Summer is here and everyone wants to look summer-ready. From an Ayurvedic point of view, beauty isn’t skin deep. It’s much more than that. It is inner health and harmony. It also involves internal cleansing along with external nourishment. Looking good, looking beautiful, looking healthy, glowing etc is everyone’s birth right.
Ayurvedic principles
According to Ayurveda, it is our duty to look after our bodies and mind and feel confident. We believe that this body is given to us on rent by the highest creator and it is our duty to look after it. And to do this Ayurveda gives us certain tools
ONE: Do not put anything on the skin that you cannot put on your tongue or in your mouth. Whatever you put on your skin should be so safe that even if you ingest it, it will only benefit you and not harm you. So next time you are out there looking for a skin cleanser or skin oil, cream, lotion etc, make it a habit to read the ingredients and become aware of what you are putting on your skin.
TWO: All foods can become beauty products. So in a way, beauty literally starts from your kitchen. Foods can be turned into oils, face masks, cleansers, gels etc.
THREE: You are what you eat, literally. So become mindful of what you put in to your body. Ultimately it is going to affect all the outer parts of your body including skin, nails, hair etc.
FOUR: In Ayurveda, anti aging is one of the most important aims. By anti aging, we mean not only looking younger from the outside but also feeling younger and healthier from the inside. One may say that anti aging approaches could begin at the age of 30, 40 or 50. But Ayurveda says no to it all. According to Ayurveda, the moment a baby is born, the whole aging process commences hence all holistic anti aging approaches are applied at birth. And the most important one is hot oil massages. Therefore as a part of your anti aging routine make sure to receive regular massages. Sesame seed oil is the best as it contains several nutrients to help support skin health.
FIVE: Make oils and Ghee your best friends. They aren’t dangerous, fattening or life threatening, depending on how you use them. Ghee can be used as a natural cleanser for the skin. Likewise Sesame Seed Oil is also used as a cleanser.
Summer is the time to get rid of excess heat or Pitta from the body. Following the suggestions below will help to a great extent to remove this excess heat and result in a cooling and calming effect.
Ayurvedic Beauty Tips for the Summer
Try these following natural Ayurvedic beauty treatments for perfect skin.
Smoothies
For people who love their smoothies, here is a simple smoothie recipe for healthy glowing skin:
Ayurveda Pura’s Timeless Beauty Magic Mix powder – ½ teaspoon to be added to a glass of the smoothie
Consume this smoothie around mid morning time and if you are feeling enthusiastic then again around late afternoon time
Magic Skin Recipe
- Rose water
- Glycerine
- Lemon juice.
Mix equal amounts of the above and apply to the facial skin and any skin region that may be exposed to sun. Leave it on for 15 minutes and wash with cool or tepid water.
The combination helps to clear up the skin, helps towards even skin tone and also helps to prevent any skin break outs.
Cucumber Mask
- Cucumber pulp
- Aloe vera gel
- Pinch of turmeric.
Blend the above together to make a smooth paste.
Apply to skin as a mask, leave for 15 minutes and wash with water.
This is a very cooling and refreshing mask and helps to remove excess summer heat from the skin and body.
Rose Water
Every evening cleanse the face with rose-water and then apply rose-water eye pads to eyes. Leave for 20 minutes and remove. This is best done before going to sleep.
Ayurveda believes that whenever there is excess heat in the body, it rises up to the head and neck region especially eyes. And if you don’t get rid of this heat then it will start burning the tissues around the eyes which leads to dark circles, fine lines and wrinkles. A simple way to get rid of this heat is by applying rose-water to eyes.
Castor Oil Cleanse
You can also follow a three-day castor oil cleanse to help support the skin and other systems. This cleansing program helps to remove excess heat from the body, helping to give a glow to the skin.
Spinach and Cucumber smoothie as mentioned above, to be taken two times a day during the three days cleanse program.
Just before bedtime, mix two tablespoons of hot castor oil with 2 capsules of Triphala. Take this along with a cup of ginger lemon tea.
The above is done for three consecutive days.
Article by Dr Deepa Apte, the owner of Ayurveda Pura Academy and spa, who is a speaker on all things Ayurveda. For more information, visit AyurvedaPura.com.
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