Skincare Regimes According to Your Ayurvedic Dosha
Skincare Regimes According to Your Ayurvedic Dosha
Are you looking for ways to improve your skin? Ayurveda is rising in popularity throughout the world. 77% of Indian households use Ayurvedic products to bring back harmony and balance to their bodies.
Understanding your Ayurvedic dosha (life force) can help you avoid imbalances in your diet and lifestyle. Do you want to learn more about how to improve your skin using Ayurveda? Here is everything you need to know about your Ayurvedic dosha skin type.
What Is Ayurveda?
Ayurvedic medicine (Ayurveda) is an ancient, alternative medicine system. It originates from India and has been used for more than 5,000 years. Practitioners emphasise lifestyle practices such as yoga, meditation, and dietary changes to maintain balance among the three doshas – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.
Ayurvedic treatments focus on restoring harmony to the body and mind to prevent and treat illnesses. Treatments begin with an internal purification process through diet changes and herbal remedies. This can be followed by massage therapy and other holistic practices.
What Are Doshas?
The word ‘dosha’ is translated from Sanskrit and means ‘life force’ or ‘energy.’ There are three types of ayurvedic dosha – Pitta, Vata, and Kapha. Each person has a unique combination of the three doshas.
An Ayurvedic practitioner can determine your dosha combination based on your physical, mental, and emotional characteristics. Your unique dosha combination, or Prakriti, is generated the moment you are conceived.
As we get older and experience life, our doshas can fall out of balance and cause problems with our health. Most people are a combination of two doshas with one more dominant than the other. When our doshas are balanced, we are healthy.
Identify Your Dosha for Beautiful Skin
Catering to your dosha type is all about balance. If you are a combination of two doshas then follow instructions from both to nurture your skin profile. You can take a dosha quiz to discover your mind-body type.
Your skin can be influenced by your dosha type and lifestyle. Here are some helpful ways to take care of your skin based on your dosha.
Vata Skin Types (Air)
A Vata type is slim and anxious with an active mind. They are creative and enjoy new adventures. When they are in balance they can be talkative and adapt well to any situation.
When Vata types are imbalanced they can become worrisome and sleepless. They tend to feel the cold and prefer warm, dry temperatures. For this reason, Vata skin can be dry and prone to wrinkles.
Tips for Vata skin types:
- Consume warming spices such as cinnamon, cumin, and ginger
- Reduce consumption of cold foods and drinks
- Focus on hydration and moisturising
- Avoid products that dry the skin
Vata skin is delicate and should be nurtured and protected. Use gentle cleansers and avoid products with drying elements. Choose products that battle dryness such as facial oils that soothe and hydrate the skin.
Essential oils such as geranium and frankincense are beneficial for Vata skin types. Geranium oil can help prevent dry skin and frankincense can have anti-ageing effects. Essential oils can be beneficial to Vata skin types alongside nourishing carrier oils such as avocado, hemp, and rosehip.
Pitta Skin Types (Fire)
Pitta types are fiery and intense. They do not mince their words and can come across as aggressive. People with a medium, strong build are Pitta types.
Pitta skin can be sensitive and prone to redness. This type of skin should be protected from the sun and kept cool. If you have Pitta skin you may experience rashes, acne, and excess oil.
Tips for Pitta skin types:
- Keep the body and mind cool
- Avoid hot, humid environments
- Consume cool or warm foods
- Avoid spicy foods
Soothing facial oils and cooling skincare products can be beneficial for Pitta skin. Sandalwood essential oil and rose oil can help to balance Pitta skin. Try to avoid any products that dry the skin, as this can irritate Pitta skin types.
Kapha Skin Types (Water & Earth)
Kapha types have large or heavy physical characteristics. They tend to store fat and water more than other types. Their nature is calm with a soft, sweet voice.
Kapha skin can be thick, cool, and oily. Their skin is prone to blackheads and enlarged pores. Using gentle, exfoliating products is the key to maintaining healthy Kapha skin.
Tips for Kapha skin types:
- Stay warm and dry
- Keep active and stimulated
- Avoid heavy, processed foods
- Dry brush the skin to remove obstructions
Kapha skin types should try to use essential oils such as clary sage and turmeric. These oils help to maintain the balance in the skin and the production of sebum. Tea tree oil can also help manage redness and breakouts.
Useful Skincare Rituals for All Doshas
Perfecting your morning skincare ritual and nighttime routine can make a huge difference to your skin. Cleansing is an important part of the skincare routine for all doshas. This will remove excess oil, dirt, and impurities before you use other products.
Essential oils such as neem oil are beneficial for all doshas. It is anti-inflammatory and works well as a spot treatment during breakouts.
Ashwagandha is another powerful Ayurvedic ingredient in skincare. It contains antioxidants that can protect the skin against pollution and free radicals throughout the day. Ashwagandha can be applied to help soothe and brighten the skin.
Discover Your Ayurvedic Dosha
Finding out your predominant Ayurvedic dosha could transform your skin. This natural system of medicine could help you avoid imbalances that cause health and skin problems. Adopting a dosha-specific lifestyle can lead to harmony and balance within your body, mind, and spirit.
Are you interested in learning about Ayurvedic skincare? Find out more at Brahmi Skincare. Discover a range of organic, natural personal care products derived from the ancient knowledge of Ayurveda.
