From sage to serum - India's global rewrite on beauty

Ancient wisdom, modern glow!

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In a world wearied by excessive beauty trends and the blinding pace of consumerism, the whisper of ancient Indian wisdom cuts through the static. Global beauty brands are digging into history and scooping out beauty elixir formulations that whisper not only reinvention, but also remembrance.

Reformulating ancient potions and remedies has now become a sought-after selling point for brands. Beauty treatments and products are selling better than regular alternatives.

Yoga and Ayurveda—India’s twin legacies of well-being—are no longer confined to Sanskrit scrolls or temple courtyards; they have breached borders, seeped into global consciousness, and rooted themselves in the rituals of the modern world. From the glimmering shelves of department stores in Paris to wellness retreats in the Californian desert, India’s ancient truths are being sold, worn, inhaled, and imbibed—reshaping the global language of self-care.

The Ayurvedic alchemy of modern beauty

Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old Indian science of life, is predicated on the balance of mind, body, and spirit. Its prescriptions—tailored to one's dosha (bodily constitution)—range from the botanical to the metaphysical. This ethos of personalised, holistic healing has, in recent years, stirred a dormant yearning for natural remedies and ritualistic living in the global beauty sphere.

Brands like Forest Essentials, with its delicate synergy of Vedic formulations and luxe packaging, have captivated both domestic and international markets. Their Soundarya Radiance Cream—infused with 24-karat gold and saffron—is as much a statement of opulence as it is an ode to Ayurvedic ritual.

Khadi Natural, meanwhile, reclaims the simplicity of tradition, drawing on age-old recipes passed down through generational wisdom, now bottled for the global eco-conscious consumer.

But it is not just Indian brands leading this resurgence. The West, too, has turned its gaze Eastward. British brand The Body Shop has long leaned into Indian botanicals—its Aloe Soothing Sheet Mask is a direct invocation of Indian skincare lore.

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Lush Cosmetics, known for their ethical sourcing and raw ingredients, incorporates neem, moringa, and sandalwood—all stalwarts of Indian healing traditions—into face masks and cleansers. Their storytelling, embedded with tales of Indian farming cooperatives and local herbalists, crafts a narrative where exoticism teeters on the edge of reverence.

Kama Ayurveda, though rooted in India, has found acclaim in international markets, including the United Kingdom and the Middle East, for its authenticity and apothecary aesthetic. The brand’s formulations remain uncompromisingly Ayurvedic—its Kumkumadi Thailam is touted globally as “liquid gold” for the skin.

Even giants like Estée Lauder have acknowledged the shift. Their Aveda line, while originally conceptualised in the United States, is named after Ayurveda itself. Aveda’s Botanical Repair and Invati Advanced haircare ranges are underpinned by Ayurvedic principles, incorporating turmeric, ginseng, and amla. These formulations have been crafted in consultation with Indian Ayurvedic doctors. Though Westernised in format, the soul of the products gestures unmistakably East.

The future is ancestral

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As climate anxiety, digital fatigue, and socio-political instability mount, there is a global pivot toward the old—toward rootedness, rhythm, and rituals that feel whole. Indian wellness traditions, with their emphasis on sustainability, ecology, and inner awareness, offer a blueprint not only for beauty or health, but for living.

This isn’t nostalgia. It is reclamation. In turmeric-stained kitchens, as brands craft balms and creams and serums, the question remains: will this be another moment of trend-led consumption, or a deeper reweaving of what it means to be well?

Cultural understanding or mere fascination?

Arjun Appadurai, an anthropologist of global cultural flows, posits, what we see is not simply cultural appropriation, but the “disjuncture and difference in the global cultural economy.” The transmission of Indian wellness is not linear; it is layered, conflicting, and generative.

If the future is to have depth, let it be one where the East is not simply consumed, but understood. Let the wisdom rise, not from the market, but from the mat, the mortar, the moment.