In this article, we unveil the secrets of getting radiant skin and a natural glow, from the inside out using the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda! Whether you're a seasoned Ayurveda enthusiast or new to this ancient wisdom, our guide will provide you with practical, easy-to-follow Ayurveda skincare beauty tips.
Want glowing healthy skin? Let’s dive in.
The first step towards glowing skin is to identify your unique skin type aka 'Dosha.'
Knowing your dominant Dosha can provide deep insights into your physical health, mental well-being, and the nature of your skin.
Ayurveda has three primary Doshas - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha- each representing a distinct combination of physical and emotional traits. Determining your Dosha can be enlightening, involving a deep dive into various aspects of your physiology and personality, down to the texture and behavior of your skin type. You can determine your skin type with our exclusive Skin Quiz!
Knowing your skin type serves as the foundation for a personalized, effective skincare routine and overall wellness strategy. It’s like having a personal health coach advising you on what will work and what won't. Once you learn your skin type, you can then tailor your skincare routine with natural remedies that cater specifically to your Dosha. This personalized approach can keep your skin healthy and promote overall balance and wellness in harmony with your unique constitution.
From the Ayurvedic lifestyle perspective, natural beauty and healthy skin are a reflection of inner wellness. It is believed that skin problems can sometimes directly result from a lack of effective digestion. By consciously choosing how we nourish ourselves we encourage authentic beauty to flourish.
One should aim to eat according to their doshas. The following are recommended foods based on your dosha:
Vata (Air & Space)
Recommended Foods: Warm, cooked, nourishing foods like soups, stews, and grains. Include healthy fats like ghee and olive oil, and sweet, sour, and salty tastes.
Pitta (Fire & Water)
Recommended Foods: Cooling and hydrating foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Favor sweet, bitter, and astringent tastes.
Kapha (Earth & Water)
Recommended Foods: Light, dry, and warm foods. Emphasize bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes.
It’s a good idea to avoid the following foods:
Vata (Air & Space)
Foods to Avoid: Cold and dry foods, raw vegetables, and excess intake of bitter, astringent, and pungent tastes.
Pitta (Fire & Water)
Foods to Avoid: Hot, spicy, oily, and fried foods, and limit the intake of sour, salty, and pungent tastes.
Kapha (Earth & Water)
Foods to Avoid: Heavy, oily, and cold foods. Reduce sweet, sour, and salty tastes.
Limiting and curating social media is another excellent way as what we consume includes social media, television, and other mediums of information. Limit your screen time and curate your social media to include inspiring and positive pages.
By fostering proper digestion, restorative sleep, mental tranquility, regular elimination, and appropriate energy levels, we lay the fundamental groundwork for blood circulation and our physical appearance. Striving to maintain equilibrium between your professional commitments, physical activity, self-care rituals, and leisure each day can help combat these impacts. How do you make time for self-care? How can you add more of it to your week?
Consider incorporating the ancient Ayurvedic practice of abhyanga, or self-massage, into your daily routine for deep nourishment.
This practice is best performed around sunrise, ideally half an hour before showering or bathing.
During abhyanga, you gently massage your whole body with warm Ayurvedic body oil, harmonizing your dominant doshas and deeply nourishing your skin tissues while improving blood circulation. You can use circular strokes across your body, to reduce stress and increase calmness.
There are different oils for different doshas. Those with Vata dominance may find sesame oil beneficial, while coconut oil is perfect for individuals with Pitta dominance. Sunflower oil is ideal for those who are Kapha dominant.
We suggest the following products for your self-massage:
Soothing Body Oil with lavender, calendula, and lemon balm promotes hydration and deep relaxation. This oil is ideal for those with a vata dosha, as lavender soothes the nervous system while calendula helps with dry skin.
Sundarya Body Oil includes jasmine, ylang, and rose-geranium. The Sundarya Body Oil is best for people with pitta dosha as they benefit from the cooling and soothing properties of the jasmine while rose geranium offers calming and cooling effects, while ylang-ylang's warming aroma can be soothing against any stress.
Energizing Body Oil with juniper berry, cassia, and ginger. The Energizing Body Oil is ideal for Kapha dosha, benefitting from the invigorating Juniper berry, cassia’s ability to stimulate circulation and warm the body, and ginger boosts energy and circulation.
Okay, maybe this one isn't a huge secret, but it's super important to mention if you are seeking glowing skin!
Avoiding chemical products on your skin is a wise choice for several reasons. Here are a few:
Skin Irritation: Many synthetic chemicals found in skincare products can cause irritation, redness, and rashes, particularly for those with sensitive skin.
Long-term Health Concerns: Some chemicals used in skincare products have been linked to serious health problems such as hormonal disruptions, allergies, and even certain types of cancer.
Premature Aging: Chemicals can strip the skin of its natural oils, leading to dryness, damage to the skin barrier, and accelerating the aging process.
Environmental Impact: Many chemicals in skincare products are not biodegradable and can cause environmental harm when they are washed down our drains and enter the waterways.
Toxic Load: Our skin absorbs a significant amount of what we put on it. Constant use of chemical-laden products contributes to the body's overall toxic burden, potentially leading to health issues over time.
Instead, opt for skincare solutions that are derived from natural herbs or organic fruits, that nurture your skin's health in a gentle and sustainable way.
Shankara prioritizes the use of nature's bounty, ensuring every ingredient we use is responsibly sourced. We are proudly committed to only using the finest natural components, ayurvedic herbs, and essential oils. We never compromise on our ethos by resorting to chemically derived ingredients. We also strictly adhere to the principle of 'Do No Harm' meaning everything we offer is pH-balanced, all-natural, and cruelty-free.
Kumkumadi Oil is celebrated Ayurvedic skincare due to its multifaceted benefits and potency. It's a blend of various herbs and plant extracts, with saffron or 'kumkuma' as the star ingredient, which gives it its distinctive name.
Shankara's Kumkumadi Oil is an exquisite blend of 32 nourishing flowers and herbs, created with star ingredients like saffron, lotus, and turmeric, to foster vibrant and healthy skin. Packed with potent antioxidants, including carotenoids and crocetin, it gives the skin a youthful freshness.
Here's why Kumkumadi Oil is considered a star for all skin conditions:
Natural Radiance: The high concentration of saffron in Kumkumadi Oil = skin brightening properties, enhancing the natural glow and radiance of the skin.
Anti-aging Properties: This Ayurvedic elixir is rich in antioxidants that fight free radicals and prevent premature aging, especially for wrinkle-prone skin. It helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots, resulting in a more youthful appearance.
Skin Tone Correction: Kumkumadi Oil can even out skin tone and reduce the appearance of pigmentation, acne scars, dark spots, and blemishes.
Deep Nourishment: The herbs and oils provide deep nourishment to the skin, making it soft, supple, and moisturized.
Clear Complexion: It assists in unclogging pores, reducing acne, and promoting a clear and healthy complexion. We consider our Kumkumadi Oil to be a miracle skin tonic that works to nourish, moisturize, and brighten the skin. In ancient times, massaging your face with Kumkumadi Oil was said to make your face glow like gold!
We follow the seasons for almost everything else, so why not for our skincare?
In autumn and winter's cooler climates, one must enrich the skin using organic oils. This not only fortifies the skin's natural protective barrier but also imparts deep hydration to its layers.
This is the time to use the following products:
Hydrating Cleanser: A luxurious hydrating cleanser that leaves skin feeling soft and supple through the combination of chamomile, lavender, neem, and calendula.
Serums: At Shankara, we offer a range of serums, including the Daily Repair Serum in both rose and meadowsweet to support serious hydration. Our Brightening serum with turmeric, and wheat germ, softly reduces the appearance of discoloration to brighten the skin.
Moisturizer: Our Timeless Moisturizer is super-powered by saffron, lotus, turmeric, and other rejuvenating plant extracts for the ultimate hydration.
Face Oils: Our range of facial oils includes argan, rosehip, or jojoba oil, which can be beneficial for providing deep nourishment and hydration to the skin.
Masks: Our Moisturizing Mask will leave your skin satiny smooth and firm, without excess oil.
Come spring, it's time to purge accumulated toxins.
As we transition into the warmth of summer, we must prioritize cooling the skin. Employing herbs such as Coriander, Rose, and Aloe Vera can soothe and refresh the skin, while adequate protection against excessive UV exposure becomes vital.
You may wish to try:
Face Mist: Shankara's Rose Face Mist, which is rich in vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, Rose essential oil is also deeply moisturizing, helping to combat skin dryness, and soothe sensitivities.
Exfoliating Products: Excess heat, increased sweating, and oil production can lead to clogged pores. Microcrystal exfoliator will uncover beautiful, radiant skin after the exfoliation treatment, using ultra-fine silica crystals combined with aloe gel and five algae extracts to gently sluff away dry, dead cells revealing a healthy, youthful glow.
Ayurveda encourages the use of natural ingredients, many of which can be found in your kitchen, to create effective skincare remedies. Complementing these DIY recipes with Shankara's products can enhance their benefits.
Here are some easy-to-make Ayurvedic skincare recipes for a holistic beauty regimen:
1. Turmeric and Honey Face Mask:
Ingredients: 1 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tbsp honey.
Method: Mix turmeric with honey to form a paste. Apply to the face and leave for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water. This mask is excellent for its anti-inflammatory and skin-brightening properties.
Pairs with: After rinsing off the mask, apply Gheesutra Face Emulsion for added hydration and nourishment.
2. Aloe Vera and Rose Water Toner:
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Aloe Vera gel, 1 tbsp rose water.
Method: Mix Aloe Vera gel with rose water. Store in a bottle and use as a daily toner for soothing and hydrating the skin.
Pairs with: Use after cleansing your face with Shankara Hydrating Cleanser for a refreshing and hydrating experience.
3. Oatmeal and Yogurt Exfoliating Scrub:
Ingredients: 2 tbsp ground oatmeal, 1 tbsp yogurt.
Method: Combine oatmeal and yogurt to make a scrub. Apply in a circular motion on the face, then rinse off. This scrub gently exfoliates and nourishes the skin.
Pairs with: Follow up with Shankara’s Microcrystal Exfoliator for a deeper exfoliating effect, especially for Kapha and Vata skin types.
4. Neem and Coconut Oil Moisturizer:
Ingredients: 1 tbsp neem powder, 3 tbsp coconut oil.
Method: Mix neem powder with coconut oil and apply to the skin. Neem has antibacterial properties, making it great for acne-prone skin.
Pairs with: For additional moisturization, especially for dry skin, use Shankara Fine Line Moisturizer after applying the neem mixture.
Which recipe will you try first?!
Visiting an Ayurvedic practitioner and learning from their knowledge can be a revolutionary step towards skin that glows like gold. An Ayurvedic consultation offers personalized guidance tailored to your unique constitution while considering not just physical symptoms, but emotional and spiritual health too. An Ayurvedic practitioner may advise on diet, lifestyle, herbal remedies, and mind-body practices, all customized to align with your specific needs and imbalances.
Ultimately, the cornerstone of Ayurvedic beauty care is nurturing the human body from within, as genuine health naturally illuminates outwardly. While this internal care forms the foundation of beauty, adopting additional external self-care rituals can enhance self-love, further amplifying your innate radiance!
Allow the wisdom of Ayurveda to guide you in recognizing your inner strength, cultivating self-love, and unveiling your unique, divine beauty.
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