Grandma was right! 'Old school' Indian beauty is suddenly cool again

Once upon a time, beauty didn’t come in bottles with French names or chemical formulas. It came from the kitchen—turmeric from the spice rack, hibiscus from the garden, coconut oil from the pantry. Fast-forward to 2025, and those same ancient Indian beauty rituals that our grandmothers swore by are suddenly back in vogue—and this time, they’re bottled, branded, and Instagram-approved. 

From Kerala-style oil baths to haldi-chandan ubtans, navel oiling to hibiscus hair masks—what was once part of quiet Sunday self-care is now the centrepiece of every “clean beauty” shelf. On TikTok and Instagram reels, you’ll find creators mixing homemade packs, decoding Ayurvedic ingredients, or reviewing modern Ayurvedic brands like Kama Ayurveda, Forest Essentials, and Just Herbs. The vibe? Less “old-fashioned”, more “ancestral luxury”.

The ubtan revival: When haldi became cool again

The classic ubtan—a paste of turmeric, sandalwood, gram flour, and milk—has officially entered its comeback era. Long before K-beauty sheet masks and AHA-BHA peels, Indian brides used ubtans for that "lit-from-within glow". Today, that ritual is making a splash again thanks to brands like Forest Essentials, whose Soundarya Ubtan is a cult favourite, and Kama Ayurveda, which blends turmeric and sweet almond in its face scrub.

For Gen Z, it’s not just about looking radiant—it’s about feeling connected. On social media, this rediscovery feels like an act of reclaiming—a beauty aesthetic that doesn’t look westward, but inward.

Hair care that smells like home

If you’ve recently seen someone on Instagram raving about hibiscus-infused oil or moringa hair masks, you’re not alone. South Indian rituals like Kerala oil baths (abhyanga) are inspiring a new generation to oil up—but this time with a twist of luxury.

Take Inde Wild’s Champi Hair Oil or Kama Ayurveda’s Bringadi Intensive Hair Treatment—both have gone viral for promising thicker, glossier hair through age-old Ayurvedic blends. Forest Essentials’ Moringa and Hibiscus Hair Cleanser is another fan favourite, mixing nostalgic scents with chic packaging.

What’s fascinating is how something that once felt like a chore (remember being chased with coconut oil as a kid?) now feels like self-care. “Oil day” has become the new “spa day”, complete with a candle, a scalp massage brush, and a reel-worthy towel wrap.

Navel oiling: The surprising skincare hack everyone’s trying

Here’s a ritual you probably never thought you’d see trending on reels—navel oiling. An Ayurvedic practice called nabhi chikitsa involves applying oil to your belly button to balance the body’s doshas, improve digestion, and nourish the skin.

Modern beauty brands have been quick to bottle this up. Emerging new brands like Nabhi Sutra and Indulgeo have come up with a range of products, bottling belly button oils that target various concerns like acne, hairfall, and so on. The Gen Z spin? Aesthetic packaging, minimal mess, and reels showing users waking up with glowing skin.

As bizarre as it sounds, the trend taps into a wider shift—beauty as holistic well-being, not just surface-level glow.

Why this comeback feels different

Unlike past wellness trends that borrowed from Ayurveda for aesthetic appeal, today’s revival feels more intentional. Gen Z is doing its homework—reading ingredients, understanding the “why”, and ditching harsh chemicals for nature-led alternatives.

It’s also deeply personal. These rituals—once dismissed as “old-school”—now represent identity, nostalgia, and sustainability. Brands are mixing traditional ingredients with modern science, and it shows how beauty is evolving into something culturally rooted and globally relevant.

Even Bollywood has joined in—Alia Bhatt recently posted about her “haldi face mask day”, and Athiya Shetty often shares her love for coconut oil champis.

The glow-up is local

Ultimately, the resurgence of traditional Indian beauty isn’t just about a new routine—it’s about rewriting what beauty means in India today. It’s a reminder that our rituals were always luxurious, just waiting to be rediscovered.

So yes, while serums and snail mucin will always have their place, the real glow-up might just come from that little bottle of coconut oil sitting in your kitchen. And if grandma said it works—chances are, it probably does.

Lead image: Netflix

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