Skin Care in Ayurveda

Skin Care in Ayurveda

Skin is the seat of a sense organ. The senses of touch, pain, temperature, pressure are felt by it. It is a Matruj Avyava i.e. derived from mother or having maternal origin.It gives external covering to the whole body. 
            The seven layers of skin get their nutrition from Mansa Dhatu {muscle tissue}. It is known as an UpDhatu (secondary tissue product) of the Raktadhatu (blood) because it only mimics the Dhatu's in beholding the body. It does not do Poshan Karma i.e. do not give nutrition to the other Dhatus.
As skin is an Upadhatu of the Raktadhatu , it is a mirror that reflects the qualities of the Raktadhatu (blood) and the Rasadhatu (body's plasma tissue).Hence it is a common saying that 'glowing skin is the result of good quality Rasa and Rakta'.
            No amount of bleaching and facial massage or application of make-up through dexterity of a skilled beautician can hide the shallow look if the skin is unhealthy. Conversely, a healthy skin will always look attractive even when devoid of make-up.

Know Your Ayurveda Skin Type

The first step in the holistic Ayurveda approach to skin care is finding out your Ayurveda skin type.

Vata skin is in generally dry, thin, delicate and cool to the touch, easily gets dehydrated, and is very vulnerable to the influence of dry windy weather. Vata skin may age faster, and tends to be dry, rough and flaky when out of balance.

Pitta skin type tends to be fair, sensitive, soft, warm, and of medium thickness. Less tolerance to hot food, less tolerance to fieriness in temperament. Pitta skin types tend to be more prone to freckles and moles than the other skin types. When out of balance, Pitta skin can flare up in rashes, rosacea, acne, or sunspots.

Kapha skin tends to have all the qualities of water ( Jal) and earth( Pruthwi)  Mahabhutas -- it can be oily, thick, pale, soft, cool and more tolerant of the sun. Kapha skin tends to age slower and form less wrinkles than the other two types. Kapha skin types may struggle with dull complexion, enlarged pores, excessive oil, blackheads, and pimples, moist types of eczema and water retention.

Combination-skin can be Vata-Pitta, skin that is both dry and sensitive, Kapha-Pitta-skin is oily and sensitive, and Vata-Kapha- skin that is generally dry with some oily zones.

         The Ayurveda approach to caring for combination skin takes into account environmental and seasonal factors. For example, a person with Vata-Pitta skin would follow the recommendations for Pitta skin in summer and Vata skin in winter. The Kapha-Pitta type would follow Pitta recommendations in summer and Kapha recommendations in winter. The Vata-Kapha type would be best served by generally following Vata guidelines, with extra cleansing of the oily zones.

Characteristics of a person with ideal skin(Twak Sar /Ras Sar)

·         People with ideal skin have soft, oily, thin, smooth and lustrous skin.

·         They have soft, thin, scanty, oily, black and deep-rooted hair.

·         Eye - brows and eyelashes are black and smooth.

·         They have good eye - sight.

·         In their eyes, pupils, cornea and sclera are very well differentiated.

·         Mouth, Lips, Palate and Tongue are unctuous and oily.

·         These persons do not suffer from skin diseases and their wounds heal quickly.

·         They are intelligent and learned and have the necessary means and wealth to beget worldly pleasures.

·         They like music.

·         They love their family, nation, estate, and property.

·         They enjoy a long, healthy and happy life.

Caring for Vata Skin

For Vata skin to stay youthful, skin care products used should be very nurturing. They must include some essential oils or herbs in combination which can nourish the skin and rehydrate it, otherwise it may be susceptible to wrinkles and premature aging.

A Vata-pacifying lifestyle -- like going to bed on time, eating three regular meals, and following a regular daily routine -- are essential components of a holistic approach to Vata skin care, as are eating foods that help balance Vata and nourish the Vata skin.

Here are some suggestions for caring for Vata skin:

·         Provide added nourishment to your skin by including organic milk, whole grains and green leafy vegetables in your diet.

·         Drink lots of lukewarm water every day for internal hydration.

·         Eat plenty of sweet juicy fruits; they help cleanse the body from within and provide hydration as well.

·         Include a little healthy fat such as ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil in your diet for added lubrication.

·         Warm oil self-massage with rich massages oil such as the Youthful Skin Massage Oil is excellent for keeping skin lubricated.

·         Use a gentle, all-natural moisturizer such as the Youthful Skin Cream to keep facial skin hydrated. Provide added deep lipid support with Youthful Skin Facial Oil.

·         Get plenty of rest so your mind as well as your body has the opportunity to recharge.

·         Use a gentle, moisture-balancing cleanser such as the Youthful Skin Cleansing Gel and splash your face with water several times when you cleanse.

Caring for Pitta Skin The Pitta skin type needs both cooling and nurturing. Use skin care products that help enhance resistance to the sun. Avoid tanning treatments and therapies that expose your delicate, sensitive skin to steam for extended periods of time.

The ayurvedic herb Flame of Forest can help protect Pitta skin from photo-sensitivity. But like other ayurvedic herbs, it needs to be used in combination with other herbs for a balanced effect on the skin.

To care for Pitta skin, follow these guidelines:

·         Stay away from harsh, synthetic cosmetics; they can damage your sensitive skin and cause break-outs.

·         Avoid hot spicy foods and an excess of deep-fried foods; they add heat to an already fiery constitution.

·         Eat lots of sweet juicy fruits and have some Organic Rose Petal Spread in cool milk every day. The rose is considered cooling for mind, body and emotions.

·         Use a cooling oil, such as the Cool Sensation Massage Oil, for the daily massage.

·         Cook with cooling spices such as fennel and licorice.

·         Take extra care to protect your skin when you go out in the sun.

·         Use gentle, natural skin care products for cleansing and moisturizing. The Maharishi Ayurveda Day Cream for Sensitive Skin is especially gentle, yet nourishing.

Kapha Skin Care                                        

Kapha skin, because of its thickness and oiliness, is more prone to accumulate Ama -- toxins under the skin. People with Kapha skin need to do detoxification on a regular basis, both internal detoxification and external detoxification to flush toxins from the skin.

Scrubbing the skin with gentle exfoliating clay such as Coarse Mixture of Musta (Cyperus rotundus) and Manjishtha (Rubia cordifolia) can help external cleansing.

Some suggestions for caring for Kapha skin:

·         Avoid too many sweet foods or deep-fried foods, they add to the oiliness in the skin.

·         Exercise everyday to improve circulation.

·         A daily warm oil massage can also help circulation.

·         Eat plenty of organic vegetables and fruits to help cleanse the body from within.

·         Cleanse your skin twice everyday; exfoliate with a mud-mask at least once a week.

Cook with warming spices such as ginger (Zingiber officinale) and black pepper (Piper nigrum) to stoke the digestive fire and inhibit the accumulation of Ama inside the body.

Effect of stress on skin:

There are three types of stress, and all three impacts the skin in different ways:
Mental stress starts a chain reaction that ends in a drying out the moisture in the skin. Thinning, dryness and the shrinking of the 'Strotas' (microchannels) that carry nutritive fluid to the skin result in wrinkles and stress lines. 

Physical stress Exercising too much, working too much, or straining the body over a period of time causes physical stress. This causes the drying out of skin moisture and rough, aged skin.

To counteract mental stress, maintain a Vata-pacifying diet and daily routine. To bring emotional stress into balance, follow a Pitta-pacifying diet and routine. For physical stress, try to limit exercise or work to fifty percent of your physical stamina.
Dr. Sushant Patil
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