Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of health and healing, has been gaining popularity in the West as people turn to holistic means to improve their sense of wellness. Within this system of health are concepts and suggestions for skin care, many of which rely on the use of specific Ayurvedic herbs and tonics to keep skin looking and feeling young and bright.
History
The history of Ayurveda dates back to thousands of years. The word itself comes from Sanksrit and means the "science of longevity." While it has evolved throughout its creation, it continues to have a strong presence in both Indian and South Asian health and wellness practices. In the West, Ayurveda is becoming increasingly recognized and practiced, much in thanks to the popularity of Indian practice of yoga. In fact, all types of people, from healers to massage therapists to medical practitioners, are incorporating elements of Ayruveda into their teachings and services.
Philosophy
Ayurveda's holistic approach to health aims at treating the entire individual, not just a symptom or specific ailment.
The Ayurvedic approach to health encompasses all aspects of a person's way of living. From nutrition to mindset and from exercise to sleeping patterns, the Ayurvedic approach takes into account not just the person individually, but also the environment that he lives in.
When it comes to skin care, the quality and youthfulness of a person's skin is viewed as a reflection of one's health. A person who has acne will therefore not just be treated to get rid of the blemish itself, but rather the blemishes will be looked at as a symptom of a deeper underlying condition. A treatment plan will then be suggested that correlates the person's constitution, or his dosha.
Digestion, elimination, nutrition and metabolism all affect the quality of skin, according to Ayurveda. If any of these processes are out of balance, it will show up through the quality of the skin. An Ayurvedic approach to skin care will therefore intend to restore balance to any or all of the systems that are interrupting the body's natural desire to healthy skin.
Skin Types
The quality of the skin is determined by a person's dosha, or constitution. The three doshas are vata, pitta and kapha. While each person has all three within herself, usually one or two are more dominant, which creates certain imbalances. Therefore in order to restore health to the skin, the doshas must first be balanced.
The overall concept when it comes to Ayurveda and skin care is to choose a skin care regimen that matches the kind of skin a person has.
According to Ayurveda, if a person has oily skin, it is largely due to an imbalance in the kapha dosha. A treatment of oil-free cleansers and cooling tonics like cucumbers and lemons might be recommended. In addition, heavy and rich foods, and make-up that clogs pores should be avoided and instead should be replaced by light foods and light make-up. Exercise to release toxins through the pores and to get rid of excess oil is also recommended.
If a person has dry skin, a strongly vata condition, the treatment plan looks quite different. Oil-based cleansers and moisturizers are instead encouraged and a diet with a modest amount of healthy fats like olive oil, sesame oil and ghee are also recommended.
Common Ingredients
When it comes to Ayurvedic skin care, natural is best. Ayurvedic skin care products as well as Ayurvedic skin care practices rely only on natural ingredients, chemical-free processing methods and holistic regimens.
Some of most commonly-used Ayurvedic skin care ingredients are sandalwood, sesame seed oil, macadamia nut oil, lime oil, lemon oil, clary sage, sunflower seed oil, Gotu Kola, other essential oils, herbs and botanicals.
General Recommendations
Eating a diet that is full of fresh foods, using spices when cooking, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep and following stress-reducing behaviors are strongly supported as a way to keep skin healthy and looking radiant and youthful.
In addition, purchasing Ayurvedic skin care products from certified and quality sources as well as seeking out specific skin care recommendations from a Ayurvedic health practitioner are encouraged.
Member Comments
Ayurvedic_One February 22
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My wife's favorite product (although she uses many of them) is the Hingot cleanser which removes both make up and eye make up. She used to use Almay, but it left the skin around her eye just a bit dry. The Ayurda product does not do that. Smells great too.