Sudha Chandran Talks About Her Ayurvedic Lifestyle: Coconut Oil, Homemade Kajal, And Kerala Oil Massage

In a time when beauty shelves are full of serums, sheet masks, and global trends, there are still some who choose to stay rooted. For them, skincare and wellness are not just routines. They are memories, rituals, and stories passed down from grandmothers and mothers. One such person is actress-dancer Sudha Chandran.

In a chat with Pinkvilla Lifestyle, Sudha Chandran spoke about growing up in a South Indian household and how desi nuskhas still guide her life. For her, Ayurveda is not a trend. It is a way of living. It is what she has seen at home since childhood. And it is what she continues to follow even today.

A Childhood Rooted In Rituals

When asked what “dadi approved” means to her, Sudha Chandran went straight back to her childhood.

She said, “I come from a South Indian family. So on Tuesdays and Fridays, it is important that we apply (coconut) oil and then bathe…Because we are Tamil Brahmins from Kerala. So definitely Tuesdays and Fridays was a ritual.”

For her family, oiling the hair was not optional. It was fixed. No matter what. Even if there was school.

The actress remembered how she would try to escape it. “I remember I used to say that I had to go to school. So my grandma used to say, so what? It does not matter, your hair has to be nice and thick,” she shared.

Kerala: The Hub Of Ayurveda

Sudha Chandran believes that Ayurveda has strong roots in Kerala.  “I think the hub of Ayurveda is Kerala. We all started, and I still continue only Ayurveda. Be it the hair, be it my tonics, be it my kada, be it my laxative, stomach cleansing. That is also Ayurveda for me,” the star stated.

FYI: Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of medicine. It focuses on natural remedies, herbs, oils and balance in the body.

When asked about Kashayams, she shared that she uses them even today. Kashayams are herbal decoctions. They are made by boiling medicinal herbs in water until the essence remains. 

Sudha Chandran said, “The Kashayams I use even for cold. And I am a regular user of Dasamularashtam. Which is very good for cold.”

Dasamularashtam is a traditional Ayurvedic tonic. It is made with a mix of ten roots and other herbs. It is often used for respiratory health and overall strength.

For the actress, these are not emergency fixes. They are part of daily life. She said, “So I think what we were taught since childhood.”

Homemade Kajal And Expressive Eyes

Another memory that stands out for her is kajal. “My grandmother used to make it at home. I do not know whether today they call it organic. Then it was homemade. Which we used to use,” Sudha Chandran shared.

Homemade kajal in many Indian homes is made by collecting soot from a diya and mixing it with natural oils. It is believed to cool the eyes and also protect them.

Sudha said, “So when people tell me that your eyes are very expressive. Because we are South Indians. So our eyes speak a lot. And secondly, maybe because of the Kajal that I used. Thanks to my grandmother.”

Even today, she has not given up on kajal. “I still use it. Because recently I met a person who does this typical very desi kajal. So I was looking out for it. And I found it. And she makes it for me,” the actress added.

Sudha Chandran's routine is simple. “And when I sleep at night. One day, I applied that kajal. And the other day, I applied (castor) oil. For the eyelashes and for the thick growth,” she shared.

Castor oil is another popular home remedy. It is used for hair growth, thicker lashes and even for stomach cleansing.

Sudha added, “Even to cleanse your stomach. They say that it is the best.”

The Saturday Laxative Ritual

Many people may find this surprising. But for Sudha Chandran, stomach cleansing was also a fixed ritual while growing up.

“I remember when I was a child. My mother used to hold my nose. Every Saturday, it was a ritual. Clean your stomach. All the dirt has to come out. Every 15 days on Saturday. Because it was a holiday at school. So that 15th Saturday. That is for a laxative. And it was typically Ayurveda,” the star said.

Coconut Oil For Everything

Coconut oil is clearly Sudha Chandran's all-time favourite. When asked if she still uses coconut oil on her body, she said, “I still use coconut oil for moisturising. I remove my makeup also with coconut oil.”

Wet wipes and fancy makeup removers are common today. But Sudha prefers the old way. She said, “And even today I use coconut oil. And I do not use any wet tissues.”

The actress even makes sure the oil she uses is pure. “I get pure coconut oil from Kerala. That comes to my house,” she mentioned.

Kerala Oil Massages Over Western Ones

Apart from daily rituals, Sudha Chandran also believes in regular Ayurvedic massages.

“And I also take regular Ayurvedic massages for my body. They are all from Kerala. They have come from Kerala. They have settled in Mumbai. So on a very regular basis. I do my Kerala oil massage with my potli. That is to remove the water retention,” the actress said.

A potli massage usually involves warm herbal pouches dipped in oil. These are pressed and rubbed on the body. 

When asked how this is better than Swedish massages, she kept it simple. Sudha said, “I have never tried the Swedish. I have never tried the French massages. I am very desi by heart. And I do what I feel. What generations before me have done is what I follow.”

Tradition First, Always

The final part of the chat made her belief system very clear. When asked if she believes in only desi remedies or a mix of modern trends, Sudha Chandran said, “I am a very tradition-bound person. And I do not break my traditions. I am not a person who wants to go out. And experiment with things. I have never been that person. I believe in following something that generations before me have followed.”

For her, traditions make life easy. “It becomes very easy. Be it my rituals. Be it my customs. Be it my traditions. I have never questioned those things to date. And neither do I want to,” the star added.

Sudha asserted, “I believe that if it has benefited my mother, her mother, benefited my father, his mother, and it is a proven remedy, why do I have to look out for another alternative?”

And then she summed it up beautifully. “Life is very simple. Why do you complicate it? What your parents have done, what your grandparents have followed, sit and follow it. Life is beautiful. I have lived such beautiful years of my life,” Sudha Chandran concluded.

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