An Ayurvedic Guide to Skin Care

The Ayurvedic approach to skincare begins with finding out the skin type that the person has.

i) Vata skin

This type of skin is generally dry. It is delicate, thin, and cool to touch it easily gets dehydrated and very vulnerable to the influence of dry and windy weather. When out of balance Vata’s skin can be dry and age faster, it can appear to be rough and flaky.

ii) Pitta skin

These types of skin are generally soft and tender. It tends to be fair, warm, and medium-thick with less tolerance for hot foods, and fewer temper tantrums. Pitta skin types tend to be more prone to freckles and moles than other types of skin. When out of balance, Pitta skin can appear in rashes, rosacea, acne, or sunspots.

iii) Kapha skin

This type of skin has all the qualities of water and soil so it appears to be thick, oily, soft cool, pale, and more sun-tolerant (more tolerant of the sun). Kapha-type skin tends to age more slowly and forms fewer wrinkles than the other two types. Kapha skin types can fight with hazy complexion, dilated pores, excess oil, blackheads, pimples, moist eczema types, and water retention.

iv) Combination-skin

This type of skin has different qualities. The combined Kapha-Pitta skin has fat and delicate skin. Vata-Pitta skins are found to be dry and sensitive skin and combined Vata-Kapha skin is generally dry with some oily areas.

The Ayurvedic approach to skincare combines various aspects such as environmental and seasonal factors. For example, a person with Vata-Pitta skin should follow the recommendations as Pitta skin in summer and Vata skin in winter.

The Kapha-Pitta type would follow Pitta’s recommendations in summer and Kapha’s recommendations in winter. The Vata-Kapha type would be better served by generally following the Vata guidelines, with additional cleaning of the fatty areas.

Ayurvedic medicine’s main philosophy is the root of any ailment lies within some sort of imbalance within the organism which most often is the result of toxins, or other impurities, that are trapped within the body.

That is the reason why Ayurveda’s main focus is to manage any imbalance from within by first removing all toxins from the body. All the medication and care are dependable on diet and herbal application to the body.

i) Skin Care Tips For Vata

Vata skin types, for example, will need to eat warmer and more unctuous foods and will favor sweet, sour, and salty tastes to balance the dry, rough, and moving Vata Dosha. Provide additional food to your skin including organic milk, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables your diet.

Drink lots of warm water every day for internal hydration. Besides this drinking/eating lots of juicy sweet fruits can help to cleanse the body from within and provide hydration as well. Include some healthy fatty food such as Ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil in your diet for extra lubrication.

A self-massage of hot oil is excellent to keep the skin lubricated. Use a mild natural moisturizer to keep facial skin moisturized. Provide enhanced deep lipoid support with facial oil. Get sufficient rest so that your mind, as well as your body, has the opportunity to recharge. Use a mild cleanser, balance moisturizer, and splash your face with water several times to keep your skin healthy.

ii) Skin Care Tips For Pitta

If you have a Pitta skin type, you will thrive on sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes. As fond of sweet and juicy fruits, jam, and cooked vegetables. Avoid spicy and hot foods. Stay away from harsh and synthetic cosmetics as they can harm your sensitive skin and cause skin breakout on your face.

Avoid hot spicy foods and a surplus of fried foods as it adds more heat to your body type. Eat lots of sweet and juicy fruits and have some rose petal jam in the fresh milk every day. The rose is considered to help refresh the mind, body, and emotions.

Use cooling oil such as coconut oil, for daily massage. Cook food with cooling spices like fennel and licorice. Take special care to protect your skin when you are out in the sun. Use gentle natural skin care products for cleansing and moisturizing.

iii) Skin Care Tips For Kapha

Kapha-type skin oils require a warmer, lighter, less fat, and food-free diets that are difficult to digest. Eating more bitter, astringent, and spicy tastes helps to stimulate digestion and balance Kapha’s skin. Avoid too much sweet food or fried foods that may add fat to the skin.

Daily exercise can improve circulation, and regular hot oil massage can also help in blood circulation. Eat plenty of organic vegetables and fruits to help cleanse the body from the inside.

Cleanse the skin twice a day, and wash or rub it with a clay mask at least once a week. Cook with warm spices such as ginger and black pepper to feed the digestive fire and inhibit the accumulation of Ama inside the body.

1. Care Tips For Acne Skin

Acne is the most common skin condition that generally occurs in teenagers undergoing hormonal changes, which induce oil production. It is also familiar with women who take contraceptives. Even though acne may be hereditary but sometimes may be aggravated by stress.

In acne, a sebaceous gland within a hair follicle overproduces oil, which irritates the follicle’s lining. The excess oil also causes bacteria at bay in the follicle to produce a substance that causes cells lining the follicle to plod together.

The pressure creates in the pore, pushes a plug of cremated oil, and remains on the skin’s surface. If the follicle opens a blackhead or open comedones appear and if the pore is tightly closed then a whitehead or closed comedones occur.

Causes Of Acne: Dosha Imbalance- Pitta, Kapha

Cure For Acne

1. Facial steam using eucalyptus oil can be beneficial.
2. The application of Manjishtha taila is beneficial to get rid of acne.
3. A paste of Multani mitti mixed with Neem Patra powder, Sandalwood, Manjishtha, and rose water can be used as a face pack.
4. The application of Eladi choorna can be applied to affected areas.
5. A face pack of red sandalwood mixed with Neem and Lodhra powder in rose water is useful.

Note: Don’t pick at pimples. Avoid sun exposure. Practice a relaxation technique to reduce stress. If you are taking an oral contraceptive high in progesterone consult your doctor.

2. Care Tips For Dry Skin

Dry skin is a growing problem day by day. It is due to unsuitable skin hygiene, such as excessive washing, use of soap, immoderate routine skin washing and lack of moisturization, excessive UV exposure, use of air conditioning, Poor nutrition moreover changes related to the maturity of the skin.

Causes Of Dry Skin: Increased in Vata, ushna, and teekshna qualities of Pitta. Due to Rasakshaya (Reduction in Rasadhatu), fewer snigdhatwa (unctuousness) caused by reduced meda (Fatty Tissue) and overall reduced sweat from the body.

Cure For Dry Skin

1. All measures should be taken to reduce Vata,  also required measures to reduce pitta with substances having cooling properties.
2. A nourishing diet needs to increase rasa dhatu and meda dhatu in the body.
3. Snehana with herbs infused oils like Shatavari, Bala, etc.

3. Care Tips For Freckles

Freckles generally form when exposed to the sun, they are small pigmented spots that are commonly found on the arms, face, hands and other parts of the body. Freckles are mostly found in the person who has a fair complexion, they develop through exposure to the sun or working in the sun exposure and the seasons.

Causes Of Dry Skin: Dosha Imbalance- Pitta

Cure For Dry Skin

1. Application of Manjishtha Taila can be best for freckles.
2. A paste of sandalwood mixed with Manjishtha and Rose Water as a face pack is useful.
3. The application of Eladi Choorna on affected areas is useful.

Note: Always be protected from harmful sun rays and limited sun exposure. Remember freckles are harmless and may gradually fade if not exposed to the sun.

4. Care Tips For Moles

Moles are harmless spots that are formed due to the accumulation of pigmented cells. Moles tend to be brown, tan, or black and could have uneven or shady borders. They mostly develop on the face, chest, back and scalp they also tend to be hereditary. They are rarely cancerous and changes in a mole it may even be the first sign of skin cancer. Other types of moles are congenital these types of moles do not affect the body even if left untreated and elevated moles can be treated.

Causes Of Moles: Dosha’s imbalance- Vata

Cure For Dry Skin

1. Application of Kshara lepa is beneficial, other applications such as Snuhi, Apamarg, and  Arka are best.

Note: Generally moles do not require any treatment but they should be checked regularly for the change in size, shape, or color, or the development of irregular borders for signs of skin cancer.

Medical Treatment: Excision and laser therapy may be used to remove a mole.

5. Care Tips For Sunburn

Sunburn is red in appearance and has a painful burn caused by the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When the sun rays burn the cells of the outer layer of skin it causes damage to the underlying blood vessels. Sometimes severe sunburn may also cause blisters and skin’s dead cells to flake and peel away.

Causes Of Moles: Dosha Imbalance- Pitta

Cure For Dry Skin

1. Application of Shatadhauta ghrita or Chandan taila is best.
2. A paste made of Sandalwood with rose water as a face pack works well.
3. Application of Aloe vera juice or Pure rose water can also be applied.

Note: Protect the skin from harsh sun rays and wear protective clothing and make sure to stay away from the sun between 10 am to 3 pm. Use a cool compress of chamomile or skimmed milk to soothe burned skin. You can also apply potato slices, aloe cucumber or to calm sunburned skin.

Herbs are well known for their skin nurturing properties and the Ayurvedic cure is based on nature. They can bring back the lost shine without adverse side effects if used as prescribed. So if possible always use natural products or herbs that are found within the household that can enhance the radiance of your skin.