“Beauty is the illumination of your soul” — John O’ Donohue Did you know, the earliest historical records of cosmetic use have been found to date back to the Indus Valley Civilization? And that the earliest reference to a beauty expert has been found in the Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic? We went back to lot of our history lessons to find some of the heritage rituals, just for you! Historians have also found evidence of advanced ideas and practices of self-beautification in ancient India, often linked to the seasons as well as to daily life. Interestingly, these practices were directed towards not just looking good, but also towards good deeds (punya), longevity (aayush), a healthy, disease-free life (aarogyam), and happiness (anandam). The all-natural ingredients performed the four-pronged task of cleansing, allaying skin trouble, covering up imperfections and beautification. In the Ashtanga Hridaya, an ancient treatise, the use of different lepas (masks) and thailams (oils) was advised...

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