Beauty hacks from grandma's kitchen

The cosmetics and beauty industry has been seeing an increased thrust on the need to go natural of late. With chemicals and synthetic substances flooding the market, more and more people are going back to the wisdom of yore.

Rekha Rao has joined this bandwagon with ‘Ajji Mane - Soundaryada Goodu’. For Rekha, after 70 odd films as a leading lady, 3,000 stage plays and performances as a dancer and a musician, this is her pet project.

“Earlier, chemicals and electronic devices were hardly used on the skin and the hair. Our grandmothers and great grandmothers relied on natural products like turmeric, curd and other readily available ingredients in the kitchen. While growing up, I was exposed to these natural products at home and I understand their benefits. My objective is to bring forth beauty recipes from the bygone era and spread awareness about the harmful effects of using chemicals and electronics,” says Rekha.

She wanted to create a space where people feel like they are at their grandmother’s house. Ajji Mane, true to this vision, is simple, colourful and homely.

Rekha says, “I offer ‘Mukhalepams’(facials), ‘Kesha upakoroti’(hair care), ‘Kesha Tailam’(hair oil massage), ‘Kesharaag’ (hair colouring with natural ingredients), ‘Kesha Niseka’ (hair wash)and so on.”

She uses ingredients like potatoes, onions, tomatoes, papaya, banana, fresh fruits, honey, flowers, oats, and so on in these services.

Ajji Mane is located at no 46, New Kempegowda Layout, Katriguppe. The services are priced between Rs 300 to Rs 2,000.