Basics of Ayurvedic Skincare: Wisdom of Ancient Beauty

In ancient India, healers perfected the art and science of natural beauty decades ago. Ayurveda is the oldest persistently practiced medicinal form which is holistic or otherwise in the world and originated over 5,000 years ago. As we are exposed to apparently endless stress, toxins, and chemicals in our modern-day lifestyle, many of us are looking to ancient beauty therapies and Ayurvedic remedies to deal with.

Ayurveda sets the highest standards for the concept of "natural" skincare routine. In classical Ayurveda, only food-grade ingredients are used in the Ayurvedic skincare routine. This is so because the skin "eats" anything applied to the skin, which gets absorbed directly into the bloodstream within a matter of seconds. As a holistic knowledge spreads, conscious consumers are increasingly seeking natural beauty and body care products.

Mind, Body, and Skin Types
Ayurvedic studies say that the human body is a microcosm of the whole universe. The 5 elements - Space, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth are the building blocks of everyone and everything else in the universe. These 5 elements combine to form the 3 doshas of the body in Ayurveda. Vata is composed of Air + Space; Pitta is Fire + Water, and Kapha represents Earth + Water. The 3 doshas (and 5 elements) are present in everyone, but all have a unique combination or proportion of elements, known as our constitution, or Prakruti. This delicate balance can become a disturbance because of innumerable external influences: stress, diet, climate, seasons, pollution, and energy vibrations. This imbalance is known at the Vikruti.

How these doshas translate to skincare routine?
While Vata skin is dry, rough and thin, there on the other side, Pitta skin is oily, warm and sensitive; and Kapha's skin is typically thick, sorts, and cool. Using plant extracts, ayurvedic herbs, flowers, essential oils, and minerals, the goal of Ayurvedic skincare is to bring the skin back into harmony with nature and the Prakruti.

How to balance Vata (dry) skin?
Vata skin is dry, thin, rough, and prone to aging, it needs to be nurtured, and needs warming and grounding in a significant time interval. For Vata skin to stay youthful, it is essential to stay hydrated.

Lifestyle Tips:

• How to balance Pitta (sensitive) skin:
• Pitta skin is very sensitive and is prone to inflammation, redness, acne, eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. To balance Pitta skin, you can use some cooling and soothing products.
• Lifestyle Tips:
  
• Drink an appropriate amount of coconut water, cook with coconut oil, and eat cooling foods such as avocados and bananas.
  
• Apply coconut oil to the skin daily, which will calm and cools the skin, and quenches all your thirst.Limit with frequent sun exposure.
  
• Limit the intake of alcohol, coffee, spicy, oily, and fried foods.

How to balance Kapha (oily) skin:
Kapha skin type is thick, oily, and is prone to cystic acne. It needs regular detoxification, as it is the most prone to accumulate ama, or toxins, under the skin. Kapha needs skincare products that are light and stimulating.

Lifestyle Tips:

• Detoxify the body on a regular basis.Perform some regular self-massage to increase the circulation and drain the lymphatic system. (Use light, heating, or warming oils like a mustard seed, grape seed, or almond).
  
• Act upon weekly exfoliation with clay and mud masks.
  
• Exercise daily.
  
• Eat all sorts of organic vegetables and fruits to cleanse the body from the inside.
  
• Cook food with warming spices such as ginger, cayenne, and black pepper, in order to stimulate the digestive fire, or Agni, which cleanses ama, or toxins, from the digestive tract.
  
• Consume at least 2 liters of water per day.
  
• Stick on your regular daily routine.
  
• Slot in some meditation and relaxation techniques into daily life.
  
• Apply warm oil to the body daily in the type of self-massage (use sesame, avocado oil or almond). This daily routine will protect joints, lubricates dry skin, and grounds anxiety-prone Vata types.
  
• Consume plenty of healthy fats like avocados, ghee, olive oil, sesame seeds, and almonds.