Who doesn’t desire to have healthy skin that glows naturally without any make-up? Unfortunately, unhealthy lifestyle routines, pollution, stress might not allow your skin to breathe freely and sport that natural glow.
But, worry not! The goodness of Ayurveda can help you achieve a radiant skin. With simple herbal treatments, nutritious diet, and healthy lifestyle practices, you can restore your skin’s lost glow.
Scroll down to know the different Ayurvedic solutions that can help your skin look healthy and glowing.
Why Is Healthy Skin Important?
“Your skin can speak a lot about your internal health,” says Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix. Your skin is a lot more than just a sense organ. It is the largest organ of your body that prevents dehydration by holding your body fluids, regulates your body temperature, and acts as the first line of defense against microbial invasions.
A healthy skin indicates a stronger immune system while dry, cracked, and unhealthy skin may not be able to guard your body efficiently against microbial infections. Thus, you need to follow a regular skincare regimen to keep your skin at its best health.
The ancient science of Ayurveda has proven herbal formulations and therapies that address the root cause of your skin issues and bestow benefits that last longer.
Your skin absorbs sun rays to make vitamin D which is essential for the health of your bones and other body parts [1].
Why Does Your Face Lack Glow?
Ayurveda says that every person is the constitution of three vital forces: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas. A person is in a healthy state when these tridoshas are in equilibrium. As per Ayurvedic science, a glowless and dull face is the indication of vitiated doshas in your body, which can be affected by the below causative factors.
- Build-up of dead skin cells
- Dehydration
- Sun damage [2]
- Free radical damage caused by pollution
- Stress
- Unhealthy diet and lifestyle
“Unlike other superficial treatments, Ayurvedic herbs help you rejuvenate your skin from inside and balances your doshas as well,” says Dr. Zeel.
How To Get Glowing Skin With Ayurveda?
1. Understanding Your Ayurvedic Skin Type
Your Ayurvedic skin type is defined by the dominance of doshas in your body.
- A Vata dominant person is more likely to have dry skin which is prone to uneven tone, wrinkles, flakiness, and fine lines.
- A Pitta dominant person is less tolerant to heat. Such skin type is more prone to tanning, sunburns, sun spots, acne, etc.
- A Kapha dominating person has enlarged skin pores and tends to have oily and dull skin with cystic acne.
In Ayurveda, every skin type is treated with different herbs that pacify specific dosha that is in aggravated levels in your body. Understand your Ayurvedic skin type by answering this simple quiz and find out the herbal regimen that best suits your skin type.
2. Regular Skin Care Regimen
Your daily skincare routine should have a few essential steps for you to follow. Make sure to practice them regularly. Also, use products that have dosha-specific herbal ingredients suitable for your Ayurvedic skin type.
A. Cleansing
Regular cleansing is essential for your skin to eliminate the dead skin cells, sweat, oil, diet, and product build-up. Wash your face at least twice a day with lukewarm water to unclog your skin pores.
B. Exfoliation
Exfoliation opens up your skin pores and makes a way for the moisturizers to penetrate deeper into your skin tissues. Ayurveda recommends using ‘ubtans’ (pastes made of flours and herbs) to exfoliate your skin regularly. Ubtans provide deep and gentle exfoliation to your skin, increase blood circulation, and unclog your skin pores without stripping off the natural oils.
A paste made of 2 spoons of oat flour and 1 spoon of water is a simple ubtan that you can use on alternate days to exfoliate your face gently.
C. Nourishment
Just like any other organ in your body, your skin too needs essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to function well. Lack of nourishment can result in loss of elasticity and skin strength, increased bruising and slow healing of scrapes or cuts. You need to apply nourishing face packs and give gentle oil massages regularly to achieve healthy and glowing skin.
D. Moisturization
Using a moisturizer regularly is important for any skin type as it can prevent your skin from developing extreme oiliness or dryness. The right moisturizer [3] for your skin type keeps your skin’s pH in balance and aids in concealing the blemishes naturally.
E. Toning
Using face toners helps to seal the moisture in your skin by closing the pores. This shields your skin from environmental pollutants and keeps your skin hydrated for a longer time. You can use rosewater as a natural toner and spray it on your face a few times a day.
Vedix Tip: Ensure you remove the makeup and clean your skin gently before you sleep. Your skin renews itself when you sleep and it needs to breathe. Leaving your skin with cosmetics during nights can cause extensive damage to your skin over time.
3. Ayurvedic Herbs For Glowing Skin
As a first step, Ayurveda focuses on purifying your blood as it has a direct link with your skin radiance. For this Rakta shodhak herbs (blood cleansers) and Rakta Prasadaka herbs (blood soothers) such as nimba(neem), haridra(turmeric), daruharidra(tree turmeric), manjistha(Indian madder), bakuchi(psoralea corylifolia), etc. are used.
In the second stage, Ayurveda recommends the usage of ‘Kanti Vardhaka’ herbs (glow enhancing herbs) to increase your natural skin glow. Some of them include:
- Haldi(turmeric)- Balances all three doshas
- Daru haridra(tree turmeric)- Balances Kapha and Pitta doshas
- Kumkuma(saffron)- Balances all three doshas
- Chandana(sandalwood)- Balances Kapha and Pitta doshas
- Sariva(Indian sarsaparilla)- Balances all three doshas
- Raktachandana(red sandalwood)- Balances Kapha and Pitta doshas
- Ela(cardamom)- Balances Vata and Kapha doshas
- Kumari(aloe vera)- Balances all three doshas
- Yashtimadhu(Licorice)- Balances Vata and Pitta doshas
- Lodhra(symplocos racemosa)- Balances Kapha and Pitta doshas
- Manjista(rubia cardifolia)- Balances Kapha and Pitta doshas
4. Ayurvedic Medicines
For glowing skin complexion, your Ayurvedic doctor may prescribe the following rasayana herbal dosages orally based on your dosha levels.
- Drakshasava
- Nalikerasavam
- Saraswatarishta
- Praval bhasma
- Gandhaka rasayana
- Shankha bhasma
- Mukta bhasma
- Haridrakhand rasayana
Important Note:
Never administrate Ayurvedic rasayana herbs without your doctor’s consultation.
5. Essential Oils
Adding a few drops of any of the following essential oils in your moisturizer can promote glowing skin with a healthy texture. Make sure to use one that suits your skin type.
A. Geranium Oil
It is best for Vata skin type and works great in eliminating dead skin cells. This can leave your face clean and tight besides giving you a clear complexion.
B. Rosehip Oil
It works well for the Vata skin type. Rosehip oil is rich in vitamin C and fatty acids which helps in keeping your skin well-nourished and hydrated. Containing active retinoids, rosehip oil helps in brightening your skin complexion and fighting acne in no time.
C. Grapefruit Oil
This is best for Kapha skin type. Besides promoting a glowing skin complexion, grapefruit oil can help in reducing severe acne on your face.
D. Lavender Oil
It can be used on any skin type. You can attain a youthful glow on your skin with lavender oil. It also helps in controlling the blemishes, sunburns, and skin irritations effectively.
E. Ylang-Ylang Oil
It is best for Pitta skin type. Ylang-ylang oil heals any breakouts on your skin and controls blemishes with its natural anti-inflammatory properties. It also enhances your skin’s radiance by boosting skin cell regeneration and promoting a tight skin texture.
F. Sweet Orange Oil
Sweet orange oil benefits Vata and Kapha skin type. It gives a vitamin C boost to your skin and soothes your skin with its effective anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
6. Ayurvedic Herbal Therapies For Glowing Skin
A. Herbal Lepam /Body Wrap
In this treatment, a herbal paste usually made of turmeric, licorice, and grain powders is applied to your body. This formulation acts as a natural purifying agent for your skin and imparts radiating skin complexion. It is best for people who have dull and dry skin with uneven skin tone.
B. Abhyanga
This is the best ancient treatment to nourish your skin while balancing elevated doshas. It involves massaging your body using palms with warm oils before you take a shower. You can use eladi oil, kumkumadi oil, or nalpamaradi oil for abhyanga for healthy and glowing skin.
“Abhyanga helps in detoxification of your body and imparts a calmative feeling. It helps in moving the lymph fluids and enhances lubrication in your joints. It also controls your stress levels and insomnia, besides healing a wide variety of skin ailments,” says Dr. Zeel.
C. Potli Or Kizzi Massage
It is a herbal compress massage therapy that involves massaging specific areas of your body with warm Potli bags containing dried herbs such as ashwagandha, neem powder, etc. based on the elevated doshas. You need to take a shower with warm water after Potli massage therapy.
Potli massages help to reduce inflammation in your skin and help in tightening your muscles. Also, it helps to detox your skin, reduces stress, and increases the glow on your face.
D. Swedana Or Herbal Steam Bath
Swedana [4] is a panchakarma therapy that involves sitting inside a box filled with herb-infused steam. It can be performed for 10-30 minutes and should be done after Abhyanga. Relieving toxins and excess doshas from your body in the form of sweating is the principle of ‘Swedana therapy’. This not only helps your skin but also boosts your general health and well being.
7. Home Remedies For Glowing Skin
A. Add a spoon of coconut oil to a spoon of sandalwood powder and make a paste. Apply it to your face and leave it until it dries up. Later, rinse it off using cold water. This is good for Pitta skin type.
B. Mix a few drops of water in half a spoon of cow ghee. Apply it on your face and massage it gently for 10-15 minutes in circular motions. Leave it overnight and wash it with a mild cleanser the next morning. This is good for the Vata skin type.
C. Grind a handful of tulsi leaves and add sufficient amounts of raw milk into it to make a fine paste. Apply it to your face and wash it off with cold water after half an hour. It is good for Kapha skin type.
D. Soak a spoon of saffron in milk overnight. Add a spoon of aloe vera gel to it the next morning and apply it to your face. Rinse it off with cold water after half an hour. It is good for any Ayurvedic skin type.
8. Right Diet Rich In Antioxidants
Dr. Zeel says that your diet can make or break your skin. Your food can significantly affect your bodily doshas and the right food with mindful eating is essential to keep them in balance. Tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, capsicum, oranges, mangoes, kiwi, guava, papaya, etc. with high amounts of antioxidants are some of the best options to achieve glowing skin.
You can determine the best diet for your glowing skin based on your Ayurvedic Prakriti and elevated doshas. For example, include coconut oil, dairy, nuts, whole grains, ghee, yogurt along with a lot of seasonal fruits and vegetables in your diet, especially if you have Vata dominant Prakriti.
Avoid fried, refined, processed foods, excessive sugar, salt, and red meat consumption as they can cause imbalance in your doshas and result in a variety of skin problems.
9. Regular Hydration
You need to drink enough water in a day to keep your skin healthy and glowing. Besides drinking 2-3 liters of water throughout the day, you can include vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber, carrot, radish, asparagus, etc. in your diet regularly. They have a high water content.
These vegetables, which are often revered as ‘purifiers’ can be taken as salads or eaten in a cooked form. You can also have herbal tea made of ginger, lemon, or chamomile once in a day. It helps in healthy digestion which is essential for glowing skin.
10. Adequate Sleep For Glowing Skin
Adequate sleep [5] on a regular basis helps your body stimulate a growth hormone, which is essential for the production of collagen and elastin protein in your skin. This keeps your skin tight and radiant. Also, a proper sleep cycle accelerates the production of the epidermis and reduces the build-up of free radicals.
11. Exercise For Glowing Skin
Dr. Zeel recommends a physical workout 4-5 times a week until you sweat under your arms and along your spine. Sweating eliminates your body’s toxins and boosts blood circulation in your skin. This helps in increased nourishment to your skin, which results in healthy and glowing skin from within.
12. Yoga For Glowing Skin
“By bringing balance to the elevated doshas in your body, Yoga helps to enhance the blood circulation in your skin and boost your overall immunity,” says Dr. Zeel.
Practicing ‘Hatha Yoga’ daily helps you connect with your breath on subtle levels, which can directly impact your skin health. Also, meditation and pranayama aid in stress relief by calming your mind.
“Your respiration levels play a significant role in maintaining the glow and vitality of your skin. Stress and shallow breathing patterns result in depleted prana (life force), which in turn makes your skin look pale, dull, and lifeless,” says Dr. Zeel.
13. Limited Sun Exposure
Though a bit of sun exposure is essential for your body, overexposure of it can cause sunburn, hyperpigmentation, tanning, and wrinkles. Hence, it is better to limit your sun exposure to morning time rays. Also, never forget to use a sunscreen lotion when you go out. Else, you can at least use a hat, an umbrella, or a scarf to shield your face from the sun.
Important Note:
Please consult your doctor before using any medicine, herb, or treatment mentioned in the article on your skin.
The Last Word
Today, we see the world is getting back to its roots and millennials are increasingly reaching out to Ayurveda to experience its tremendous benefits for their skin, hair, and overall health. Nature has everything that your skin needs and all you have to do is to pick what is best for your unique skin type.
At Vedix, we help you understand your Ayurvedic skin type with a simple dosha questionnaire, based on which we customize a natural herbal skincare regimen that addresses all your unique skin concerns.
Know Your Dosha Now