Ayurveda, India and Sri Lanka’s 5,000 year old traditional medical system, has a legacy of using herbal ingredients to heal both the body and the mind. From Turmeric, Ashwagandha and Shatavari to Fennel, Cumin and Coriander, Ayurveda has a vast array of herbs it utilises to promote greater health, balance and vitality. Although you can certainly heal the body from the inside out with Ayurvedic herbs and supplements, you can also apply herbs topically to help treat various skin ailments. Today, we would like to share with you some simple DIY Facial Cleanser Recipes you can create at home to help remedy some common skin imbalances associated with each of the three Doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Vata Dosha is comprised of the air and ether elements. These elements are considered light, dry, cold, mobile and sharp. Since these qualities define the air and ether elements, Vata Dosha is also described as light, dry, cold, mobile and sharp. These qualities can manifest themselves in various ways from insomnia, nervousness, and/or struggling to gain weight to experiencing constipation and/or dry, dull skin. You may have Vata type skin if your skin has a tendency to always feel dry or if you are experiencing premature wrinkles compared to others your age.
Use the below recipe to help hydrate and nourish dry Vata type skin:
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients with a little bit of milk to make a paste. Apply the Facial Cleanser onto the face with gentle, clockwise circles and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water and apply a high quality, organic sesame oil to the skin to lock in moisture.
Model - Pearl Inori
Pitta Dosha contains both the fire and water elements, with fire being the more predominant element. This Dosha is considered hot, sharp, oily and flowing. Pitta Dosha is in excess when we become irritated, angry, short tempered or when there is inflammation, indigestion and/or hyperacidity. If your skin is described as sensitive with a propensity to have breakouts combined with dry, flaky skin, you might just have Pitta type skin.
Use the below recipe to help soothe and heal inflamed and sensitive Pitta skin:
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients with a little bit of coconut milk to make a paste. Apply the Facial Cleanser onto the face with gentle, clockwise circles and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water and apply a high quality, organic sunflower oil to the skin for further hydration and healing benefits.
Photo Credit - Alyssa keys photography
The elements earth and water are housed within Kapha Dosha. Both elements have heavy, stable, cold and moist qualities; furthermore, Kapha Dosha also shares these qualities. In the physical body, people that are more Kapha in nature tend to gain weight easily, experience swelling more readily than the other Doshic types and also tend to have ample mucus and congestion. For the skin, Kapha is in excess when the skin is oily, congested and experiencing large pores. Cystic acne is also considered a Kapha type skin condition.
Use the below recipe to help purify and revitalise congested and oily Kapha type skin:
Ingredients:
Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients with a little bit of Aloe Vera juice to make a paste. Apply the Facial Cleanser onto the face with gentle, clockwise circles and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water and apply a high quality, organic Grape seed oil to the skin to continue balancing the skin’s sebum, or oil production.
One of the major ideas to take away from Ayurveda is that the earth provides enormous amounts of healing plants and other earth based ingredients to help keep us all feeling and looking our best. This ancient healing modality calls us back to harnessing the powerful and transformative actions found within plant medicine instead of relying on chemicals and synthetic ingredients. We hope that the above recipes have given you some insight into the Doshic skin types as well as inspired you to have an at home spa day. Remember, your true and radiant beauty lies within and Ayurveda is here to help you shine!
This article was written by Trudy Collings, co-founder of Paavani Ayurveda.
