Indian actress and model Mugdha Godse shares her beauty secrets, wellness tips and more.

What made you pursue acting? Tell us about your journey.

I started with modelling and gradually moved towards acting. My first film, Fashion, received good reviews and so I went on to pursue acting after that. I wanted to do something different in my life and I started participating in beauty pageants, which lead to modelling and then films. I come from a simple middle class family, where we didn’t know much about fashion or modelling. So it was all baby steps in something very rarely explored in my family. By god's grace, I managed to accomplish a decent place for myself here.

Tell us about your experience with beauty while growing up in India.

India has various beauty tricks. We had aloe vera in our garden and since childhood we used it on our face. Haldi and chandan are beauty secrets passed down to me by my mother. We had mogra and jasmine flower plants on our balcony which filled our home with beautiful fragrances. Oiling the hair was also a beauty practice that we embraced over time. Coconut oil is a staple in my house for luscious locks and radiant skin.

What is your daily beauty regime? 

When I wake up I use oils on my face. They vary in intensity and type depending upon the season. After bathing, I moisturize the whole body. Using SPF based face cream under makeup is essential. At the end of the day removing all the makeup, cleansing the body and face along with a hot water bath is a must for me.

Could you tell us a few traditional beauty rituals you picked up from your family members while growing up?

Yes, oiling. Oiling is a gem! It really can work wonders. 

Homemade face masks made of haldi and chandan, Sunday ubtan baths, cleansing practices, I learnt it all from the amazing women of my home. 

What is your definition of Self- Care & Self Love? 

Loving yourself is a part of our lives that many of us ignore. Taking care of yourself, your body and mind is self care and self love for me. Be gentle with you own self. For me, self awareness is self care and forgiveness is self love. It brings you confidence and more faith in yourself. I aspire to be at peace with myself. I talk to myself a lot: I talk to my hair, my skin, my heart. I make sure they are happy and healthy. It helps me be positive.  

Could you tell us a few DIY tips for effective skincare? Are there any home made beauty remedies you swear by?

Cleansing toning and moisturizing are very important. I have dry skin so I pick up products accordingly to feed my skin. In winters I use malai (cream) straight from the milk to my face. It feels divine.

Could you tell us a few of your favorite beauty ingredients? 

I love Indian traditional fragrances like jasmine, mogra and kewda. My skin products are mostly based on rose and chandan. In my younger days, my mother used to give us haldi & chandan home made face packs. They used to make the skin very supple. She used to tell us to rub haldi with coconut oil on our body for a great skin texture.

Do you have any favourite cultural beauty ritual ? 

Oiling my Hair twice a week is a big must for my hair. It keeps me calm and moisturizes my dry scalp. It also reminds me of my childhood days where my mum used to oil our hair and put it in braids. It somehow feels very cozy and can feel my mother’s love on my scalp.

One place you’d like to travel to ? 

France, I have not been there yet. I have travelled to all of Europe, except France.

I would love to discover its beauty.

One beauty ritual or practice from anywhere in the world that you discovered while travelling?

Using good hand cream according to the weather you are in is so important. In a cold country, you need to use a heavy one and you need to use it often. Hands should always be soft and smell good.

A thing that you strongly believe in that a woman needs in her life ? 

Balance. She needs balance in life as she holds the whole family together. She has the power to do so. Women are very strong and thus we end up taking up a lot on our plate. We know we can deliver. How gracefully we balance everything has its own beauty.

What makes a woman beautiful according to you ?

Her inner beauty, grace and persona is what makes her truly beautiful.

Lastly, your favourite Global Beauty Secrets product  ?

I love the Indian Rose and Kewda Body Mist, it's quite refreshing.