Mother’s Day Special: What Are Our ANOKHI Moms’ Timeless Beauty Secrets?

Mother’s Day is a day to remember and celebrate how our mothers, aunts and grandmothers raised and supported us… it is also an opportunity to celebrate their beauty and their individual style.  After all these magnificent women are more than just our caretakers and cheerleaders, every one of them is a lioness who has taken on the world so that we can flourish.

In this blog, the ANOKHI LIFE family shares beauty memories about their mothers and from these memories we will glean great, simple looks that are timeless and gorgeous!

Always Time For A Lippy!

Lipstick is a must-have for a South Asian grande dame. 

My favourite memory of my mother is when I was barely 3 or 4 years old, I was enchanted by how my mom applied a maroon shade of Yardley lipstick, and I was desperate for a swipe.  I felt like a million bucks when she kneeled and applied some of her lipstick on me.  As I got older, my mom fell in love with MAC Diva lipstick and recalls how her former boss complimented her when she wore the shade.

Hina P. Ansari recalls her mother’s favourite lipstick, “Bright red lipstick. Clarins limited edition Jolie Rouge gradation 803 and 802. I know this because every time I would wear it, she would always ask me to borrow. That red suits her brilliantly.”

Mehak Kapoor echoes the red lipstick memory with her own mother, “Her favourite beauty products are Sindoor and Mac Ruby Woo Lipstick.”

Farah Khan, shares a similar story about her mother’s love of lipstick, “When younger, her favourite go-to was red lipsticks, varying shades of red. Now in her Grandma phase, its shades of browns she prefers. Lipsticks in these shades are her must haves.”

Raj Girn’s loving account of her mother’s practical and clever use of lipstick demonstrates the innate glamour of the South Asian woman, “My mother has always only ever had one makeup item that she uses – lipstick – on her cheeks and lips.”

Below is a list of lipstick shades that reflect what our mothers’ lip looks.

1. MAC Diva is matte, deep wine shade that amps up the classic maroon lipstick and inserts a sophisticated, vampy look to the lips.

2. Kulfi First Sari is a berry shade, that is less intense than Diva and is a fantastic way to integrate the deep lip look into a casual yet put together day look.

3. Clarins Joli Rouge collection has several red shades that pop on brown skin tones. I love the shade Apple because it is a perfect balance between cool and warm, and its vibrancy opens the face.

4. Brown lipstick makes brown skin sensual, especially when it is in a satin finish as the finish reflects light making the mouth look juicy. Estée Lauder Pure Color Explicit Slick Shine Lipstick in 902 Call 555 is a deep, milky caramel brown that enlivens the skin.

5.  A great two-in one formula, i.e. a lipstick that can be easily used for the lips and cheeks, Mango People Multi Stick is a fantastic option. This product, which derives its moisturising properties from Triphala, an ancient three fruit blend of Amalaki, Bibhitaki, and Haritaki fruit, will leave the cheeks and lips plump and sensual.  Jalebi is a deep orange shade that evokes the sweetness of the treat and flatters the rainbow of South Asian skin tones.

Part of their beauty is that they did not spend time applying three layers of lip product at different angles to achieve a pouty effect.  I recall my mother looking intently at the mirror and swiping on her lipstick in quarters, namely top lip, centre to right corner, then centre to left corner and she would repeat the steps on the lower lip.  For good measure she would apply a second layer in a single stroke per lip, and kiss her lips together.  The technique is simple, but for our busy lives, I would tweak this technique as follows:

a. Fill in the lips using a neutral liner to create a base for the pigment to cling;

b.  Apply the lipstick mama-style; and

c. Redefine the corners of the lips using liner to ensure that you will not end up with fish mouth.

For the cheeks, again, our special ladies were not concerned with creating a photo worthy effect, they wanted to add a bit of liveliness to their faces.  I suggest just adding a dab of the lipstick to the tops of the cheeks and then using your fingers to disperse the pigment so that the cheeks look flushed.  The look is unstudied but it still adds vibrancy to the face.

Kajal Is Kween!

No South Asian vanity is complete without eyeliner.  A black eyeliner, whether in khol, pencil or liquid form is another great beauty gift idea that does not need to break the bank.  A South Asian grande dame always needs a liner!

Hina fondly recalls about her mother, “She would wear winged eyeliner with perfection. One swoop and that wing would be angled magically across her lid. I was amazed at her dexterity as a child.”  Dark liner has a special place in the South Asian beauty routine because it is used in dance performances to communicate messages, and it simply looks sensational on coffee-coloured peepers.

I am a fan of the liquid liner, and I adore the Lisa Eldridge Kitten Flick Liquid Eyeliner because the tip is tiny and precise, so there is scant risk of overdrawing a line.  The formula is also long-lasting so it will not flake off midday.  This liner defines the eyes simply and quickly… with just a flick!

I recall my aunts being particularly obsessed with the cat eye, and I too love the look.  The thin tip of the Lisa Eldridge liner is ideal because the line is always thin which means that you never end up with an excessively thick line on the inner half of the eye.  I like to look directly into the mirror and delicately trace a line from the inner to outer corner of the eye. Once I reach the outer corner, I look down and extend the line a few millimetres slightly upwards. I allow the ink to dry, I look up and then I draw a thin line parallel to the first line but this time I start from the centre of the eye.

If you prefer the classic pencil liner, Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Longwear Gel Eyeliner in True Black delivers on pigment and glide.  The pencil does not tug on the skin and leaves a clean, lasting line that looks sophisticated and classy.

The pencil liner look is more casual than its liquid liner sister but no less enticing.  This liner look is functional in that it defines the eye so that you look put together, rather than achieving a certain look, as with the cat eye.  I suggest drawing a line that mixes in with the eyelashes so that you create the illusion of thicker lashes.  For the lower line, I suggest rimming the waterline.  the result is a defined eye without harsh lines.

Hair – Our Crowning Glory

Haircare is an essential element of South Asian beauty because we have been blessed with locks that are striking and strong.

Tushar Unadkat shard this observation about his mother, “Bajaj Almond Drops is more than just a hair oil to her – it’s a timeless beauty ritual. For decades, she’s sworn by its nourishing properties, reflecting the cultural significance of luscious locks in her heritage. Her long-standing devotion to this product speaks to the deep emotional connection she has with her hair, and the value she places on traditional beauty practices.” 

Farah shares a similar memory, regarding her mother’s haircare ritual, “Another is the desi family staple – organic coconut oil hair massage and application to hair for better hair health.”

In South Asian culture, scalp care is an integral step to haircare, and it is comprised of specialised massages and the usage of quality oils.  Fable & Mane is a line of products dedicated to the power of South Asian hair care rituals.  If you want to nourish the scalp and hair, relieve irritation and itchiness, and help to remove product build-up, a few droplets of the SahaScalp™ Amla Soothing Serum applied to dry hair is a fantastic option.  It contains the Indian super berry amla and you just need a few droplets to be massaged into the scalp for an overnight treatment, and then the hair can be washed in the morning.

I like to apply one or two droplets to the palms of my fingers and then massage my scalp using a circular motion, and in the midst of the motions, I gently tug my hair upwards to relieve tension.  The product is quite rich, so a little goes a long way and one bottle will last several months.

If you have problems with using your fingers, the Scalp Massager Comb, which is made of natural ebony wood and whose teeth are designed to massage the scalp.

Lasting Memories: In Our Own Words

What is inspiring about our mothers is how they used only a few products and yet we were left thunderstruck by their transformations into glamour queens.  Their rituals demonstrate the power of choosing one, maybe two products to create an impact.

Raj remembers, “It is more of a memory of how she would always present herself, whether being at home, running errands, or going to a party, she always had the same staples: lipstick as her only makeup item, tons of necklaces around her neck, rings on her fingers, and bangles on her wrists. And they would always be gold. her clothes were always meticulously matching along with her footwear. It’s this whole idea of the full look that I’ve believed to be synonymous with beauty. Watching her get ready as I sat on the floor in awe of her process or watching her walk down the stairs for the full reveal. I’ll always cherish the woman’s woman that my mother always has been and is today!”

Tushar remembers his mother in his own beauty ritual, “Watching my mom delicately dust powder on her face before special occasions was a ritual in itself. The gentle touch, the soft puff, and the way she’d smile at her reflection – it was like magic. I think I inherited her love for powder, too – I’m always dusting off my face (and sometimes my clothes, oops)!”

Mehak loves her continuing role in her mother’s ritual, “My favourite beauty memory with Mom is watching her do her makeup while I sat nearby, quietly (and not-so-quietly) irritating her, so much so that she’d pause everything and start meditating! It’s our little funny secret… and honestly, I still do it.”

My favourite beauty memory of my mother is how stunning she looked as she walked down the stairs in her silk sari.  She was tall, slim and elegant and her sharp features were complimented by a touch of powder, lipstick and liner. I envied her beauty when I was younger and dealt with acne and weight issues but as I have grown into my own person, I am now simply in awe of her beauty.

Parting Thoughts

Our mothers, aunts, and grandmothers didn’t just teach us how to love – they taught us how to carry ourselves with pride, how to honour our heritage through ritual, and how to find beauty in the everyday. Their lipstick shades, their kajal-lined eyes, their scented hair oils, these were more than beauty routines. They were acts of resilience, self-expression, and joy.

This Mother’s Day, as we celebrate their strength and spirit, let us also honour their elegance – the effortless kind that comes from knowing who you are. Whether it’s a swipe of lipstick or a touch of powder, these simple gestures carry generations of memory and meaning.

Here’s to the women who raised us, styled us, and inspired us – always fierce, always beautiful, always unforgettable.

Featured Image: Our Beauty Editor Meena Khan’s beloved childhood photo with her lovely mother.