11 Indian Herbs That Rival Korean Skincare Trends

5. Tulsi (Holy basil) — Antioxidant and calming extract

Tulsi carries both cultural reverence and practical use: people drink it as tea for immunity and apply it topically for its antiseptic and antioxidant qualities. Research highlights Tulsi’s antimicrobial and free-radical–scavenging actions, which make it useful where K-beauty uses green tea or centella for calming and antioxidant support. You can brew a strong tulsi infusion and cool it as a toner, or seek serums that include tulsi extract. Tulsi’s warm, peppery aroma is part of its appeal, but not everyone likes the scent on skin—fragrance-free extracts are widely available. Because Tulsi balances oiliness and calms environmental stress on skin, it fits well in routines focused on pollution defense and daily maintenance. As with other botanicals, rely on reputable products for concentrated use and do a patch test before broader application.