We’ve learnt a lot from our mothers about beauty, I know I did. They always seem to have a magical beauty trick or tip up their sleeves. As a child, I enjoyed watching my mother get ready; she had an incredible collection of MAC lipsticks and these gorgeous perfume bottles. I loved playing with her vanity, spraying her perfume, and putting on her lipstick—all in secret, of course. It was almost magical, like the scene in The Parent Trap where American Hallie posing as British Annie walks through her mother’s room for the first time, touching all her pearls and spraying her perfume, smiling.
My mother has taught me many things about beauty and fashion but her main tip has been to always try and feel comfortable and confident in one’s skin and choices. She doesn’t realise it, but her actions while getting ready taught me a lot about this. She taught my sister and me the importance of sunscreen (especially as competitive swimmers), to use ingredients from the kitchen like turmeric and multani mitti (Fuller’s earth) as face masks to improve our acne, and to take our hair health very seriously.
Every mom has some beauty wisdom to share and we asked team ELLE what precious tips their mothers passed down to them.
Sakshi Rawte, Beauty Writer
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Use makeup to express yourself. Sakshi’s mother taught her how to express herself exactly as she wanted to, by unleashing her creativity— to never be afraid to experiment with colours and wear dark lipsticks (which I think is amazing because most Indian mothers urge their daughters to be more natural and minimalistic). As someone who sits next to her at work, I can attest that she embodies this tip and knows how to play with colours beautifully. Today’s eyeshadow is gorgeous pink and gold.
Her mother also emphasised the importance of wearing full makeup when going out because it expresses who you are to the world. Did you know that makeup was called “war paint”? It makes sense because wearing makeup makes you feel ready to face the day.
Isha Myer, Lifestyle Editor
Use ice as a natural toner for her face. Today, methods of cryotherapy have taken over the wellness world but Isha’s mom has clearly been ahead of these trends. Ice has an immediate adrenaline effect but also, has the power to tighten our pores, giving the skin a firmer appearance, which is why you are absolutely glowing after.
Her mom also placed an emphasis on face and hair packs made with a mix of things available in your kitchen. For example, mixing curd which helps soften hair and strengthens the hair follicles and methi seeds (fenugreek seeds) contributing to hair growth.
Digital Writer, Ekta Sinha
To always wash your face, never touch your face, and always trim your nails. These are all excellent tips for preventing the spread of acne or irritating your pimples. If you have acne-prone skin or just get an annoying pimple every now and then, these are excellent tips to follow.
Kannagi Desai, Beauty Editor
Kannagi’s mom is the ultimate beauty rebel; she has never used too much skincare or cared about getting new makeup products, and she does not follow trends, but the one tip she imparted to Kannagi was to drink plenty of water, specifically 4 litres per day. I know it seems like a lot, but staying hydrated has numerous benefits for your skin and other health systems. She also taught Kannagi an important lesson: be comfortable with whatever you do; it does not have to be about others, only yourself. If this isn’t the ultimate beauty tip, I don’t know what is.
Mokshaa Shivlani, Fashion Writer
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Her mother taught her to use skin tints instead of foundation because they provide a nice base while remaining lightweight and making her feel good. You are also protecting your skin from harmful chemicals, and you don’t appear to be wearing a lot and well, I think it has clearly worked.
“If they can see where your makeup ends and your face begins, you’ve done it wrong”— Georgia from Ginny and Georgia.
Arushi Mehta, Intern
My mother has taught me a lot, and it’s a wonderful life cycle because today I teach her my makeup tips (such as using Vaseline as a highlighter or how to apply fun eyeshadow), but her one main beauty tip centres around haircare. She was very serious about protecting mine and my sister’s hair—always apply oil before a hair wash, do not colour or bleach your hair (it causes too much damage), do not cut your hair too short and regularly get hair trims. We both have long, thick hair now, thanks to her. I wanted to be Rapunzel when I was younger, and I sort of got my wish.
For context, she had gorgeous curly hair herself and straightened it a lot and experimented with colouring, which damaged it somewhat, so this is her way of protecting ours. To be clear, the goal is to have healthy hair so that you can experiment with it later. If you damage it too quickly and too young, you won’t have much left to try with.
Zoha Castelino, Fashion Editor
There is always something we run to our mothers about, and they seem to have all the answers. I call her for every problem from not being able to find anything in my room to when I am heartbroken. Zoha asks her mother when she needs to apply eyeshadow or eyeliner and of course, Aunty nails it. How cute is that? They really are our beauty experts.
Shaeroy Chinroy, Junior Fashion Editor
He shares simple yet super-effective tips passed down from his mom. Mothers rarely engage in beauty conversations with their sons (though this is changing), but his mother did. She shared some valuable wellness tips with him. The first tip is to splash water on yourself when you’re feeling low or tired to wake you up. He explains that she taught him that “it’s a great adrenaline rush” for your body and makes you feel better right away. He also shares two other tips— to use Multani mitti (Fullers Earth) as a facemask and always apply products like moisturiser from the neck up. Such great tips!
Sakshi Badani, Junior Graphic Designer
Her mother taught her the golden rule: don’t use too many products. You’ll confuse the skin. If you want to experiment, try to keep it natural. Today, with so many new trends and an array of products, it’s easy to get carried away, but it’s important to remember this and follow it as much as you can.
We’d love it if you could share your favourite beauty tip from your mother with us too.
