Indian skincare recipes from my wedding (that work EVERYWHERE in the world!)

Nine hours. That’s how long it took to apply the mehndi (henna) at the Indian part of my wedding. 

I still remember waking up at 6 in the morning and sitting for nine whole hours while four women worked simultaneously on my hands and legs (so, that’s 36 woman-hours in total), sketching intricate designs from the tips of my fingers to the shoulders and from the tips of my toes to the knees—both sides!

Then, wait another 4 hours for it to dry, followed by the mandatory lemon-and-sugar rinse, and leave it overnight to ensure a rich and dark color. 

I think that’s when it finally dawned that I was about to get married—me, the girl who saw India as a cultural fantasy and had openly declared marriage to be the least sane of all institutions known to humankind. Well, love and all that!

Anyway, coming back to the mehndi (or henna), it’s so crucial to an Indian wedding that the two have become synonymous with one another. Mehndi brings luck to the new couple, while its color is supposed to indicate the strength of the husband’s love: the deeper the hue, the stronger the love! 

And, most importantly, the bride is not allowed to work in her husband’s home until her mehndi fades completely (thereby making up for those 9 hours!).

And it’s not just about the mehndi, either. 

India just concluded the wedding of the century, with everyone from March Zuckerberg to Kim Kardashian in attendance (also known as the Ambani wedding). 

While mine happened on a far smaller scale (only 1,000 people in attendance and spread over three days—tiny by Indian standards), what I remember most are those long, lush, and totally indulgent hair and skin care rituals I got to enjoy as a bride in a culture that elevates its beauty heritage to a ceremonial pedestal.

My mother is still convinced that I only traded my raggedy skinnies for a traditional Rajasthani lehenga (that weighed 41 pounds!) to enjoy all the beauty goodies that hold ritualistic center stage in an Indian wedding. She may well be right.

Thankfully, you don’t need to be a bride to enjoy some of these timeless beauty recipes that make you look good and feel good… the perfect combination, where I am concerned!

Indian skincare recipe #1: Sandalwood & almond face scrub

Rose water is purifying, while almonds and saffron represent fertility. But that’s just the ceremonial part. 

Indian women have revered this scrub since the time of Ayurveda because almonds contain essential fatty acids for smooth and super-supple skin. They are also packed with antioxidants, including vitamin E, to neutralize environmental toxins and keep skin healthy.

Rose water and saffron, in the meantime, are packed with skin-soothing and complexion-perfecting ingredients, like Vitamin C and polyphenols, which can erase fine lines, boost collagen, clear blocked pores, soften the complexion, and hydrate cell tissues.

Ingredients

• 3-4 strands of saffron, dissolved in a few drops of warm water
• few drops of rose water

Method

1. Rub the almonds on a coarse stone with rose water till you get a paste
2. Mix this paste with the saffron water
3. Apply the mask to your face; let it dry, then rub it off with wet hands. Weeks of accumulated grime and dead skin will come off with the paste

Indian skincare recipe #2: Heal chronic acne

Sandalwood has potent antiseptic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, and disinfectant properties, making it a treat for flawlessly glowy complexions. It’s also superb at reducing skin scarring of all kinds. Vetiver is antiseptic and very effective in treating chronic acne. 

Bonus: this paste smells divine!

Ingredients

• one small bunch of vetiver
• few drops of vetiver essential oil
• 2 tsp sandalwood powder

Method

1. Soak the vetiver in a bit of water overnight
2. Next day, strain the water and mix it with the sandalwood powder
3. Add a few drops of vetiver essential oil to the paste
4. Apply this paste on your face, paying particular attention to the affected areas; wash it off once dry. Repeat daily till for 2-4 weeks; the leftover paste should be kept refrigerated

Indian skincare recipe #3: Stop seeing spots

Masoor dal (whole brown lentils) is superb for lightening acne scars and hyperpigmentation, tightening the pores, nourishing the skin and bringing about a natural glow. 

Ghee (clarified butter) is an Ayurvedic staple used to deep cleanse and moisturize while being one of nature’s most potent skin healers. In fact, Ayurveda calls upon ghee for everything from healing burns and tackling bruises or rashes to closing the skin post-surgery.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp masoor (whole brown lentils)
• 1/2 tsp ghee

Method

1. Soak the masoor in filtered water for an hour
2. Throw away the water and grind the lentils and ghee together till they reach a paste-like consistency
3. Apply this paste on freshly washed face; gently scrub off with wet fingers after half an hour
4. Repeat daily for a week and then once weekly for best results

Indian skincare recipe #4: Traditional body polish

Used by women all over India, this gentle body scrub literally shucks dead cells and buffs skin to silky smoothness.

How? Milk contains hefty amounts of lactic acid to loosen dead cells and grime; chickpea flour (besan) sloughs off dead skin, while turmeric is a natural cleanser and disinfectant.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp chickpea flour
• pinch of turmeric powder
• enough milk to make a paste

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients into a thick paste
2. Apply on slightly damp skin, then rub off in gentle, circular motions. Finally, rinse the skin clean with plain water

Indian skincare recipe #5: Whole body mask

This traditional body mask (called an ubtan) is applied to both bride and groom for seven days before the wedding. It’s messy but superb for making skin smooth, flawless and glow-y. 

Turmeric cleanses, disinfects, and glosses; sandalwood is antiseptic, astringent, and anti-inflammatory; gur (jaggery) is packed with glycolic acid for exfoliation and humectants to keep everything moisturized; yogurt’s lactic acid helps slough off dead skin cells; chickpea flour busts grime and toxins; and ghee deep cleanses, moisturize and heals.

Ingredients

• 2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
• 1 tbsp sandalwood powder
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp gur (sugar cane jaggery)
• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 2 tsp ghee (clarified butter)

Method

1. Mix everything to form a paste
2. Apply the paste to clean skin; wait till it dries (approximately 15 minutes), then rub it away with wet fingers. Finally, rinse clean with lukewarm water

What’s a favorite memory from your wedding? Let’s share!