How to choose a Skincare routine based on your Dosha
Did you know that knowing your dosha and having a solid AM and PM skincare routine is the key to beautiful skin? Can it be so simple? Yes.
We are going back to the basics, to the simple and powerful goodness of Ayurveda. It reveals all that you can do everyday for youthful and glowing skin everyday.
Everything depends on your dosha
Our body is ruled by the elements of the world. Fire, water, air, earth and space do a carefully orchestrated dance in us to bring forth a life that is full of vitality and beauty. Ayurveda says that the elements are manifested in the body in certain combinations grouped as doshas or body types. They are vata, pitta and kapha body types.
Vata Dosha is the combination of air and space while Pitta Dosha is related to fire and water. Kapha Dosha presents itself as a balance of earth and water. As for the skin, these doshas get translated to dry skin for vata dosha, sensitive or combination skin for pitta dosha and oily skin for kapha dosha.
Why should you have a skincare routine for your dosha?
Because once in a while, your doshas go out of balance. That’s when you start having that occasional pimple pop up, the rosy rash or even the persistent eczema that refuses to go away. Dosha imbalance can take any form and can dull the lustre of your skin and accelerate aging. Understanding your dosha helps you find remedies to rectify your skin issues and prevent it from occurring further.
A balanced diet and hydration are key to skin health from within. On top of it, a robust skincare routine for morning and before bedtime can keep most skin conditions at bay.
Assessing your current skincare routine steps
So how do you start a skincare routine? am and pm skincare routine? First, take a look at what you are currently doing for your skin. This helps identify what you are doing right and rectify what you might be missing. Here is a simple questionnaire you can ask yourself today to reassess your current skincare regimen.
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- Are you cleansing your skin right? Morning and night?
- Are you cleansing your skin right? Morning and night?
If so, do you need to double cleanse(for oily skin) or to use a gentler cleanser for dry skin?
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- Applying a moisturizer?
- Applying a moisturizer?
If yes, have you checked the ingredients? Are they right for you? Is it breaking your skin out?
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- How often do you exfoliate?
- How often do you exfoliate?
Should you alter the frequency, should you be more gentle on your skin, does your scrub have anti-inflammatory ingredients and healing properties?
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- Do you wear sunscreen?
- Do you wear sunscreen?
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- Are you using a face oil? Do you need a face oil? Is it helping you combat your dry skin without being too greasy?
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- What is missing from your skincare routine? Are you using the same product for morning and nighttime skincare routine?
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- Is your routine helping reduce your skin issues and rendering healthy skin?
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- Is your routine too complicated and using too many products?
The goal of your skincare routine is to heal your skin issues, repair damaged skin and enhance the health of your dermis.
Making your own AM and PM skincare routine
Each element in the skincare routine has its particular task. They have to be used in the right order and at the right time to get maximum effectiveness. Here’s a quick look at how you can build your very own skincare routines.
Easy and quick AM routine
This is how your day starts in the morning:
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- Start with a gentle cleanser: Since you have done a good cleansing at night and slept, a gentle cleanser is sufficient to get you started for the day.
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- Always tone your face: A toner helps calm down your inflammations, rashes and eruptions that may have popped up in the night. We recommend a natural toner like rose water or green tea to gently mist your face.
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- Moisturizer is a must: Never to be missed, always hydrate your skin as part of your skincare. Winter, spring or summer, moisturizer is key. But do remember to use appropriate moisturizer for each of the seasons.
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- Face Oil for added glow: If you’re looking for that extra healthy glow to radiate off your face, a face oil will do just that. Loaded with organic ingredients that enhance moisture retention and render a healthy glow, a face oil is your natural alternative to a highlighter.
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- Face mask(every once in a while): If your skin is starving for hydration or is generally dull or tanned from long and hectic days, a DIY 10 minute mask just before Step 2 will surely help relieve the facial stress.
Must try PM Skincare routine
Your Nighttime routine is aimed at cleansing and relaxing your skin after a long day. Your skin undergoes rigorous repair and regeneration in the sleep, so clean skin is important.
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- Thorough cleanse: Why? The day’s dirt and grime may still be lingering. If you were out till late, makeup is probably still on your face. We recommend an elaborate cleansing regime with a gentle cleanser and lots of circular massages. If you wore makeup, you can use a makeup remover or better yet, coconut oil, a natural alternative to dissolve the product. Further wash with a mild cleanser. If your skin still comes out greasy or shows tint, a double cleansing is called for.
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- Tone: Your skin may be starving for moisture after the heavy cleanse. The toner helps calm down the skin, infuses healing ingredients and soothes inflammations and irritations.
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- Moisture: For a night in, you can use a medium moisturizer, one that coats your skin enough to retain moisture deep in the skin layers, all night.
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- Face oil: Seal in the moisture and freshness with a luxurious face oil. We recommend you go for one that’s light on the skin yet gives off a beautiful glow, richly hydrates skin and smells magnificent because a night time routine should be a luxurious experience.
Your nighttime skincare ritual is a prelude to a great night of sleep. All ingredients, treatments, aromas and massages should relax, relieve and pave the way to a great sleep as well. Precisely why organic gently aromatic products like that of Brahmi skincare is the best choice.
Recommendations for vata skin type
Vata or dry skin tends to be on the thinner side. It’s more prone to wrinkles and fine lines due to lack of moisture and depleting collagen. Our recommendations for your skincare routine are as follows:
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- Gentle Cleanse: Use a gentle cleanser or just a wash with honey will do. This will prevent stripping all oil from your face.
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- Tone your skin softly: Tone with a gentle ingredient like rose water or cucumber extracts to relieve itching and dryness.
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- Go heavy on the moisturiser: A good, rich moisturizer should be your pick to keep your skin hydrated all day.
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- Choose ingredients like mulethi to enhance moisture retention, and prevent fine lines and dry spots. Remember to top up with moisturiser at regular intervals in winters when skin is excessively dry.
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- Exfoliate less: As vata skin tends to be dry and brittle, we recommend you exfoliate not more than once a week. Use a fine exfoliant like our Gentle exfoliating scrub for dry skin to scrub away dead skin cells and dirt. Do not rub vigorously.
For an extensive look at skincare for vata skin type, do check out our article
The No-nonsense night skincare routine and beauty products for dry skin.
Tips for pitta skin type
Pitta skin or sensitive skin is deemed to be the hardest to manage. We say, it’s not. Gentle care and effective remedies is all it takes to have flawless pitta skin. Here are our top tips for pitta skin care routines.
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- Understand your skin and adapt to skin conditions: If your skin is especially irritated and broken out, your goal should be to be gentle on skin and apply ingredients that soothe skin.
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- Sensitive skin folks should be especially careful when exfoliating. Gentle and infrequent exfoliation is the mantra. For more info on exfoliation, check our All about Exfoliation: An extensive guide.
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- Never pick/scrub or agitate pimples or rashes on your face.
What to keep in mind for your skin of kapha type
Kapha skin is on the oilier side. You should be happy as oily skin tends to age slower than other skin types.
The aim of your skincare routine is to reduce oiliness but not to strip skin dry. A healthy glow is what your skincare should yield.
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- Double cleanse is the name of the game. After a long day, cleanse your face with a cleanser and gentle circular motion to remove the first layer of makeup. Wash off and follow with another cleanse with organic ingredients like besan and honey to deep clean. Wash off to reveal clean and soft skin.
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- Don’t skip moisturizer: You may have oily skin, but a deep cleanse strips your skin and you don’t’ want starving skin(it leads to oil over production). Use a light layer of gentle moisturizer.
We delved deep into care for doshas in The secret is out! The best Ayurvedic skincare routine for radiant skin article. Check it out now.
FAQs
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- What does Ayurveda say about skin care?
Ayurveda says skin care should be based on one’s dosha. An imbalance of vata, pitta and kapha is the root of diseases and skin problems. The first step is to understand your skin type. Find ayurvedic formulations with remedies for your skin type. Adopt a robust morning and nighttime skincare routine and follow it religiously. To have a glance at skincare routines, read our Morning skincare routine of the Nayika; now yours article.
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- What dosha is my skin?
Your skin may be vata, pitta or kapha dosha. Vata skin type is usually dry, dull and flaky. The skin is thinner and may have fine lines and dark spots. They tend to have low elasticity which leads to sagging as well.
Pitta skin type has a warm undertone and tends to be ace prone. If you get sunburnt quickly and your T zone is frequently oily, you may be a pitta dosha.
Kapha skin type, on the other hand, is oily and sebaceous. You can identify this skin type by large pores and frequent cystic acne. Since skin is oily, dirt and grime easily stick to your skin.
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- How can I know my Ayurvedic skin type?
Just right now, take a mirror and look at your skin. Is your skin parched and dry, and you constantly need to moisturize? You have vata or dry skin type. If you have a shiny T-zone and normal/dry skin on the rest of your face, you’re probably a pitta skin type.If it’s oily and shiny and acne prone, you are a kapha skin type.
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- Which dosha causes skin problems?
Great question. It isn’t a dosha that causes skin problems. An imbalance in dosha in our body is the root of skin problems and bodily issues. When vata, pitta and kapha are in balance,your skin is glowing, healthy and full of vitality. Lifestyle, diseases and environmental factors or something as simple as using the wrong skincare product can upset your skin and thus cause a dosha imbalance. This results in skin issues.
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- What is the best skincare routine for dry skin?
Dry skin requires gentle care and constant hydration. Here’s a simple morning skincare routine for dry skin
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- Use a gentle organic cleanser to wash your face after a long day. Skip product while cleansing in the morning.
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- Use a heavy moisturizer: Opt for moisturizers with coconut oil or almond oil to help retain moisture for longer periods.
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- Face oil: To combat extreme dryness and to prevent fine lines, always use a non-comedogenic face oil.
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- Makeup: Oil based makeup products help retain moisture on your face. Try to use liquid foundation, cream blush and highlighter to avoid chalkiness from dryness.
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- Makeup removal: Use a natural oil like olive oil and a washcloth to gently wash away your makeup. Cleanse with a gentle cleanser after.
What is the best AM PM skincare routine for acne prone skin?
You need to keep 3 things in mind for acne-prone skin- Do not agitate active acne, prevent new acne from forming and reduce the prominence and spots caused by acne. Here’s a simple routine you can follow
AM skincare routine for acne prone skin
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- Wash your face with a gentle cleanser with green tree and neem to reduce scene scars and inflammation.
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- Use a mild toner. An organic alternative is best. We suggest aloe vera or witch hazel that’s gentle on skin and helps calm irritated skin.
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- Moisturize your face: Just because you have acne doesn’t mean you shouldn’t moisturize. Use our pitta moisturizer for gently soothing the skin and reducing inflamed spots.
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- Keep your face clean: Dirt and grime only exaggerates pimples and increases chances of acne.PM skincare routine for acne prone skin
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- Take off any makeup fully: Invest time and patience in removing your makeup using a non-oil based makeup remover. Micellar water is a great option for acne prone skin.
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- Use a good cleanser to remove remaining dirt and deposits on the face.
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- Moisturise: After patting dry, apply moisturizer liberally to allow the skin to heal through the night.
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- Avoid using heavy oils and creams that clog the pores during the night.
- Weekly twice use a multani mitti mask to regulate oil production on your face and render glowing face.
Follow these am and pm skincare routine based on your dosha
