Back to Beauty’s Roots: Zareefa Ahmed on Tradition, Healing, and the Power of Simplicity
- 6 hours ago
- 5 min read
In an era of elaborate skincare routines and endless beauty trends, Zareefa Ahmed has captured global attention by returning to something far simpler: the timeless wisdom of homegrown beauty rituals. The New York-based content creator and founder of Ammu Beauty first went viral for sharing natural remedies inspired by her Bangladeshi upbringing, including a humble banana peel mask video that reached more than 23 million viewers. But behind the viral moments lies a deeper story – one rooted in family, resilience, and a desire to help others reconnect with beauty as a form of self-care and emotional well-being. In this interview with Miami Living Magazine, Ahmed opens up about honoring her late mother’s legacy, navigating motherhood and entrepreneurship, and building a brand that celebrates authenticity, balance, and radiant confidence at every stage of life.
Miami Living: Your skincare brand Ammu Beauty was inspired by your late mother and her holistic beauty rituals. Can you share a memory of her that continues to influence the way you approach beauty, wellness, and even entrepreneurship today?
Zareefa: I always say my first exposure to beauty was not in a store, it was in my mother’s kitchen. I remember watching her take simple ingredients like turmeric, yogurt, and oils and turn them into something that felt sacred. It was never rushed or excessive. It was intentional.
After she passed, I realized those moments were not just about beauty. They were about trust. She trusted what she knew, what she had, and what had been passed down to her. Somewhere along the way, I think we have lost that. We have started outsourcing that trust to products, trends, and other people telling us what we need.
That memory continues to guide me now. Ammu Beauty is not about adding more, it is about returning to what you already have and learning to trust it again.
ML: Many of your followers were introduced to your philosophy through your now-viral banana peel mask video, which reached over 23 million views. What do you think people are truly searching for today when they gravitate toward simple, natural beauty rituals like these?
Zareefa: I do not think people are just looking for something “natural.” I think they are looking for something they can trust again. We have been taught that the answer is always outside of us: another product, another step, another solution.
So when people see something as simple as a banana peel, it disrupts that idea. It reminds them that beauty can be accessible, intuitive, and even obvious. I think people are craving a sense of control again, something that feels like theirs. Because when everything is outsourced, you begin to feel disconnected, and these kinds of rituals bring you back.
ML: Your Bangladeshi upbringing plays a strong role in your approach to skincare and self-care. Which generational rituals or ingredients from your childhood have become the heart of Ammu Beauty’s philosophy?
Zareefa: So much of what I share today comes from what I grew up with. Turmeric, neem, and sandalwood were not viewed as “ingredients,” they were simply a part of life. But more than that, it was the mindset behind them.
We were not constantly searching for something new. We worked with what we had, and we trusted it. That is something I think is missing today. People have access to everything, yet they trust nothing. Ammu Beauty brings that back, not just the rituals themselves, but the confidence in them.
ML: You’ve been open about your journey as a single mother of two and how you used holistic wellness practices to transform your body and mindset. What were the most important shifts physically, emotionally, or spiritually that helped you reclaim your sense of vitality?
Zareefa: The biggest shift was realizing that no one was coming to fix me, and that was not a bad thing. It meant I had to reconnect with myself instead of constantly looking outward.
Physically, I simplified everything: nourishment, minerals, hydration, and sleep. Emotionally, I let go of the pressure to do everything perfectly. Spiritually, I stopped treating wellness like something I needed to buy or achieve, and started treating it like something I practice.
I think a lot of women are exhausted because they are outsourcing their well-being instead of building a relationship with it. Once I shifted that, everything changed.
ML: In a beauty industry that often pushes quick fixes and complex routines, you advocate for simplicity and balance. What does “natural beauty” truly mean to you in today’s highly curated digital world?
Zareefa: To me, natural beauty is about not abandoning yourself. It is not about rejecting modern skincare, it is about not becoming dependent on it in order to feel okay.
We have been conditioned to believe we always need more: more steps, more products, more correction. But natural beauty is about understanding when enough is enough, and when your skin is asking for support rather than overwhelm. It is about trusting your body instead of constantly trying to override it. In a world that is so curated, I think that is what actually feels real.
ML: As someone fluent in both English and Bengali and deeply connected to your cultural heritage, how do you see traditional South Asian beauty wisdom influencing the future of global skincare?
Zareefa: I think what is happening now is a reintroduction, not a discovery. These rituals have always existed, they were simply overlooked.
What I hope translates globally is not just the ingredients, but the philosophy behind them. South Asian beauty has always been rooted in balance and self-trust. It does not separate the skin from the body or the mind. As people become more overwhelmed by options, I think that kind of wisdom becomes even more valuable, because it teaches you how to understand yourself, not just consume.
ML: Looking ahead, what is your larger vision for Ammu Beauty and your platform beyond products and social media in terms of empowering people to feel confident, healthy, and beautiful at every stage of life?
Zareefa: Ammu Beauty was never meant to just sell products. It is about shifting the relationship people have with beauty and wellness.
I want to create spaces, experiences, and education that bring people back to themselves, where they do not feel like they constantly need to search outside for answers. Because confidence is not built through consumption, it is built through understanding. If I can help people feel more connected to their bodies, their routines, and their intuition, then that is the real impact.
