Face is the mirror, the barometer of an individual’s health. Our facial skin needs constant care as flawless glowing skin is a crucial component of our charm and more importantly, it can boost our self-confidence. Ayurveda, the holistic healing science, offers scores of solutions for all skin types.

The skin tone of a person indicates the constitution of one’s body. If the skin is dry, rough, cold, thin with fine pores and wrinkled, then the body is vata predominant. In the case of pitha constitution, the skin is fair, delicate with moles and acne and burns easily. In kapha prakruthi, the skin is oily, smooth, moist and thick with a tendency towards large pores.

If proper care for the face is not taken, one may suffer from premature ageing and become dull. Clear, lustrous and healthy face can be yours at any age if you spend a few minutes daily to make your facial skin glow.  And the steps are simple:-

Facial pack

It’s a deep exfoliating treatment. It must be done at least once in a week for oily skin. Lemon peel, fresh Neem leaf paste, sandalwood paste or Tulsi leaf paste can be used for facial masks. It may be applied with smooth upward strokes after washing the face with lukewarm water. The face must be washed off with plenty of water after every 30 minutes.

Cleansing

Cleansing removes impurities and stimulates the skin for accepting nourishment. It must be done twice a day – in the morning and at night. Choose non-soap cleaner appropriate for your skin. For instance rich, nourishing green gram powder for dry vata-predominant skin, neem or lemon for sensitive pitha dominant skin and horse gram powder for very smooth and oily kapha skin.

Toning

Toning is one of the important ways to keep the skin healthy. It removes impurities or greasy residue and helps balance the PH of the skin. Toning stimulates blood circulation, closes the pores and helps absorb nutrition from the moisturizer. Choose a toner suitable for your skin type. Choose toners without alcohol, colours and artificial fragrance. Rose, sandalwood and cucumber would be good choices for vata, pitha and kapha respectively. Apply the toner on the face and the neck, after closing the eyes using smooth, gently upward strokes.

Moisturising

Natural ayurvedic moisturizers contain herbal extracts in an oil base – rich oils for dry skin and light oils for oily skin. Sandalwood, brahmi, sathavari, amalaki, tulsi, neem and turmeric are the main skin nourishment herbs in Ayurveda. Gently massage the face with smooth upward strokes.

Common skin problems

Acne and pimples

Acne, pimples and black heads are often caused due to aggravation of tridoshas, especially pitha. Intake of alcohol, excessive tea, coffee and spicy and oily fried food can lead to this condition. Stress, tension, anxiety and exposure to pollution and chemicals also aggravate the pitha dosha which results in acne, boils and pimples. A paste made of turmeric and sandalwood mixed with milk is effective for these problems. Daily intake of aloe vera pulp (100 ml) also helps. One may apply turmeric powder paste and wash off before sleep. For pimples, one may apply a paste of cumin seeds, and wash off after 30 minutes.

Pigmentation

Bhrajaka pitha is responsible for the colour of the skin. Imbalance of the Bhrajaka pitha can lead to discolouration, blackening and pigmentation. Excessive exposure to sun, irregular food and sleeping habits and consumption of spicy food are the main factors for increase of Bhrajaka pitha.

One can apply papaya juice or mashed papaya to the affected areas to get relief from pigmentation. One may also apply a paste made of equal amounts of turmeric and sesame seed powder to get relief. Kumkumadi oil or eladi coconut oil also helps fight pigmentation.

Premature ageing

Age causes dryness and wrinkling of the skin. Excessive thinking, stress, tension, strain, irregular sleeping habits enhance ageing. There are various options to prevent the onset of wrinkles, but the choice depends on the nature of the skin. They include massaging the face with glee, coconut oil or almond oil, application of face packs of grated cucumber or of fresh aloe vera gel or sandalwood paste.

Face pack

Face packs (mukhalepa) should be cool, except for people with vata and kapha predominance. It should be kept wet and one should preferably go for an oil bath after it is removed.

Ayurveda suggests different face packs for different seasons. During monsoon, medicinal drugs such as sandalwood, khus grass (vetiveria zizanioides), wide Himalayan cherry and Fetid cassia can be used either individually or as a combination. These drugs are selected according to the dosha predominance or peculiarities of that season.

Preparation

Fine powders of all the mentioned medicinal drugs should be taken and made into a paste by adding water, either cold or lukewarm, rose water, milk or butter milk.

Effect

An appropriate face mask can relieve a vata-predominant person of dry skin and burning sensation and itching in pitha and kapha constitution people.

Herbs for face pack

The following are the common herbs used for preparation of face pack.;-

Sandal wood

Santalum album. Chandana in Sanskrit, safed chandan or santal in Hindi

Medicinal properties pacify vitiated pitha, heals burning sensation, head-ache, hyper perspiration, psychotic ailments, memory loss, cardiomyopathy, ulcer, jaundice cough and inflammation.

Khus grass

Vetiveria zizanioides, Samagandhika, sugandhimoola in Sansrit, ramacham in Malayalam.

Useful part – roots.

Medicinal properties: Pacifies vitiated vata and pitha, burning sensation, ulcer, skin diseases, nausea, flatulence, colic, cough, fever, low back pain, headache and general debility.

Wild Himalayan Cherry

Prunus cerasoides. Padmaka in Sanskrit, Patmakath or Paddam in Hindi and Pathimukham in Malayalam.

Medicinal properties: pacifies vitiated pitha, burning sensation, wounds, ulcers, skin discolouration, diarrhoea, asthma and fever.

Fetid Cassia

Cassia tora. Chakramarda or Prapunnada in Sanskrit, Chakavad or Papamd in Hindi and Takara in Malayalam.

Medicinal properties: pacifies vitiated tridoshas, skin diseases, dandruff, constipation, cough, hepatitis, fever and haemorrhoids.

(The author Ayurvedacharya Devidasan Vellodi is senior, consultant physician, AVN Arogya Ayurvedic Centre, Cochin.)