Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medicine that is over 2,500 years old. Ayurveda believes that achieving balance in the body can in turn lead to Beauty, health, happiness and longevity. Ayurvedic treatments produce anti-ageing effects along with improved physical health, mental strength and inner calmness and awareness.
Three doshas
According to Ayurvedic medicine, each person is born with their own composition or prakruti. This is made up off three doshas – vata, pitta and kapha. A person will have a different amount of each of these elements within themselves, which will determine their personality and physiology. As the imbalance of doshas is seen as the cause of physical, mental and spiritual problems, Ayurvedic treatments intend to return harmony to the body.
Ayurvedic natural skin care
Ayurvedic natural skin care treatments work to nourish the body and skin. Ayurvedic medicine offers an understanding to natural skin care by recognising three main skin groups.
Vata Skin
Vata skin types are characterised by dry skin. Natural skin care treatments in Ayurvedic medicine for vata skin focus on treatments that are warming, nourishing, toning and add moisture to the skin. Vata types can also be characterised by brittle nails and dry hair and scalp.
Natural skin care for vata
For Vata skin, herbs such as ashwagandha, brahmi, comfrey, cinnamon, fenugreek, haritaki, tulsi and shatavari are beneficial.
Essential oils are also an important part of a natural skin care regime. For vata skin types, try a facial oil blend of unrefined jojoba, wheatgerm, rosehip, sweet orange, neroli, sandalwood and myrrh so help restore skin balance.
Pitta skin
Those with pitta skin will often have sensitive skin. Imbalance can manifest through rashes and inflammation, and pitta types may also experience oily skin in the T-zone as well as pustular acne, blackheads and whiteheads.
Pitta natural skin care
The main emphasis for those with pitta skin should be calming sensitive skin. Preparations that are cooling, cleansing and soothing are most beneficial to any natural skin care regime for this type.
Herbs such as amalaki, chamomile, coriander, jasmine, mahabala, manjishta and sandalwood are beneficial. A facial oil blend of calendula infused oil, neem oil, rosehip oil, ylang ylang, mandarin, rose essential oil and sandalwood essential oil can be a beneficial ayurvedic natural skin care treatment.
Kapha
Kapha skin types often have moist, pale skin. Skin may be dull with enlarged pores with oily secretion on the skin and scalp.
Natural skin care for Kapha types
For Kapha skin types, proper cleansing is essential. Warming, cleansing and stimulating preparations are most effective to comprise a natural skin care program for kapha types. As Kapha types are prone to oilier skin, white heads and cystic formations, frequent deep cleansing should be the basis of a natural skin care regime.
Herbs including ashwagandha, bibitaki, fenugreek, haritaki and can form a natural skin care regime for Kapha types as well as a facial oil blend of jojoba, sweet almond, rosehip oil, lavender, lemon, geranium and clary sage.
