I couldn’t count the number ads I see for the “best” products for skin health, from creams to serums to capsules to collagen powder. But don’t break your budget, because the number one ingredient for radiant skin is not something you can buy. The key to beautiful skin is something that comes from the inside: ojas. Ojas is a term in ayurveda that means radiance, longevity and immunity. It’s like the gas tank for our health, and when our ojas tank is strong, its reflected in our appearance. Ojas is like the superfine essence of our nutrition, and it is maintained via the three pillars of health: Pure Food, Deep Sleep, and Right Use of Energy.
Pure Food: We are what we eat. For most of us, youth let us get away with eating anything we wanted, but at some point, that changes. We have the most ojas when we’re young, and that’s reflected in our skin. We look at young children and teens and admire their radiant, smooth skin. But at some point, teenagers start to get acne, adults start to get under eye circles, and the older we get, the more wrinkles we get. But proper nutrition supports clearer, smoother, more radiant skin as we age. Our diet, not only WHAT we eat, but HOW we eat, creates the tissues of our bodies, including our skin. Proper nutrition is individual, according to our dosha (mind body type), the season, our age and other factors. But generally, focusing on saatvic foods, meaning pure, harmonious, fresh, well prepared, and wholesome, produces the most healthy cells, and therefore, the most radiant skin. Eating seasonally, and with the right timing and quantity, as well as using herbs, hot teas, and other digestion enhancers helps us nourish a radiant body and avoid toxicity. Check out my top tips for good digestion here.
Deep Sleep: I don’t know about you, but I can CLEARLY notice the effect of even one night of poor sleep on my face. Dullness and dark under eye circles anyone? They are the direct result of exhaustion. Good sleep doesn’t only mean enough sleep, but also getting enough of the deep, uninterrupted kind of sleep that leaves us feeling well rested in the morning. The number of recommended hours depends on your age and dosha, but for adults its generally between 7 and 9. If that sleep is light or interrupted by wake ups or restless dreams, your body won’t be able to properly assimilate the experiences and nutrition of your day, or detoxify and process the accumulated daily wastes and emotions. Some of the keys to deep sleep are regulating our nervous system throughout the day (see Right Use of Energy), avoid eating late, reduce caffeine, and establish a night time routine, including turning off bright lights and screens a couple hours before bed.
Right Use of Energy: How we spend the precious energy (prana) we’ve been given is one of the greatest keys to overall health, and just like with nutrition and sleep, the way we use our energy is visible on our faces. Constantly working, worrying, and being busy keep us is a very active nervous system state, reducing our ability to digest well and to sleep well. Not only that, but always doing, stressing, and overthinking tend to make us tense our facial muscles, leading to wrinkles between our eyebrows, around our mouths, and even on our lips. It’s sadly easy to spot a person who’s spent a lifetime in mental struggle by the lines on their faces. This is not only aesthetically damaging, but wreaks havoc on every other aspect of our health, especially cardiovascular and mental health, leading to some of the most dreaded diseases of our times, heart disease and dementia. Regularly engaging in play, rest, and nervous system regulating practices each day helps us manage stress in a healthy way, and enlivens our own inner intelligence to heal our body, and rejuvenate our skin, from the inside out.
How the Doshas Affect Skin:
It’s helpful to know about your dosha type because each one has different skin tendencies.
Vata: People with a vata predominance tend to have skin that gets dried out easily and is sensitive to wind. Vatas are most likely to get dark circles under the eyes when worn out, and dull, tired skin in general. Vata is comprised of air and space, and so vata skin is kept in great shape by applying skin appropriate oils daily, such as almond and jojoba for the face, and sesame oil on the entire body (abhyanga). Consuming healthy fats in the diet is also essential for vata skin health, such as ghee, olive oil, and avocado oil. Vatas tend to struggle most with overthinking and worry, so doing calming, relaxing practices like gentle yoga, guided relaxations, and meditation help reduce the accumulation of wrinkles. Adaptogens like ashwaghanda, shatavari, and general rejuvenative herbs like guduchi, licorice, and tulsi support vatas to relax and be resilient to stress, smoothing out and brightening their skin.
Pitta: Pitta gives color to our skin, hair, and eyes, and pitta people tend to have a nice rosy complexion, often with freckles. But the fire that gives that color can also cause acne, rashes, and red patches when out of balance. Pitta people tend to struggle the most with acne and inflammation, and knowing how to reduce inflammation through food and lifestyle will support clearer skin. An anti-inflammatory diet for pittas includes apples, pears, berries, green vegetables, cucumbers, chicken, white fish, rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, coconut, avocados, and mild spices like fennel, coriander, turmeric, and small amounts of ginger and cumin. To reduce pitta, avoid spicy food, pickled or fermented foods, raw garlic and onions, sour foods, cow dairy, fried foods, alcohol, coffee, beef, pork, and lamb, nightshades, and white potatoes. Pittas have to really manage their tempers, because their fiery nature can lead to anger, irritability, and outbursts that increase acidity and inflammation in the body, leading to redness and rashes on the skin. Reducing competitive activities, and practicing soothing, cooling exercise like swimming, morning walks, gentle flowing yoga (not hot!) and meditation are very supportive to keeping pitta in balance.
Kapha: Kapha types are stable, strong, naturally well lubricated, and easygoing, and they tend to have the most beautiful, healthy, radiant skin and great, friendly smiles with nice teeth. But kapha out of balance tends to overaccumilate wastes, or toxins, leading to cystic acne and dull, sluggish skin cells. Kaphas stay radiant by eating light, easy to digest foods, favoring moderate amounts of healthy fats like olive oil, and mostly eating cooked veggies, grains, legumes, fruits, and small amounts of poultry. To avoid ama accumulation, kaphas should minimize heavy foods like cream, cheese, fried foods, white potatoes, white bread, beef, pork, and pastries. Consuming metabolism boosting herbs like ginger, cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, and cumin, doing regular cleanses, and invigorating daily exercise help kaphas stay light and bright inside and out.
Skin Care Products:
Although the key to beautiful skin doesn’t come in a bottle, there are some really wonderful skin care products out there and it is important to use the highest quality, most pure and organic ingredients on our skin. Your skin is your biggest organ, and what you put on it gets absorbed systemically. Avoid most moisturizers found at pharmacies, as they tend to contain preservatives, petroleum products, and other suspicious ingredients. Instead of using harsh, drying soap, use mild, gentle cleansers that don’t strip your natural oils. Watch out for most cosmetics, which are linked with dangerous cancer causing agents, and find mineral based natural cosmetics instead. You can do your own research on skin care and cosmetic products at EWG.org. I personally use local skin care products by Singing River Farms and Sex Plants and Rock & Roll, because I know they are formulated in small batches with only natural ingredients and lots of love, and they make my skin feel amazing.
Herbs for Radiant Complexion:
When dealing with skin issues, ayurveda seeks to treat the root cause, which starts with addressing dosha imbalance, as discussed above. Additionally, certain plants offer their incredible intelligence to work synergistically with our own body to improve our skin quality or treat certain issues.
1. Turmeric: This vibrant yellow spice is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Use turmeric in face masks or consume it in warm milk to promote a healthy complexion from within.
2. Sandalwood: Known for its soothing properties, sandalwood powder can be mixed with rosewater or aloe vera gel to create a calming face mask. It helps reduce redness and rejuvenates the skin.
3. Aloe Vera: With its cooling properties, aloe vera gel is perfect for sensitive or irritated skin. Apply it as a gentle moisturizer or mix it with honey to create a hydrating face mask.
4. Neem: Neem oil is renowned for its purification and antimicrobial properties. It can be used to treat acne-prone skin and alleviate conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
5. Manjistha: Manjistha is a powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. It can be taken internally to support liver health, which is a major player in clear, healthy skin.
Remember, Ayurvedic skincare is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Tailor your routine to suit your specific dosha, skin concerns, and the climate you live in. Embrace Ayurveda's holistic wisdom and nourish your skin from the inside out for lasting radiance.
BOOK A ONE ON ONE AYURVEDIC WELLNESS CONSULT to determine your dosha and specific diet, lifestyle, and herbal recommendations to support your inner radiance! Prices will be going up after December when I will graduate with my master’s degree and officially become an Ayurvedic Practitioner, so book now!
Stay tuned for our upcoming retreats and classes, where we will further explore the wonders of Ayurveda. Until then, may your journey to wellness be filled with balance, tranquility, and radiance.