Thick, lustrous hair, flawless skin, and big, radiant eyes are synonymous with the beauty traits of South Indian women. Ever wondered what they use and do to maintain them? Well, it’s not just the gene pool but also the beauty secrets that we are now obsessing over because they are so easily accessible!

Southern India is blessed to have maintained its legacy of following ancient herbal and ayurvedic traditions. The use of haldi (turmeric) and coconut to name a few, is what keeps them so beautiful. South Indian girls to this day use coconut oil for cooking as well as massaging their scalp and hair.

So what are you waiting for? Get that lustrous hair like Rekha and Vidya Balan, eyes like Aishwarya Rai and supple skin like Sridevi with just a few beauty tricks that South Indian women swear by. Read on to know more.

For hair

The long, thick black hair we see on South Indian women is courtesy good old coconut oil. Given its mineral, vitamin and fibre-rich composition, coconut and its byproducts are the holy grail beauty ingredient for women in the south. All you need to do is massage warm coconut oil on your scalp regularly, and wash it with a mid shampoo after a couple of hours. You can even use it as a nourishing hair mask and wash it off the next day.

Alternatively, use coconut milk as a hair conditioner. For smooth and shiny hair, take one to two tablespoons of coconut milk on your palm and apply it on your hair for some time before rinsing it off. Avoid shampoos that are laden with chemicals and go for natural shampoos that have ingredients like reetha, brahmi and amla in them, instead.

For eyes

Apart from using homemade kajal (kohl), South Indian women apply sesame oil on their feet to get dark, mesmerising eyes. This ancient practice is known to relieve stress and prevent reddening of eyes as well as insomnia. Apply cold-pressed sesame oil on the soles of your feet before going to bed. Massage it vigorously starting from the toes of your feet to the heels to get the best results.

Sesame seed and oil offer both nutritive and preventative benefits to your eyes. Being a rich source of flavonoids, phenolic antioxidants, omega-6 fatty acids, dietary fibre, and vitamins, sesame oil can protect ocular cells from inflammation and vision impairments.

When applied topically, it will moisturise dry under eye areas thanks to the presence of emollient fatty acids. According to traditional medicine, regularly massaging eyelids with sesame oil can reduce dark circles and crows’ feet.

For glowing skin

Oil massaging stimulates blood circulation, giving you supple and glowing skin and South Indian women practise this regularly. And, since sesame oil has natural antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, it does wonders for your skin. Massage your body with coconut oil before going to bed or a few minutes before taking a bath.

While using sesame oil, all you need to do is warm half a cup of it in a pan on the stove till it reaches its boiling point. As soon as it begins to boil, take it off the flame and add two basil (tulsi) leaves, five cloves, an inch of grated ginger and one tablespoon turmeric powder. Let it cool and allow it to rest for a day before straining the oil and using it weekly for a body massage.

For a radiant face

Thanks to its antiseptic and cleansing properties, another product which is extensively used in South India is rose water. Whole milk is also applied as a face toner by women. The lactic acid and fat in the milk in fact, nourishes the skin deeply. Apart from these two ingredients, yoghurt and papaya paste is used as a mask for hydrated and glowing skin.

If you want to make a DIY face mask, add two cups of rose petals to one and a half cup of boiled water. After it cools down, let it rest in the fridge for two days. Then mash the petals in the water to extract its essence, and strain it. Pour this water in a jar and add two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to keep the rose water fresher for a longer period. Spritz this rose water on your face as and when needed.

Another face mask you could make is with orange zest and whole milk. Dry the zest of two oranges, grind them into a coarse powder and add this to one cup of whole milk in a jar. Shake it gently before storing it in the fridge and use as needed.

Lastly, to incorporate papaya into your skincare, mix two tablespoons of papaya paste with two tablespoons of plain yoghurt (full fat) and apply a thin layer on your face. Let the mask stay for 10 to 20 minutes or till it dries, and wipe it off with a warm and damp cloth.

Apart from these simple beauty hacks, practising yoga, applying ayurvedic face packs and following a healthy lifestyle are a few of the other things that will help in enhancing your overall beauty. So ladies, what are you waiting for? Steal these ideas and incorporate them in your daily beauty routine to get gorgeous naturally!

RPSG Group and HELLO! India are delighted to announce the first-ever South Edition of the HELLO! Hall Of Fame Awards on the 24th of January. Stay tuned and keep following us on Instagram for more behind the scenes action, exclusive celebrity interviews, and much more!

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