Asa Soltan Rahmati Uses These Grocery Store Ingredients for Thick, Lustrous Hair

She may drink diamond-infused water and accessorize with Lanvin, but Asa Soltan Rahmati sticks to the basics when it comes to her beauty regime. "We live in a world where people try to cover up their quote-unquote imperfections with makeup. That's all good, and there's a place for that," the entrepreneuer says. "But we all know--for women and men--that the best things for beautiful skin are water and rest." 

Asa grew up in Iran, where wellness derived from simple practices and ingredients was a way of life for her and her family. "This is one of my fondest memories of being a kid: being inside this beautiful [hamam] that's all white marble, with radiant heating underneath. We would go there with my mom, the aunties, my cousins—just the girls." In the steam room, the women would detoxify while they caught up on gossip. "It's just a really big part of life [in Iran]," Asa said.

Her grandparents were also instrumental in her early beauty education. Her grandmother always smelled like flowers--because she tucked a sprig of jasmine into her bra! And after taking a bath, her grandfather would rub amber onto his warm skin. "He always smelled incredible."

Now that she's based in Los Angeles, the kaftan designer still does hit up a hamam when the occasion calls. "They're having a revival at the moment," she says of the ancient Persian trend. And, she's kept her family's predilection toward D.I.Y. beauty treatments alive. Here are some of the genius ways she gets gorgeous, using simple ingredients you can find at the grocery store.

"People always ask me about my hair. Since I was little, I've made my own shampoo, and hair treatments, and hair masks. There's a really simple one, especially for dry hair, that you can use at night. All you do is you wash your hair, brush it, and rub olive oil or coconut oil into your hair—mainly into the ends. Then, you braid your hair and you go to bed. In the morning, you take a shower to rinse it out, and it's so luxurious. And if you want it more luxurious--and this is a Cali secret--you can mash an avocado into the oil and make a hair mask." Because Asa's hair is thick, she uses about a Tablespoon of oil; depending on your hair consistency, you may want to use a little less. And, for hair that's not long enough to braid: "just slick it back!," she says. 

"To make the perfect mask for your skin, keep a couple of Persian cucumbers in the fridge. When they're cold, you take them out and grate them. And you put the grated cucumber all over your face. Lay down on your back for 10 minutes [and let it sink in.] And when you take off the pulp, your skin is hydrated and smells incredible. It refreshes your entire face."

"I remember when I was a kid, my aunties and my cousins made their own wax for hair removal. It's just honey and sugar, mixed with lemon juice. You put it in a little pan and you boil it, and it becomes a sticky wax that you can use on your legs."

"Perfume originated in ancient Persia, and the first perfume ever created was rose oil. We put rosewater in our food--even at funerals, they splash rosewater on everybody. And for me, I live through my nose. Rose and jasmine is just part of my soul. So I make this really simple rosewater face spray for summertime. I take a little diffuser spray, which you can get at the market, I put water in it, and I put in five drops of rose oil. You keep it in the fridge, and in the summer, there's no better feeling than when you pick up that bottle of ice-cold rosewater, shake it, and you splash your face with it. It's the most sensual, beautiful thing."

But that's all the Shahs beauty will share for now. "I don't want to give all my secrets away, because I want to put them in a book," she reveals.

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