The Beauty Secrets of Bollywood Stars

published 1 May 2015

There's so much to love about Bollywood, but as beauty enthusiasts, we can't help but hone in on the leading ladies, trying to unearth the secrets behind their all-natural glows, striking eyes, and lush manes. Here, find the centuries-old grooming tips and homespun must-haves of India's biggest movie stars.

Jacqueline Fernandez

To quell puffiness and maintain a healthy glow, Fernandez simply reaches for the ice tray. She wraps ice cubes in thin muslin or tissue than gently places them on her cheeks and eyes as pick-me-up, she told Vogue India.

Madhuri Dixit

Dixit keeps her mane nourished with ingredients from her kitchen pantry. "I follow the old wives' tale where oiling hair is considered good," she told Film Fare. "Mix olive oil and castor oil in equal proportions and apply to your hair and scalp." She also prefers a homemade conditioner using mayonnaise and bananas.

Sonam Kapoor

To help cut a trim figure and maintain a healthy flow, Kapoor begins her day with a glass of lukewarm water with honey and lime juice. The mixture has also been shown to aid digestion, boost energy levels, and improved your mood.

Hema Malini

Bollywood's "dream girl," Malini keeps her tresses healthy and silky to the touch with hot oil hair treatments and scalp massages using coconut oil mixed with amla (for shine), tulsi (heals, gets rid of dandruff), and neem (antibacteria, helps hair growth).

Nargis Fakhri

For a big evening out, Fakhri revealed to the Times of India, she uses a geothermic face mud pack from New Zealand (it's kind of a thing there) to clear out all her impurities. To give your skin the same treatment, you can try NZ-based Wild Fern's Rotura Mud Face and Body Mask ($28.60).

Anushka Sharma

Sharma detoxifies her face by using neem face packs, made of Neem powder (crushed dried Neem leaves), yogurt, rose water, and milk, religiously. Neem is also known as Indian lilac and has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties that fight acne, pigmentation, and excess oils.

Sangeeta Bijlani

Starring in the original ads for Vicco Turmeric Cream, Bijlani is a natural spokesperson for one of Bollywood's go-to products. Even at the wallet-friendly price of $6.99, it does it all. It works as a moisturizer, spot treatment, dark spot remover, and even treats cuts. Not to mention, turmeric is a total anti-ager as it has among the highest levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Priyanka Chopra

Kajal eyeliner, which is made from soot but has eye-brightening ingredients like eucalyptus, is a Bollywood favorite and Chopra is a master. To apply it like Chopra, use a cone-shaped kajal and apply by closing your eye, then begin at the tip and run it back and forth along the rim for a smoky look.

Aishwarya Rai

Rai is all about the DIY beauty treatments. She uses an at-home face pack comprised of besan (gram flour), milk, and turmeric for exfoliating, as well as yogurt and freshly-crushed cucumber as a moisturizer.

Katrina Kaif

The British-Indian actress takes an inside-out approach to gorgeous skin. "I use a lot of Acai berry supplements to keep my skin healthy," she told Vogue India. Plus, I have wheat grass every day as a drink, and I'm trying to give myself an antioxidant boost with green tea just to break my coffee habit. I am on a macrobiotic raw food diet, and it has done wonders for me."

Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.