Do your skin a favor, and make your own natural skin care products! The below recipes are from “Enchanting Beauty: Ancient Secrets to Inner, Outer and Lasting Beauty” by Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar. As Dr. Kshirsagar says, “The body is meant to be beautiful but in a natural way, the same way we find beauty in trees and flowers, the Earth, water, and skies… The face and skin holds a certain Tejas or luster, reflecting the glow of our vital energy. Gentle nourishing and handling of the face and skin is not about mere cosmetics but about optimal inner and outer well-being.”
Recipes for Vata, Pitta and Kapha skins types:
VATA SKIN
Vata skin is dry, thin, delicate, and finely pored. Your skin will be predisposed to symptoms of early aging, which is made worse by mental stress such as worry, fear and lack of sleep. This makes caring for your skin and creating healthy lifestyle routines very important for you.
Cleansing recipe for vata skin:
Mix together 1 tsp almond powder, 1/2 tsp whole milk or coconut milk, making a thin paste. Apply a thin layer of paste to your face. Gently massage – do not rub or scrub. Wash off with warm water before it begins to dry.
Nourishing recipe for vata skin:
Mix together 1 tsp almond oil, 1-2 drops lavender or chamomile essential oil, and 5-6 drops water. Gently massage onto face and neck and leave on.
PITTA SKIN
Pitta skin is fair, warm, and of medium thickness. When balanced, your skin has a slightly rosy or golden glow. Your complexion tends toward pink or reddish, and you may have lots of freckles or moles. Your skin will be sensitive to the sun, so it is important to avoid excessive sunlight, tanning treatments and highly heating therapies such as saunas or whole body steam treatments.
Cleansing recipe for pitta skin:
Mix together 1 tsp lentil flour, 1/2 tsp neem powder or triphala powder, 1-2 tsp water. Apply this paste to your face, and wash off with cool water before it dries.
Moisturizing recipe for pitta skin:
Mix together 1 tsp jojoba oil and 1-2 drops of geranium essential oil. Gently massage face and neck with this mixture and leave on.
KAPHA SKIN
Kapha skin is thick, oily, soft and cool to the touch. Your skin may be a glowing porcelain whitish color, like the moon. Your skin will be prone to clogging and will need more cleansing than other skin types. Be careful to avoid greasy, clogging creams.
Cleansing recipe for kapha skin:
Mix together 1/2 tsp honey and 1/2 tsp lemon juice. Apply to the face, then wash off.
Nourishing recipe for kapha skin:
Mix together 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1-2 drops of lemongrass essential oil, and 3-4 drops of water. Apply to face and neck and leave on.
Using natural products without chemicals and other additives are vastly better for your skin and for your body – and more affordable! Just look in your kitchen; you will find many ingredients that are beneficial to your skin. Lime juice, orange juice, watermelon juice, tomato juice, almond paste, cucumbers, oatmeal, potatoes, avocados and more all have many benefits for the skin (learn more in Dr. Kshirsagar’s book).
Care for yourself naturally, and glow from the inside out!
By Dr. Marisa Jackson-Kinman, C.A.S., P.K.S., A.Y.T., Faculty at the California College of Ayurveda