Sesame Oil

“The one beauty tip that has come down from my grandmother to my mother and then to me is Sesame oil as a moisturiser. I grew up in Hyderabad which has a relatively dry climate so this home remedy really worked. Now that I’ve moved to Delhi, it’s my go-to during the winter.” – Sukruta Alluri, NGO activist
Glycerine

“My grandmother and mother both swear by glycerine. Turns out that’s the only moisturiser they’ve used, none of the milk enriched moisturisers or petroleum jellies. Of course, we have so many options today that I was a bit sceptical about it but I’ve tried it out and it really works!” – Nidhi Sharma, Event Planner
Fresh butter

“My mum always advised me to apply fresh butter (malai) on any zits or acne because it helps it to heal faster. Otherwise, I always relied on malai to keep my skin soft and moisturised. It works wonders on cracked lips too.” – Madhuri Vaidya, UI Developer
Multani mitti

“My mother has always believed in natural treatments. From the time I was little, she'd make multani mitti face packs or curd and neem paste to apply on a weekly basis. That is something I try and follow even now. But I do wish I could do it more frequently.” Ruchika Vyas, Content writer
Besan face pack

“My mom made a besan (gram flour) and rose water face pack and for me every night before I went to bed. It was apparently passed to my mom by her mom who always said that the concoction has good cleansing and anti-microbial properties which are beneficial for our skin and would also keep acne away. I still do it every day!” Niyanta Puri, Designer
Written by Girija Naiksatam on 22nd May 2014