Ayurvedic Beauty Tips

We all dream of beautiful glowing, blemish free skin; some opt for expensive salon treatments whereas a few others rely on homemade recipes. The good thing about home-based recipes is that it does not have any cosmetics and no side effects. Let us look at some simple, but most effective Ayurvedic beauty tips for the face, which can help you obtain naturally glowing, problem-free skin.

Milk:  One of the known basic Ayurvedic tip is using raw milk. Using raw milk helps remove unseen dirt and impurities from the face as well as the pores of the skin. It also adds a subtle glow and acts as a natural moisturizer and therefore is an excellent natural cleanser suiting all skin types. Take 1-2 tbsp. of raw milk, and add to it a pinch of turmeric powder, dip a cotton ball and sweep it all over the face and leave it for 5 minutes. This cleanser removes all dirt from the skin, moisturizes the skin and gives it a nice glow.

Orange: To acquire a smooth complexion

Applying fresh orange juice to your face on a daily basis will help bring about an improvement in the texture of your skin as well as the skin tone. This fruit is rich in Vitamin C, which enables our body to fight ageing and it also acts as a good skin toner, especially for oily skin.

Honey and lemon mask: Honey is an excellent natural humectant (a substance that promotes retention of moisture), can help you get soft and supple skin. It is extremely useful for avoiding wrinkles, flakiness and dryness. It also includes antioxidant and moisturizing properties that cleans and lightens the skin. Take 1 tablespoon of honey (preferably raw, organic honey), add 3-5 drops of fresh lemon juice and apply on the face, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Wash off with water and you will discover soft, glowing skin in no time.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is one of the wonders of Nature that has a number of skin and health benefits. Break open a leaf, take out the fresh gel, apply on your face and massage in. Once dry, wash off with lukewarm water. Aloe Vera cannot exactly cure acne but it has amazing anti-inflammatory properties, thus helping to reduce the swelling and redness of pimples and acne. Noticeable results can be seen in a week’s time. Moreover, drinking Aloe Vera juice can enhance the vitality of the skin and also be useful in case of stomach ailments.

Herbs: Chickpea flour (besan) face pack for dull skin, it exfoliates dead cells, removes suntan, and is a very famous Ayurvedic remedy for face. Take 1 tbsp. chickpea flour in a bowl, add few drops of lemon juice, a pinch of turmeric powder and add rose water or raw milk to prepare a paste. Apply the pack to cleansed face, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Regular usage will get you a soft, smooth, glowing skin, and slowly, the blemishes on the skin will start fading too.

Potato: To reduce pigmentation, blemishes and dark spots

Potato is a very good natural skin lightener. Rub a slice of raw potato daily on your skin to lighten pigmentation, blemishes and dark spots. Alternatively, onion, lime or cucumber juice may be used for the same purpose.

Olive Oil: To naturally moisturize skin to avoid wrinkles and fine lines

Olive oil is a wonderful natural moisturizer loaded with antioxidants and fatty acids. Smooth on a thin layer of it onto your skin before bed every night to rejuvenate your skin and prevent the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Drink lots of water at least 8-10 glasses keep the skin hydrated from within. You may even add a dash of honey and lemon to the water, consume only warm water, as cold water slows down the metabolic system, and impairs digestion of food and warm water helps in keeping the temperature of the digestive system optimum for digestion.

Get 6-8 hours of sleep every night and exercise regularly, it promotes blood circulation, flushing out toxins from the body and keeps the body and skin healthy.

Inculcate the above Ayurveda face care tips in your daily life; you will notes tremendous change in just a few weeks.

Know your skin type - Ayurvedic Beauty

Ayurveda has a very different approach to skin care from modern medicine. Rather than using topical agents alone like creams, lotions, and oils, Ayurveda treats the underlying skin problem at its root. In Ayurveda, the ancient medical system of India, the cause of skin conditions is thought to be due to a dosha imbalance. A dosha is your mind-body type. If you know your dosha, you can take steps to prevent skin problems before they even begin. There are three doshas in Ayurveda: Vatta, Pitta, and Kapha. Each dosha has a unique set of characteristics.

Vatta (Air and Ether)

Those with a primarily Vatta dosha have skin that can be described as fine or delicate yet also dry and flaky.  Vatta skin needs to be nourished and hydrated. It is at risk for premature aging due to a deficiency of well-nourished tissues in the body. Vatta skin tends to be dry, cracked, and thin. Because of its thinness, Vatta skin types have easily seen blood vessels. Lips and fingernails tend to be somewhat pale due to poor circulation. Hydration is essential for this skin type.

Foods to Eat

To look younger, Vatta skin types should eat more whole grains, warm milk, and cooked vegetables. These are nourishing foods that are packed with nutrients and easy to digest. Also, ginger is a great food to replenish Vatta skin because it helps increase metabolism and improve digestion, which impacts the color, thickness, and moisture of the skin. Get the Vatta meal plan.

Herbs to Take

Ashwaganda helps to ground Vatta types, who are constantly moving and tend to spread themselves out too thin. In Ayurveda, by reducing the excess mental activity of Vatta individuals, ashwaganda helps their gut absorb nutrients better, making the skin look younger and less wrinkled. A typical starting dose for ashwaganda is 500mg twice a day.

What to Avoid

Vatta skin types should avoid raw vegetables because their digestion is not strong enough to break them down in order to get the nutrients.

Pitta (Fire and Water)

Those with a dominant Pitta dosha are quite opposite of those with Vatta.  Pitta craves coolness and is actually aggravated by heat.  As a result, those with Pitta skin are easily sunburned and have problems with inflammation, irritation, redness, etc.  Pitta skin is fair, often with freckles and is known to produce a warm glow.   Pitta skin requires great care and is prone to conditions such as pigmentation issues, rashes, and is quite sensitive overall. 

Foods to Eat

Pitta skin types should eat sweet, watery fruits like melons, mangos, and pears. Think of a pot of water on high heat – Pitta evaporates the heat from your skin so you need to add foods with a high water content to keep Pitta in balance. Pitta is the exact opposite of Vatta in terms of temperature, so eating foods that are cooling such as coconut oil and rose petal jam helps to reduce the skin inflammation.

Herbs to Take

There are three great herbs for balancing Pitta skin:

1. Turmeric powder has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and you can use in your cooking
2. Amla berry, which is a cooling herb. You can take this as a supplement beginning at 250mg a day. It is also available in jam form.
3. Fennel seeds, which are ideal for digestion. Chew a pinch of fennel seeds after your meals.

What to Avoid

Pitta skin gets aggravated by eating spicy foods, so they should avoid foods like; chilies, black pepper and jalapenos. The heat in spicy foods further increases Pitta people’s own natural internal heat.

Kapha (Earth and Water)

Kapha individuals tend to have naturally beautiful skin that ages slowly. Their skin tends to be plump and full of moisture. However, out of balance, Kapha skin tends to accumulate more toxins that predispose them to large pores, skin growths, skin eruptions, and a grayish film. The main focus for Kapha skin types should be removing toxins.

Foods to Eat

Kapha skin types should actually favor spicy foods, the exact opposite of Pitta skin types. The spicy food helps to stimulate their digestion and since Kapha individuals have the slowest metabolism, they need all the extra heat their food has to offer. Get the Kapha meal plan.

Herbs to Take

Kapha skin needs herbs that help boost metabolism to remove toxins from their body and help their skin look clearer and more vibrant. Kapha individuals should add black pepper and garlic to their meals. They should also take the supplement guggul, which helps remove toxins by regulating fat metabolism throughout the body.

What to Avoid

Kapha skin types should avoid all heavy, oily foods because their skin already tends to be oily and their digestion slow.