The Moon, The Mirror And The Rituals of Beauty

The streets glistened after a downpour and the ghastly winds refused to subside as I made my way uphill to the shrine of Goddess Benzaiten at Enoshima near the coastal city of Kamakura in Japan. Benzaiten is seen as the goddess of water and all things that flow — music, art, creativity, learning, fertility, love, and fortune. She is seen holding a biwa, a stringed instrument, much like the veena of Saraswati in the Indic tradition.

It was during my visit to Enoshima that I first saw a makyō — a Japanese magic mirror that reveals a hidden image when light strikes it just right. I’ve been fascinated by shiny, reflective surfaces since I was five. Every time I looked into one, my mother would gently remind me of a deeper kind of beauty: “In time, your beauty will reflect all that you carry in your heart and mind.”

I think about that often when I look at the moon, not for how brightly it shines but for the kind of beauty it represents — quiet, cyclical, and deeply felt. Unlike Venus, whose beauty is immediate and sensual, the moon reveals a subtler glow — one that’s shaped by emotion, memory, and change. The beauty the moon offers is truly personal. It shapes how we see, feel, and connect with ourselves. Because in all the ways that matter, the moon is the mind. The moon has many moods — it’s a mirror of our inner world, ever changing everchanging and deeply intuitive. It is the moon that governs all water, including the water within us. And how we feel and how we flow is always part of our beauty, reflected in our skin. In its waxing phase, the moon feels luminous, gentle, and nurturing — saumya in its essence. As it wanes, it invites release, rest, and a quiet return to self.

These shifting energies unfold over a 30-day lunar cycle. (Approximately 29.5 is the average duration of a lunar month, which is the time it takes for the moon to go from new moon to new moon or from full moon to full moon). The moon takes 15 days to journey from the dark moon to the full moon — this is the waxing phase or Shukla Paksha. It then takes another 15 days to return from the full moon to the dark moon, marking the waning phase or Krishna Paksha.

In the world of beauty and well-being, this shift in the quality of time adds a subtle but powerful layer. When a ritual meets the right moment, it lands differently — it sinks in, it glows longer, it feels more like nourishment than effort.

As astrologers, we have two additional tools of timing whose intersection can further enhance the potency of beauty and wellbeing rituals that we undertake: the tithi (lunar day) and the vara (weekday).

The vara is the weekday. Each day of the week carries the signature of a ruling planet, offering us a way to align our daily rituals with planetary energy. Saturday, ruled by Saturn, is connected to the air element and the sense of touch. In Ayurveda this is the vata dosha. Since the air element or vata dosha is best grounded through oil, it’s no surprise that Saturn is linked strongly to oil. This makes Saturday ideal for bodywork rituals like oil massages, especially for the feet. Friday is the day of Venus. It is the perfect day to pamper yourself, take extra care with your appearance, and step out into the world — to be seen, to socialise, and yes, to dance.

The 15 days each of the waxing and the waning moon create lunar days, known as tithis in Vedic astrology. Each tithi spans roughly 22 to 26 hours. It’s through the interplay of the tithis and the five elements (air, water, fire, space, and earth) that we understand the nature of a tithi — and what kinds of rituals or actions it supports best.

Further when the solar (vara) and lunar days (tithi) interact with one another, they create siddhi yogas (siddhi meaning perfection or attainment). These potent windows create a distinct quality of time which produces exceptional results when we align our intentions and rituals to them.

Rituals Of Release

Rituals of release clear the ground and leave the body more receptive. One of the simplest ways to align a beauty ritual of release with the most impactful timing is with a salt-scrub bath. Salt as a crystal along with water does more than just exfoliate. It helps draw out heaviness and release stagnant or negative energy from the body. It leaves both the skin and the energetic field feeling lighter and renewed.

A particularly supportive window for any ritual involving removal or release is the 4th, 9th, or 14th lunar day (chaturthi, navami, and chaturdashi) during either the waxing or waning phases of the moon. These are known as rkta or ‘empty’ — traditionally considered inauspicious for beginnings or anything you wish to grow, but ideal for letting go. Whether it’s shedding emotional weight or breaking out of a toxic pattern, these are days that naturally support the act of purging.

Salt scrubs, detoxifying clay masks, and lymphatic drainage massages on these tithis can become deeply effective rituals for drawing out impurities. During the waning moon, be especially gentle — use a more minimal selection of essential oils to mix in your salt scrubs, and opt for soothing clays like Kaolin or French Green, which are more suitable for sensitive skin. Avoid Fuller’s Earth during this time, as its drying nature can be too harsh. Always moisturise thoroughly after your ritual, especially in the waning half of the moon. And if one of these three tithis happens to fall on a Saturday? That is your deep cleaning window, where subtle shifts can become lasting ones. Avoid if this tithi falls on Thursdays for .these rituals, as their expansive, Jupiter-ruled.

Ritual Of Radiance

Rituals of radiance will give better results after we have undertaken rituals of release. This is where rituals of glow begin — steady, gradual, and quietly building. These take root only in the waxing phase of the moon, the Shukla Paksha, when the body is primed to absorb and grow. A beautiful ritual of radiance that builds slowly over time is the pre-bridal ubtan.

This time-honoured beauty practice in our tradition is designed to stimulate circulation, enhance the skin’s natural glow, and support the bride’s transition into marriage. One essential ingredient in this ritual is freshly ground turmeric. I still return to this ritual every six months — it lifts my skin when it’s looking dull and offers a gentle way to refresh the body and spirit. Our nourishing rituals of haircare, such as hair masks, are also perfect examples of layered practices that deepen with repetition. We do so much for our skin — but how often do we extend the same care and devotion to our hair?

A favourable tithi to begin these rituals is the 3rd lunar day (tritiya) of the waxing moon. This is a great day for starting a new ritual practice that builds gradually and supports steady growth. The quality associated with tritiya is pusha, or nourishment. It also marks the wedding of Shiva and Parvati — a tithi held sacred for union, balance, and beauty. Its energising and constructive tone makes it ideal for activating growth and vitality, and improves the quality of hair, nails, and skin. The effect deepens when tritiya falls on a Tuesday or Sunday — days ruled by Mars and the Sun, both of which support circulation, and cellular activation. Avoid if this tithi falls on a Wednesday.

This is a perfect day for hair oiling, followed by a herbal mask made with bhringaraj, brahmi, amla, or rosemary to encourage volume, strength, and shine. After washing, comb your hair with intention, using neem or wooden comb in slow, mindful strokes from scalp to ends — grounding your attention with each movement. A personal skincare practice that I follow begins with dabbing the face with rose water to gently cleanse and tone. I then apply a soft paste made of sandalwood, licorice, manjishtha, and aloe vera, with a pinch of kasturi manjal, over the face and neck. After letting it sit for about 10 minutes, I rinse it off and seal in the moisture by applying a few drops of jojoba oil. On days when I don’t feel like using oil, I simply spritz rose water again to refresh and hydrate the skin. Besides tritiya, both the 5th (panchami) and 6th (shashti) lunar days of the waxing moon also work well. Both have the qualities of building toward fullness and enouraging rhythm and personal discipline. However, on shashti (6th) your approach to skincare should be balanced, avoiding harsh exfoliants and anything overly active. So, avoid retinol on this tithi.

Rituals Of Restoration

Dwadashi or the 12th day of the waxing lunar moon is the birth tithi of the young and playful planet Mercury, which is associated with the first house in astrology and gives one a youthful charm. This day has a peaceful and flawless quality to it, which supports restoration, nourishment, and satisfaction. In many traditions, Shukla Dwadashi (after the austerity of ekadashi) is marked by the worship of Lakshmi-Narayana, further linking it to grace and abundance. This is a favourable day for feeding the skin — restoring the barrier, improving circulation, rebuilding tone, enhancing collagen production, and calming inflammation. The lotus flower, closely associated with Lakshmi, is especially suited to this tithi.

Now recognised for its antiaging benefits, lotus offers antioxidant protection, supports cardiovascular and skin health, and improves clarity and elasticity — making it an ideal ingredient for dwadashi skincare. You can also opt for a gentle impact of lotus on your body by drinking Lotus seeds tea on this tithi. It is also a good tithi to work with skincare based on ingredients like gotu kola, turmeric, and liquorice and treatments based on retinol, niacinamide, and peptides. This day is also especially suited to eye masks and targeted care and exercises for the forehead, mouth, and jawline, where signs of fatigue show up. Your magic window for these rituals is when dwadashi falls on a Wednesday.

Rituals Of Fullness

Purnima, the day of the full moon, is illuminated, blissful, and said to grant all desires. It is a day of union — a time that supports the energies of good space. This tithi is not about striving or becoming, but about allowing yourself to shine in your full splendour. Purnima supports completion, absorption, and illumination. This is the point where your beauty rituals reach their highest octave — inside and out. And purnimas that fall on a Thursday are even more powerful, amplified by Jupiter’s expansive, sattvic energy, they support illumination and deeper absorption of beauty rituals. Avoid when purnima falls on Saturdays, as Saturn’s restrictive, drying influence can dull the softness this lunar day offers.

Purnima is a receptive day, perfect for nourishing, penetrating treatments like gold-leaf facials, which are better absorbed under the full moon’s influence. In Ayurveda, gold is deeply linked to ojas — the subtle essence that governs our vitality. Ghee-based masks, kumkumadi oil application, sandalwood paste, and rose milk baths are especially well-suited to purnima. This is the day to charge your rose quartz face rollers and crystal gua sha tools in a bowl of water under the full moon — allowing them to absorb lunar energy and return it to the skin as softness, clarity and calm.

The gemstone associated with moon is the pearl, which, in many cultures and traditions, is seen as a symbol of power and feminity. A potent aphrodisiac, yes, but also a reminder of radiance and moonlike beauty. In Ayurveda, pearl is use in bhasma (ash) form, both externally and internally, for its cooling, anti-aging, firming, and skin-brightening qualities. In Unani medicine, powdered pearl was mixed with rose water and saffron for use in masks and creams.

My go-to purnima ritual is a delicate paste made from pearl powder, rose water, aloe vera, and a pinch of sandalwood. I apply it to the face and neck, leaving it on for 10–12 minutes before rinsing. It leaves the skin calm and softly radiant. On days that I get lazy, I simply mix a pinch of pearl powder with rose water into my day cream.

Purnima is an ideal time to sharpen intuition and deepen self-awareness. Moon bathing journalling, and meditation on this night help align your inner rhythm with the fullness of the lunar light. Here is a beautiful visualisation practice for clarity and inner radiance which finds its roots in the Agni purana and hatha yoga traditions. “As the light of the full moon shines on you, move to a calm space and close your eyes. Visualise a radiant full moon in your heart centre floating within a blooming lotus. Let the moonlight spread in all directions as you meditate on it till it illuminates

the region of your heart to your head.”

This story appears in Manifest India’s Issue 03. Subscribe here for more stories like this.