Padma Lakshmi Says She Introduced Spicy Foods Earlier Than Most Parents Do

Padma Lakshmi has tried plenty of high-end serums and glam-squad products over the years, but one of her most consistent skin habits comes straight from the pantry. It’s an ingredient most people already have sitting in a cabinet at home.

The Ingredient Comes From Her Own Shower, Not a Lab

Lakshmi has said she uses plain honey directly on her face while showering, letting the steam and warm water help it work. She’s described it as a way to draw impurities out of her skin before any other product ever touches it.

It’s a strikingly low-tech step for someone surrounded by beauty products through her work. No packaging, no ingredient list to decode, just honey straight from the jar.

Why Honey Actually Works This Way

According to Lakshmi, the appeal isn’t just tradition, it’s function. She’s pointed out that honey is antibacterial while also acting as a natural smoothing agent on skin.

That combination gives it a real reason to sit in her routine rather than just being a nostalgic habit. It’s doing a job other products in her routine are built to replicate with far more processing involved.

It’s Rooted in Where She Grew Up

Lakshmi has tied the habit directly back to her upbringing, calling it “my Indian heritage coming out” when asked about her natural remedies. Honey has a long history in Indian households as a home remedy for skin, far predating any modern skincare marketing.

That context matters. It’s not a trend she picked up recently, it’s a habit that was already part of her life long before she had a beauty routine to speak of.

It’s Not Her Only Skin Routine Step

Honey fits into a larger nighttime routine that includes makeup-removing wipes, a purifying cleanser, and a hydrating toner she applies generously before moisturizing. The honey isn’t replacing that system, it’s layered in as one deliberate step within it.

That balance says something about how she treats the ingredient. It’s not positioned as a miracle cure, just one part of a routine built from both natural habits and more conventional products.

Her Approach Leans Natural Where It Can

Even with access to specialty products from facialists and top-tier brands, Lakshmi keeps circling back to simple, natural ingredients when she can. Honey fits that same instinct that shows up elsewhere in her routine, favoring gentle, recognizable ingredients over anything overly complicated.

That instinct doesn’t mean she avoids modern skincare entirely. It just means the two approaches sit side by side rather than one replacing the other.

Something This Simple Rarely Gets Credit

At red carpet events, Lakshmi’s glow has been credited to specialty serums costing well over a hundred dollars a bottle. The honey in her shower rarely gets that same spotlight, despite being a habit she’s kept up far longer than any single serum.

That contrast is worth noticing. Sometimes the ingredient doing quiet, consistent work is a lot cheaper and a lot older than the one getting credited on a red carpet.