If your morning begins with a dozen different skincare bottles on your counter, trying to remember if the vitamin C goes before the niacinamide or if you’ve already used your exfoliant this week, you’ve likely experienced skin fatigue. In recent years, we were sold on the idea of skin maximalism—a multi-step routine involving toners, essences, and multiple serums was the only way to get results. But for many of us, the routine feels like an exhausting daily chore.
The return to ayurvedic beauty routines in India. (Himalaya Ayurveda Secrets)
Instead of adding more steps, Indian consumers are now opting for a ritual-led approach that values consistency and deep nourishment with ingredients that could very well come out of your home kitchen.
The science of the Vidhi
Ayurveda has always viewed beauty as a broader extension of wellness, a daily ritual where caring for our hair and skin is an act of balance. Instead of surface-level care that requires ten different products to maintain, there is a renewed interest in simple practices like oiling the hair or taking an extra minute to massage the skin, which offer visible results through steady and intuitive application.
In the Ayurvedic tradition, the secret isn’t just the ingredient list but the Vidhi, or the specific preparation technique used to craft the formula. AVidhi is a traditional method designed to enhance the potency of herbs, ensuring that every botanical works in harmony with the others.
By prioritising how a product is made, these traditional methods elevate the effectiveness of the formulation. As Dr. Chandrika Mahendera, General Manager, Personal Care and Baby Care R&D, Himalaya Wellness Company, explains, “Vidhis can be viewed as a method of formulation that elevates the efficacy of each ingredient. When applied with precision, they significantly enhance ingredient potency, enabling us to create products that deliver truly visible results.”
Streamlining the modern vanity
The Himalaya Ayurveda Secrets takes potent botanicals like Bhringaraja, Fenugreek, Hibiscus, Coconut, Pure Cow Ghee, Yashtimadhu, and Kesar, and processes them using traditional Vidhi-inspired formulations. By regularly using products like the Repairing Shampoo, Hair Growth Oil, Ghee Lip Butter, and Ghee Kesar Body Lotion, you can bring the essence of an Ayurvedic beauty ritual into your day without the stress of a multi-step process.
Hair Care: Strengthening from the roots
In the quest for instant shine, we often rely on synthetic coatings that do little for the health of the hair. Ayurveda reminds us that vitality begins at the scalp. Instead of an overwhelming list of hair masks and leave-in treatments, a simpler ritual of using a hair growth oil followed by a specialised repairing shampoo can provide the necessary nourishment to strengthen hair and support new growth. This is a more intuitive way to repair damage, allowing results to build quietly and last longer.
Skincare: Reclaiming the power of desi ghee
In Ayurveda, the application of fats and oils is called Snehana, which means “tenderness.” This is a reminder that skincare should be an act of nourishing ourselves. Traditional ingredients like pure cow ghee and kesar (saffron) are making a major comeback in modern formats. Ghee is an incredible natural emollient that penetrates deeply. When found in products like body lotions or lip butters, it offers a level of hydration that supports the skin’s natural barrier without the need for a complex cocktail of synthetic additives.
As Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Business Director, Consumer Products Division, Himalaya Wellness India, said, “The effort is to reinterpret Ayurvedic principles in a way that aligns with today’s consumer by combining time-tested ingredients with formats and experiences that feel relevant and accessible.”
‘Returning to the roots’ with patience
For generations, beauty routines in India were inherently simpler. They were built on a foundation of a few trusted products, used consistently over years rather than weeks. While beauty has always been influenced by trends, it was previously anchored by a process that valued balance and patience—a mindset that is quietly making a return today.
This shift represents a conscious decision to do away with ‘doing more’ and move toward what actually works for Indian skin. Instead of chasing a never-ending list of individual ingredients, there is a growing focus on understanding formulations and choosing results that last over temporary quick fixes. Available online, the Himalaya Ayurveda Secrets range brings this philosophy to life through its Vidhis.
Note to the Reader: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand by HT Brand Studio and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times.