Glowing, beautiful skin makes everybody happy and confident to face the world. But how to reach that ‘radiant goal’? Yes, Ayurveda can help you in that pursuit with its scientific natural concoctions and scientific managing, writes Vaidya Lakshmi Lakshmanan going deep into its various finer aspects. Read on to learn the nitty-gritty.

Beauty cosmetics have become an
essential commodity in the present era. It is the most popular and highest
selling consumer goods in the FMCG sector. Cosmetics are understood as external
preparations which are mostly applied to the skin, hair, nails, lips for
beautification and protection from damage due to climatic changes, pollution,
etc. Although several herbs are mentioned in Ayurveda classics, about 200 herbs
are specifically mentioned for healthy and glowing skin. Nowadays people are
preferring herbal and natural skin care products because of the reduced side-effects
and improved functional benefits. The biologically active ingredients of
Ayurveda herbs are infused into the creams, moisturizers, etc. to obtain
enhanced results. The 5000-year-old Ayurveda holds good even today and it fits
well into modern models of holistic living.

What
is Beauty?
 
Ayurveda approach to beauty care is
not the market driven ideals of beauty. Beauty not only refers to being
physically attractive or the perfection of what is visually perceived but also
one’s self-confidence, expressions, emotions, disciplined mind and similar qualities
that give happiness to others. Inner beauty is reflected in outer beauty.
 
Tend
to your Skin’s Needs
 
Skin Health depends on the balance
of three Doshas. Moisture balance of the skin is controlled by Kapha Dosha.
Pitta Dosha gives complexion and luster to the skin. It is the heat which
controls the chemical and hormonal activities of the skin. Skin layers are
supplied with proper nutrition by Vata Dosha as it controls circulation. So,
following daily and seasonal routine will help in balancing the Doshas and
improving inner health while nourishing the skin.
 
 
Daily care for the skin is not just
a cosmetic act. Positive routines and habits will bring out the best in
ourselves. They make true good looks possible. Even as we grow older, with appropriate
care we will mature with a strength and vitality that will bring a new depth to
our outer beauty; a beauty born of life experience.
 
Every individual is unique. As the
skins of different Prakriti people have different characteristics, they have
specific needs too.
 
●      
Vata properties of
dryness, roughness and coldness is reflected in the skin of Vata Prakriti
people.
●      
Skin of Pitta Prakriti
people is warm and can be sensitive too. Also, plenty of moles, freckles and
pimples can be seen.
●      
Kapha People have oily,
soft and cold skin and prone to acne because of oiliness.
 
Skin Care Journey
 
As our personality and confidence
rely on beauty, it is important that we spend time for skin care every day in
order to delay skin aging, improve skin complexion and luster and prevent skin
damage from adverse environmental factors such as pollution and climatic
changes.
 
The simple steps for face care which
can be practiced at home according to one’s skin type, and their benefits are
mentioned in the table below.
 

• PROCEDURES	VATA	PITTA	KAPHA	BENEFITS
  Mukha Abhyanga or Oil Massage	Warm sesame oil	Coconut oil or ghee	Warm sesame or mustard oil	Nourishes skin, makes skin soft and silky, helps in skin tightening, facial muscle toning and skin uplifting
  Ubtan or Herbal Scrub	Walnut paste or Chickpea flour and milk	Powder of orange lentils	Almond paste or rice flour with milk	Makes skin clean, smooth and reduces hyper-pigmentation
  Cleanser	Moderate – Lemon juice or Milk cream with 2 drops of lemon	Mild – Sweet & Sour Orange juice or Coconut milk with 4 drops of lemon	Good – Sour Orange juice or Milk with 6 drops of lemon	Removes dirt, sweat, sebum and oils from skin
  Toner	Rose water or Cucumber juice	Rose water or Cucumber juice	Rose water or Cucumber juice	Removes residue after cleansing; restores pH of skin, improves circulation and tightens pores
  Face Mask	Chickpea flour with yoghurt	Liquorice powder with rose water	Triphala powder with water	Effective anti-bacterial. Balances sebum secretion. Use once a week by people with dry to normal skin. People with oily skin can use twice a week.
  Moisturizer	Almond oil or Fresh butter	Ghee or sandalwood oil or Coconut milk	Honey or Sesame oil	Hydrates the Skin

 
Focus on Marma / Vital Points
 
Stimulating the Marma points (Vital
points through which subtle energy flows) on face improves the circulation of
blood and enhances skin health. Use your index finger to press each Marma point
for one minute.
 

Adhipathi – On the vertex
Sthapani – Center of the
Eyebrows
Avarta – Middle of each eyebrow
Apanga – End of each eyebrow
Phana – On either side of the
nose
Neela & Manya – On either
side of the trachea in the neck
Utshepa – On either side of the
head, above the temples, where the hair meets the scalp.
 
 
 
Protect your skin
 
Everyday challenges to skin health
are photodamage, skin problems due to air pollution or seasonal changes. Below
are some tips to manage them.
 
●      
Limit exposure to UV
light or use herbal sunscreens, use cooling glasses and use light colored
cotton cloth to cover forehead, nose and chin when you go out. Use moisturizer
daily as it acts as a barrier between the skin and pollutants. Take rose water
or cold infusion of sandalwood in a spray bottle and spray on your face
whenever your skin feels irritated due to sun’s rays.
●      
When you come back home,
cleanse face using a mix of chickpea flour and rose water in summers and with mix
of orange lentils and milk in winters.
●      
Drink sufficient water
or liquids to compensate fluid loss through sweat in summers and to keep the
skin hydrated and prevent dryness in winters.
●      
Facial steam once a week
opens the skin pores to help cleanse the skin deeply, hydrate the skin, and
promote collagen production. It will be good to add a pinch of turmeric to the
water used for steam as it has antibacterial and antioxidant properties.
 
Enhancing different aspects of beauty
 
Everybody’s skins have different
needs and the following Ayurveda tips for common skin problems will help in
achieving a healthy and glowing skin.
 

 
 
Inner Health for Outer Glow
 
Skin care is not a few days’
practice but it needs to be pursued at each and every stage of life. Also, skin
health depends on the overall health condition of the individual, hence what we
put into our system is important. Daily and seasonal regimen specific to skin
care has to be followed based on one’s Prakriti and skin health for a
long-lasting beauty.
 
●      
Regular intake of
nutritious meals in proper quantity and quality containing plenty of seasonal
fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants will help to nourish all the organs
including skin. Skin nutrition cannot be enhanced only through topical
applications. Macro and Micronutrients are important for
healthy and glowing skin. Malnutrition affects skin appearance.
●      
Use of sufficient oils
or ghee in diet keeps the skin supple.
●      
Reduce excess salt in
diet as it causes early wrinkling of skin. Try to use Himalayan rock salt.
●      
Regular intake of
Rasayana herbs specific for skin care will help in improving skin health.
Anantamool, Manjishta, Yashtimadhu, Haridra, Kumari are some of the skin
rejuvenators.
●      
Daily shower keeps skin
clean and reduces microbial activity.
●      
Adequate sleep for 7 to
8 hours keeps the skin healthy and glowing, reduces dark under- eye circles.
●      
Regular exercise for
about 30 to 45 minutes daily eliminates toxins from the body and skin through
sweat and keeps the skin healthy by improving blood circulation to the layers
of the skin.
●      
Do breathing exercise
and meditation daily for 10 to 15 minutes to improve stress tolerance as stress
causes loss of luster and complexion, dark under-eye circles and appearance of
fine lines on the facial skin. It affects our expression too.
●      
Give up addiction to
tobacco, alcohol, etc. which dehydrate and damage the skin making it look
lifeless.
●      
Oil pulling with 1 tsp
of sesame oil or coconut oil in the mouth for about one minute, once daily,
helps to strengthen the facial muscles, improve expressions and reduce
wrinkles.
●      
Application of ghee in
both nostrils at bed time increases skin tone and improves the complexion.
 
 
Regardless of our body shape or
proportions or color of the skin, the more we nurture ourselves, the more
radiant we become physically. The three aspects of beauty are outer, inner and
secret aspect. When we balance the outer and inner aspects, we accomplish the
secret aspect.
 
***
(The
author is Senior Consultant at Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic and Research Center,
Jaipur)
 
email:
lakshmianoop3@gmail.com
Mob:
+91 9024902101