Practice of Ayurveda and herbal medicine has been prevalent for 5000 years in India. Now, due to its immense benefits on body and mind, Ayurveda is gathering importance in the west as well.
What exactly is Ayurveda?
The word Ayurveda has been derived from two Sanskrit words—Ayu means Life, and Veda means Science. In simple words, Ayurveda is a life science which balances Mind, Body, and Spirit.
Ayurveda gives importance to preventive aspects of medicine rather than the curative aspects. If you check the ancient classics in Ayurveda, you will notice that the initial chapters cover the topics like daily regimen, seasonal regimen, and good diet practices.
Summer is near your door steps and is the time when you have a dominance of Pitta dosha. Pitta is a combination of fire and water and is responsible for proper metabolism in the body. Pitta, when disturbed, can create a variety of skin problems like rashes, inflammation, redness, acne and more.
The direct relation between summer and Pitta might cause a variety of skin conditions in the season.
A perfect Ayurveda skin-care routine can help you this summer. The secret behind healthy glowing skin is Cleanse, Moisturize, and Nourish.
Cleanse
When I say cleanse, it doesn’t just mean washing your face frequently with water. Of course, you need to wash your face in cold water every time you come back from scorching sun. But here CLEANSE means to clean internally and externally.
Do a Panchakarma detox once every 6 months to get your body free of toxins. You can even plan a purgation program at home.
- Begin your day with 1 teaspoon of melted ghee. Ghee pacifies Pitta and Vata and it penetrates deep inside the tissues to lubricate and soften the hardened tissue that builds as we age. Practice this for 5 days.
- Remember to have a healthy diet during these days to ensure good digestive fire, and proper digestion and metabolism.
- On the days 5, 6 and 7 do an Ayurveda self-massage with coconut oil.
- On day 7, drink a cup of warm prune juice on an empty stomach. You may get multiple bowl movements on the same day. Drink water boiled with dried ginger throughout the day. Have moong bean Kitchdi or rice gruel as diet.
What I have mentioned above is the internal cleanse. In addition to this, external cleansing is also important for skin. While an internal cleanse detoxifies the body and purifies the blood resulting in nourishment and cleansing the body, external cleanse helps in maintain healthy skin with a glow.
As I already mentioned wash your face frequently.
Don’t use harsh chemical soaps on face and skin. Instead use chickpea flour or organic skin-care products.
Remove your makeup before bed. Use soothing rose water to cleanse the face at bedtime. Rose water also helps in pacifying aggravated Pitta.
You can also apply cucumber juice as a cleanser over face and neck.
Also, remember to have a clean diet. Avoid spicy, acidic foods. Include digestive spices like cumin and fennel in diet. Eat healthy, whole foods. Include greens and lots of water in diet.
Moisturize
Practice the art of self-massage with an appropriate oil daily. Ayurveda advises Abhyanga (massage) as a daily regimen. According to Ashtanga Hridaya—an Ayurveda classic—a proper oil massage gives a beautiful skin, rejuvenates, nourishes the eyes, increases the longevity of life, and ensures good sleep.
You can either use an oil as per your constitution or coconut oil can be ideal for skin.
Apply aloe vera to your skin and you can even drink aloe juice for proper moisturization.
Along with proper moisturization, remember to exfoliate your skin at least once a week. You can use oatmeal as a natural exfoliant. It is very gentle and is ideal for sensitive skin, it also helps in moisturizing the skin.
Nourish
Try to avoid refined sugars and fried or processed foods to as much as possible. Instead go organic. Have plenty of seasonal fruits and vegetables.
While Abhyanga or oil massage helps to nourish your body and skin, yoga and meditation nourishes your mind. Practice yoga and meditation. Exercise and good sleep are also important for a healthy complexion.
These are simple and powerful practices for healthy glowing skin. It’s really easy to implement these practices into your daily life for a healthier, even more beautiful version of you!