A DIY Beauty Tip Your Grandmother Would Approve Of — And Your Skin Will Love

Before collagen gummies and glow powders, Indian kitchens held the real secrets to lasting beauty. Rujuta Diwekar’s Mitahara reveals how ghee, ragi, amla, and slow-cooked meals naturally build your glow.

The Easiest Indian DIY for Healthy Skin and Hair, Straight From Old-School Wisdom

Image Source: Pexels
Written by Shivani Dixit
Published: November 15, 2025 | Updated: November 15, 2025
New Delhi

In a world obsessed with beauty supplements, it’s easy to forget that radiant skin didn’t always come in a jar. Long before collagen powders and gummies promised “radiant skin” and “joint health,” Indian kitchens were already brewing, kneading, and roasting the real deal—through ghee, ragi, milk, laddoos, and the quiet magic of slow, seasonal food.

Rujuta Diwekar’s Mitahara: Food Wisdom reminds us that the most powerful beauty routine might begin in the kitchen, not your vanity case.

Glow From the Ground Up

There’s something poetic about how Indian food heals from within. Diwekar writes, “Mitahara is the act of eating in balance, to be moderate in one’s consumption without denying oneself a good meal.” That balance is what keeps both the body and skin radiant.

Our grandmothers never spoke of “collagen boosters,” yet their skin glowed well into their seventies. How? Through ragi laddoos rich in amino acids and calcium, ghee that nourishes skin from the inside out, and slow, mindful meals—true beauty food before the phrase even existed.

Diwekar adds, “The power of every dish comes from the mix of wisdom and compassion—the wisdom to tweak temperatures, ingredients, and cooking styles by season, and the compassion to serve without expecting anything in return.” It’s this spirit, not synthetic products, that creates lasting beauty.

The Collagen Connection You Didn’t Know You Had

Collagen supplements promise to “rebuild” the skin’s scaffolding. But what really helps your body make collagen naturally? The same ingredients your grandmother’s plate offered daily: protein, healthy fats, and vitamin C.

Amla, a winter favorite in Mitahara, is a collagen superstar. Packed with vitamin C, it keeps skin firm and hair strong. From amla murabba to chyawanprash and amla sherbet, Diwekar highlights how these foods preserve nutrients while adding warmth and sweetness.

Ghee and full-fat milk deliver essential fatty acids that strengthen the skin barrier and maintain suppleness. Ragi, bajra, and other millets, the “real superfoods,” provide iron, zinc, and amino acids—vital for tissue repair and natural glow.

A spoon of ghee, a handful of groundnuts, and a jaggery laddoo create what no factory gummy can: collagen synergy rooted in natural food chemistry.

Slow Food, Lasting Beauty

Beauty, like digestion, isn’t meant to be rushed. As Diwekar says, “The idea is to keep the main ingredient as the main ingredient. You run a home, not a restaurant.” No 12-step routines required—just the right steps done with care.

Grandmothers didn’t “track macros”; they tasted, tested, and trusted. Roasting in iron kadhais, using jaggery instead of sugar, and resting both dough and body—this slow, attentive approach is the secret to ageless beauty. Food cooked slowly, eaten mindfully, and digested in peace nourishes more than the stomach—it feeds the skin, mind, and a glow no highlighter can mimic.

DIY: Glowing-Skin Ragi–Jaggery Energy Balls (5-Minute, No-Fuss)

A modern twist on the ragi laddoo, perfect for everyday beauty nutrition.

Why it works (science + dadi logic):

• Ragi: Plant collagen booster (amino acids + silica for skin & hair)
• Jaggery: Iron-rich, improves circulation = natural glow
• Ghee: Healthy fats, maintain skin barrier
• Nuts: Vitamin E + zinc = stronger hair, smoother skin

Rujuta notes her mother’s ragi laddoos “worked wonders on skin and hair—proof that good things come in small packages.”

Ingredients (6–7 small balls):

• ½ cup ragi flour
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 3 tbsp jaggery powder
• 2 tbsp crushed almonds or cashews
• Pinch of cardamom (optional)

Method:

1. Heat ghee gently in a pan.
2. Add ragi flour and roast 3–4 minutes until nutty.
3. Let it cool slightly.
4. Add jaggery and nuts, mix well.
5. Roll into small balls once warm enough to handle.
6. Store in a glass jar; enjoy one a day post-lunch or with evening chai.

The Beauty of Belonging

Modern beauty culture often overlooks the emotional nutrition that comes from food cooked with care and eaten with gratitude. As Diwekar puts it, “Cooking is the celebration of attentiveness, the humility and confidence to pay attention even if you are making a dal for the thousandth time.”

Grandmothers’ recipes worked because they nourished more than your skin—they connected you to rhythm, rest, and real nourishment.

So next time a shiny jar promises “radiant skin in 7 days,” remember: the real glow formula already exists. It smells like ghee, simmers slowly, and comes with a story you can taste.