Twinkle Khanna learnt all her haircare secrets from her mum

For most Indian girls, being dragged to the balcony floor while your mum whips up a funky concoction so she can massage your scalp in the name of hair growth is a rite of passage. With raw eggs, onion juice and lemon zest in the mix, it’s hard to say whether thick, flowy tresses are the gift of Indian genetics or pantry staples.

Our October digital cover star, Twinkle Khanna, says she treats her scalp “like a fridge. I dump everything on it—beer, dahi, eggs.” And like most beauty rituals passed down through families, she admits, “I’ve learned everything from my mother.”

Our October digital cover star, Twinkle Khanna, says she treats her scalp “like a fridge. I dump everything on it—beer, dahi, eggs.” And as haircare secrets go, Khanna admits, “I’ve learned everything from my mother.”

Dimple Kapadia has always sworn by DIY treatments. “I remember for Tera Naam Liya with Jackie Shroff in Ram Lakhan (1989), I’d used beer as a conditioner. The song was a hit, but it was my hair that ended up being talked about incessantly,” she shared in a 2021 interview with Vogue India. Hops are rich in antioxidants that nourish, while barley contains zinc and vitamin B that help hydrate and strengthen. The overall effect? Hair that shines like Khanna’s and Kapadia’s.

Other kitchen staples have their own benefits. Dahi, high in fat and protein, moisturises dry hair while its lactic acid and probiotics can gently exfoliate the scalp. Eggs deliver protein to repair damage, while their biotin-rich yolks nourish the roots for healthy growth.

But no Indian haircare story is complete without oils. Coconut oil, high in fatty acids, is a great choice for hydration and repair. Castor oil, with ricinoleic acid, stimulates hair follicles, encouraging growth. Olive oil, also rich in fatty acids, moisturises, strengthens and adds shine.

In the same interview, Kapadia shared her hair oil recipe: “A concoction of almond and sandalwood oil as a base, with geranium, rosemary and lavender essential oils. This is the legacy I’ll pass down to my grandchildren.”

Therein lies a simple truth—these homemade recipes are more than just beauty tricks, they’re about an intergenerational ritual that predates bottled serums and masks. They’re about mothers and daughters sitting cross-legged on the floor, fingers working oil (among other ingredients) into scalps while conversation flows in the background. What Khanna carries forward is part of that very tradition.