How to get clear beautiful skin with Ayurveda or “A-Beauty” Routine
Everyone desires to look good. And having a clear and beautiful complexion is key to that.
Dreams of having a blemish-free glowing skin are packaged and marketed well by the cosmetic industry today. They are easily available everywhere--in stores, on the streets, and in beauty parlours. They are even sold door-to-door by vendors who tout them as fairness creams that give instant results. Unfortunately, many doctors and dermatologists have claimed that several of these beauty products are hazardous to one's health and skin.
So, instead of using these cosmetics and products available in the market, sometimes it becomes necessary to go back to our roots and follow certain age-old tips and tricks.
As per Ayurveda, most of our skin issues can be treated with the help of herbs and natural products. The products of Ayurveda are cost-effective as well as easily available. According to the Amrapali Patil, a fitness blogger,” Ayurveda is the ancient science of India. Its treatments are sans side effects. The ingredients used in it can be found easily in your kitchen.”
Skin-care the Ayurveda Way
Ayurveda categorizes a person according to his/her constitution type (broad categories called doshas are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. We are all a combination of all three doshas, which one or two being more prominent than the others and Prakruti is the dosha combination that one is born with). This largely determines the skin-type.
Due to age, hormonal changes or lifestyle or even certain extraneous factors like recovery from disease, some of these factors can get vitiated (Vikruti) or accentuated.
The ancient concept of Ayurveda guides us that by following a healthy and balanced diet we can get naturally glowing skin. Along with the wholesome diet, it is also necessary to follow some routine to clean and nourish our skin from the very core. So, let’s explore the daily routine based on Ayurveda. Here are some necessary steps you need to know about how to get clean skin with Ayurveda.
The 8-step Ayurveda-Beauty or A-Beauty Routine
Ayurveda recommends an 8-step face care routine, which includes -
1. Cleansing
2. Oil massage
3. Steam
4. Scrub
5. Deep pore cleansing or nourishing face pack
6. Toning
7. Moisturising
8. Hydrating
These steps can be followed daily. But with shortage of time in busy schedules, some steps can be combined together. Also one can do a few basic ones daily, as recommended below, and the rest can be done bi-weekly, weekly or fortnightly too.
Minimum Daily Routine
On a daily basis, it is recommended to do Cleansing, Toning and Moisturising to:
- Improve circulation, soothe, heal and bring a glow to the skin.
- Clear the accumulated sebum, sweat and dead cells and dirt which clogs pores, which create a fertile ground for bacteria.
Step-1–Clean your skin to remove the dust, dead cells or make-up
Ayurveda recommends a regimen that includes the cleansing of the skin. Cleansing is essential to remove dust, pollutants, dead cells or make-up from your skin.
- For Vata dominant skin, you can use a paste of turmeric, almond powder and half a spoon of coconut milk. Apply it to your skin gently and wash your skin further with lukewarm water. The Parama Naturals' Turmeric Moisturising Face & Body Oil or Turmeric-Lavender Moisturising Face & Body Oil can also be used for cleansing the face.
- For Pitta dominant skin, use a paste of turmeric, lentil flour with half spoon of neem powder and a full spoon of water. Further, apply it gently and then wash it with cold water. The Parama Naturals' Turmeric Soap or a pinch of the Parama Naturals' Enriching Exfoliator Ubtan can be used as a soap-free cleanser
- For Kapha dominant skin, use lemon juice and honey and apply them to your skin. After 5 minutes, wash it with lukewarm water. The Parama Naturals' Turmeric Soap or a pinch of the Parama Naturals' Enriching Exfoliator Ubtan can be used as a soap-free cleanser
- For added cleansing and therapeutic action of turmeric, without its characteristic yellow colour, add a few drops of the Parama Naturals' Turmeric Essential Oil to whichever cleanser you prefer.
Step-2–Pamper your skin with oil massage to nourish the skin tissues
Skin always needs love, care, and pampering. For this perform Ayurvedic abhyanga or oil massage therapy on your face, body and feet for at least half an hour. The massage will pamper your skin and pacify your doshas, which in turn have an astounding effect on your facial glow too.
Massage will nourish your skin tissue and enhance the blood circulation in the tissues. Use sesame oil for Vata dominant dosha. Coconut oil and almond oil are recommended for the Pitta and Kapha people respectively.
Moreover, other essential ayurvedic oils such as chamomile, lavender, tea tree, rosemary, etc, will give clear and beautiful skin.
The Moisturising Face & Body Oil, which is a mixture of sesame, coconut and almond oils is suited for every age and all skin types, and for the whole body from top to toe.
The area around the eyes needs extra moisturising, as this area does not having oil glands, and is prone to dark circles, wrinkles and fine lines. The Night Repair Face Oil, is well-suited for maturing skin. It nourishes and boosts the collagen which starts depleting with age and results in fine lines and wrinkles that start appearing on the skin.
Interestingly, Ayurveda recommends foot massage and head massage also for good facial glow.
Foot massage at night before sleeping is recommended in Ayurveda with mustard oil or ginger-paste and sesame oil. This is to enable good sleep after a tiring day, which is essential for a preventing dark circles and for a radiant skin.The Parama Naturals' Zingiber Body oil is especially well suited for foot massage at night, for ear massage, for shoulders and neck, abdomen and also for the whole body when one is tired.
Massaging the hair with suitable herb-infused oil is recommended for healthy hair and also for preventing issues like a flaky dry scalp and dandruff, which can lead to acne issues. Parama Naturals' Nourishing Hair Oil is well-suited for this purpose.
Parama Naturals Natural Oils for Face MassageMOISTURISING FACE & BODY OIL
Step-3–Ayurveda herbal steam prevents degeneration of skin
Ayurveda herbal steam bath regulates internal water metabolism in your skin. It also allows pores to open up to allow cleansing and absorption of nutrients, this reducing the degeneration of skin. It further offers a natural glow to your skin and improves blood circulation too. Parama Naturals Ubtan can be used as a nourishing face mask to get a natural glow on the skin. First Apply parama Naturals Ubtan for 5 min then wash with water. After this take steam, for steam mix 2 drops of turmeric essential oil in a steamer.
Step-4–Brighten up your skin and get an even skin tone in a natural way with a gentle scrubbing
To get radiant and glowing skin, gently scrub the face. Apart from cleansing and removing the dry or dead skin cells, it helps to gently polish the skin, by smoothening out any rough skin patches. It improves the circulation too and it is a perfect way to maintain healthy, dirt and tan-free skin. The scrubs can be home-made using roasted and ground lentil powders, coffee bean powder or herbal powders like Parma Naturals' Ubtan, which is based on the principles of Ayurveda.
Parama Naturals'
ENRICHING EXFOLIATOR FACE & BODY SCRUB
Step-5–Deep Pore Cleansing gives clean and fresh skin
It is necessary to deep cleanse the pores in your skin to remove congestion caused by accumulated dirt or make-up or even dead cells. These can result in blackheads or acne. So unclogging the dirt and cleaning it properly will give you clear and fresh skin. The Parama Naturals' Moisturising Face & Body Oil can also be used
Deep Pore Natural Cleanser
MOISTURISING FACE & BODY OIL
Step-6–Close the pores of the skin with Toning
After deep cleansing, it is necessary to have the pores closed again to prevent ingress of dust, dirt, pollution. Toning helps to close the pores and also removes any pollutants that might have remained after cleansing.
Take some rose water, add a couple of drops of turmeric essential oil to it, and use it as a face mist. The Parama Naturals All-day Lite Face Oil and the Moisturising Face and Body Oil also act as toners. The turmeric acts as an astringent toner. The toning will will make you feel fresh.
ALL-DAY LITE TURMERIC FACE OIL
Turmeric Essential Oil
Step-7–Moisturise your skin to get rid of irritation and breakouts
Moisturising is required for all kinds of skins, including oily ones, and in all weathers to protect the skin from the environment and prevent the cells from getting shriveled up and dehydrated. It also "plumps" them up to make the skin smooth, soft and silky, and also temporarily can remove tiny wrinkles.
- For Vata Dominant Skin, moisturizers such as aloe vera, bakuchi, vetiver are essential to use.
- For Pitta dominant skin, moisturizer with cooling herbs like neem, kamal, vetiver is effective.
- For Kapha dominant skin, Lodha, manjistha, Kamala are good to go.
ALL-DAY LITE TURMERIC FACE OIL
Step-8–Say Hello to Water
For the skin, hydration is essential as it gives a soft and smooth texture to it. It is required from outside and inside. Using oils on a moist skin helps to hydrate it from outside.
Drinking adequate amounts of water is always recommended by doctors as it boosts the stamina of your body.
Moreover, eating fluid-rich vegetables and fruits such as cucumber, watermelon, bottle guards, etc. are also good.
Skincare the Parama Way
Parama Naturals products and recommended routines are inspired by Ayurveda. But each product is formulated in a manner which serves multiple purposes.
So if you're not a fan of multi-step Face Care Routines, try these simple daily face-care routines with Parama Naturals products, after splashing your face with luke-warm water -
One-product routine (Morning or Night)
Massage your moist face in circular motion with the Parama Turmeric Moisturising Face and Body Oil helps to deep cleanse the pores, exfoliate, tone and moisturise all in one. Wipe off excess oil or dirt with a clean wash cloth. If required, repeat again on a now cleansed skin. This oil, in addition, has the natural sun protection properties of sesame oil and turmeric. (Combined “Cleansing”, “Oil Massage”, “Steam”, “Deep Pore Cleansing and Nourishing”, “Toning”, “Moisturising”, “Hydrating”)
Two-product routine (Morning or Night)
Cleanse and remove dead skin cells by mildly scrubbing your wet face with just a pinch of the Parama Enriching Exfoliator Ubtan (Combined “Cleansing” and “Scrubbing”). Rinse with clean warm water.
On the moist face, apply a few drops of the Parama Turmeric Moisturising Face and Body Oil or the Parama Turmeric All-Day Lite Face Oil in circular motion with helps to deep cleanse the pores, exfoliate any remnant dead cells, tone and moisturise. (Combined “Cleansing”, “Oil Massage”, “Steam”, “Deep Pore Cleansing and Nourishing”, “Toning”, “Moisturising”, “Hydrating”)