Forget 10-step skincare, Karisma Kapoor’s beauty secret is her dadi’s ghee remedy

Forget 10-step skincare, Karisma Kapoor’s beauty secret is her dadi’s ghee remedy

No elaborate skincare routine here, Karisma Kapoor credits her glow to ghee, malai, and habits passed down from her grandmother

Karisma Kapoor’s skincare routine at 51 has nothing to do with a ten-step regimen or a shelf full of imported serums

Speaking to The Free Press Journal at Amazon’s Beautyverse 2026, the actor put it simply: “Honestly, I don’t do anything much,” crediting her glow instead to the same home remedies she watched both her grandmothers use while growing up

Ghee, malai, and not much else

Kapoor recalled that eating ghee, applying it directly to the skin, or using malai were just ordinary parts of daily life in her household growing up, nothing that felt like a beauty ritual at the time. She’s carried the habit into adulthood alongside her sister Kareena, saying the two of them still stick to what they grew up with. Her broader philosophy on beauty comes down to one line: less is more.

On why ghee specifically has stayed part of her routine, Kapoor explained that eating it, whether stirred into rice or spread on roti, was something her grandmother did regularly, and that it works from within to bring out a natural glow. That’s the through-line in her approach, treating ghee as much a dietary habit as a topical one, rather than picking one over the other

Why ghee actually works

Ghee’s staying power as a skincare ingredient isn’t just nostalgia. It’s rich in fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins A and E, both known to support the skin’s moisture barrier and help with elasticity over time. Used topically in small amounts, it can work as a natural emollient for dry patches, though it’s heavier than most modern moisturisers and tends to suit drier skin types better than oily or acne-prone ones.

Similarly, malai, essentially fresh milk cream, has long been used in Indian households as a mild exfoliant and hydrator, largely thanks to its lactic acid content. Neither ingredient is a modern skincare innovation, but the reasons they’ve stuck around for generations do hold up under closer scrutiny

Simplicity, minus the extremes

Kapoor’s approach extends beyond skincare into fitness too. She’s spoken in past interviews about staying active through yoga and regular walking rather than intense gym routines, describing herself as someone who prefers simple, natural habits over anything more extreme. She’s also been vocal about modelling a relaxed relationship with food for her own children, treating the odd pizza or cupcake as part of a balanced approach rather than something to avoid altogether.

What stands out across her interviews isn’t a single miracle ingredient; it’s the consistency of the message: grandmother-era remedies, done without fuss

First Published:Aug 21, 2026, 14:24:36 IST
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