also buy sheet masks infused with multani mitti for easy application.

4. Haldi

She’d alternate between multani mitti and haldi mixed with milk. This would leave glowing plumpy skin.

How to use it: One can try turmeric-based creams and face masks to prevent your face from staining.

5. Ghee

She’d massage the ghee into her skin and wake up with that glass effect without any signs of acne or pimples. Perhaps it was in the air back then. But I loved how it’s a perfect remedy for chapped lips too.

How to use it: Use it as the ideal lip mask for hydrated lips or add it to your body lotion in winters.

6. Amla

The vitamin-c-rich fruit is known for boosting hair health. Amla juice was a weekly staple.

How to use it: I couldn’t realise its benefits earlier but amla juice is now a daily staple in my diet. It’s proven good for not just my hair or face but overall health, too.

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