Ayurveda is the world’s oldest health science and is the sister science to yoga. If you have heard of yoga or practiced yoga, you have experienced Ayurveda. Yoga is for spiritual purposes; Ayurveda is for balancing the mind and body. When we talk about balancing the mind and body, the body includes our skincare for our faces. Ayurveda ascribes to three steps in caring for our skin especially when it applies to the face. The three steps are
1. Cleanse (includes organic natural ingredients)
2. Nourish (facial oil is used to balance oil production and this includes essential oils).
3. Moisturize (this step is a gentle face and neck massage for a few minutes each day). It improves immune function, sleep and skin circulation.
Here are the 3 steps to flawless skin listed by Dosha:
VATA DOSHA
VATA SKIN
People who’s primary Dosha is Vata tend to have skin that’s dry, thin, flacky, and dehydrated, with small pores, fine lines and possibly wrinkles. You may or may not have all of these characteristics. Vata skin needs nutrition and hydration which can come by use of oils and herbs that can nourish the skin, because vata skin is often susceptible to premature aging.
CLEANSE
Make a paste with almond flour and coconut milk, use a 2:1 ratio flour to milk, then apply it to your face. This should help with moisturizing and exfoliating the skin.
NOURISH
Geranium for dryness.
Frankincense to remove fine lines and aging.
Citrus essential oils can add vitamin c and work to reverse hyperpigmentation.
Chamomile helps with restoring skin.
MOISTURIZE
Sesame oil is an excellent option for Vata because of it’s heavy and nurturing properties, use it for your gentle face and neck massage. For more information about Vata check out our Vata Dosha blog post.
PITTA DOSHA
PITTA SKIN
Pitta skin is prone to aggravation, redness, breakouts, and sun sensitivity, so Aloe Vera gel is really cooling for Pitta. Pittas tend to have sensitive skin and acne, rosacea, psoriasis, eczema, or dark spots. They also tend to have more freckles and moles. To soothe pitta skin favor cooling nurturing ingredients.
CLEANSE
Cleanse by making a paste with 1 t lentil flour, ½ t neem powder + 1-2 t water. Rinse with cool water.
NOURISH
Sandalwood keeps the skin in balance
Rose helps battle redness
Lavender is a calming oil for pitta.
Chamomile reduces redness
MOISTURIZE
Coconut oil is an excellent oil for Pitta because of its antioxidants and it’s anti-bacterial. It also has cooling properties. Use it to gently massage your face and neck for a few minutes. If you would like to read more on the Pitta Dosha, check out our Pitta Dosha blog post.
KAPHA DOSHA
KAPHA SKIN
Kapha skin tends to be oily especially in the t-zone, may have clogged pores, enlarged pores, and Kapha commonly has eczema.
CLEANSE
To cleanse, use equal parts of honey + lemon juice. Leave on for about 2 minutes, then washout off.
NOURISH
Kapha’s skin tends to have an overproduction of oil, therefore Hazelnut oil is a gentler option, for Kapha, it helps to maintain the skin’s natural sebum production, preventing excess oil secretion.
MOISTURIZE
Grapeseed is a great oil because it’s lightweight, loaded with omega-6 and antioxidants to help fight inflammation. Use it to gently massage your face and neck for a few minutes. If you would like to read more on the Kapha Dosha, check out our Kapha Dosha blog post.
As an added touch, for ALL three Doshas, after you moisturize, spritz on the mist of rosewater it adds a plumping affect to the dry face.
While the suggestions above are external methods for caring for your skin, for optimal balance in the body, following the diet and eating the foods that coincide with your dosha add additional benefit. You can be glowing on the inside and outside.
I hope this was helpful. You may have noticed our health and wellness options have grown. Be sure to sign up for yoga classes every Saturday morning. If you’d like more information or would like to come in and take a Dosha test, please contact us.
If you have any questions about Ayurveda or skincare, please feel free to call us at
(615) 884 – 6744 or email us at estheticsbypbrown@yahoo.com.
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As Always, we look forward to hearing from you…