Skin Care For Women

True beauty comes from within.

The skin of a women changes with age. Her skin looks best in 20's As she ages, her skin becomes thin and dry due to breakdown of collagen and elastin fibres. Along with ageing, excess of sun exposure makes the skin look dull and tanned.

Introduction

Great skin for every women is a result of good skin care habits and a healthy lifestyle. While it's essential to follow a good skin care routine, it isn't complete in itself. Ayurvedic skin care  routine focuses on balancing the whole body and supporting the digestive system with a healthy diet, while treating each individual according to her specific dosha. It is an holistic approach.

In Ayurveda many factors determine the health of skin, which includes : 

• Balancing of dosha specially Kapha for balancing moisture.
• Pitta for proper metabolism, various chemical and hormonal reactions of the skin and off course
• Vata though do not have a direct role for proper circulation and nutritional reach to different layers of the skin and the important dhatus that supports all the body tissues which help to keep the skin hydrated,
• Rakta dhatu which gives nutrition and remove toxins of the skin and 
• Mansa dhatu  that helps to provide firmness.

The way each dhatu has its own way to balance the skin, the dominant one also changes the skin texture. 

• A person with more of vata is prone to dry skin.
• Whereas the pitta person would be prone to acne rashes and kapha person may have more of oily skin

The advice of skin care in Ayurveda is not only meant for beautifying external appearance but also meant for sign of longevity. Some of the practices to maintain healthy skin and age defying is also include:

• Daily regimen (Dincharya) 
• Seasonal Regime (Ritucharya)

The skincare regimen in Ayurveda is through both external and internal applications.

• External applications include (Abhyanga) oil massage.
• Sudation (Swedana) 
• Lepana, Application of herbal paste
• Herbal infused medicated water wash (kashaya prakshalana)
• Rubbing with herbal powders (Churana pratisara)

All these applications are based on doshic type, seasonal changes and the dept of the layers of skin involved.

Internal application includes

• Detoxification procedure (Shodhana)
• Theraputic purgation (Virechana) very effective for skin.
• Theraputic vomiting (Vamana)
• Sudation (Swedana)
• Enema (Basti)

Detoxication procedure are done periodically help to keep the mind and body healthy which have direct influence on healthy skin.

Internal medication (Shamana oushadha) based on the requirement and 

Food regime (Pathyaahara) Some of the important formulations which are to be taken :

Mahamanjistha kwath, khadiraristha, Saribadyasava, Kumaryasava, Chandraprabha vati. Arogyavardhini vati, kaishore, Guggulu, Nimba Ksshaya.

For natural skin care:

• Age defying (Vayasthapana) :Amrutha. Haritaki, Dhatri, Mukta, Punarnava, Jivanti.
• Skin lightening or complexion promoters (Varnya) : Chandana or sandlewood. Tunga, Padmaka, Usheera, Madhuka, Manjishta, Sariva, sita.
• Regeneration of collagen repair (Sandhaniya ) Yashtimadhu, Guduchi, Mocharasa, Dhataki, Lodra ,Priyangu.
• Nourishing of skin (Tvacha) : patola, Khafira, Arjuna, Kharanja.
• Wound healer (Vranaropana) Shallaki, laksha, Madhuka, Arjuna, Udumbara.
• Anti Inflammatory (Shothahara) : Chandana, Ashwagangha, Yashtimadhu, Lodhra, Majishta, Davadaru.

Home is where one starts from

• Few drops of application of Kumkumadi taila before bed keeps the skin supple and tender.
• For dry and itchy skin Nalpamaradi is helpful.
• Mudga (green gram powder and reetha , Rakta chandana (red sandlewood powder) with lemon juice revives dull skin, helps lighten it.
• Curd (Dadhi) is one of the best tan remover, added with mudga (green gram powder) with Haridra (Kasturi turmeric powder), used ad scrub helps to remove tan  and dead cells.
• Scrubbing equal quantity of honey, lemon juice, Multani mitti (fuller earth) is the best cleanser to remove accumulation of dirt due to pollution.
• Paste with Haridra (turmeric powder), gram flour (besan)Chandana, with rose water and milk in the form of ubtan A special paste) help to tone the body.
• Nimba Neem powder)  is one of the best remedies to battle acne and other micro bacterial build up on the skin. Applying is paste of fresh neem leaves serves the purpose. Haridra (kasuri turmeric)can also be added to it.
• Coconut milk is a fine skin rejuvenator, added with Haridra 9kasuri turmeric) can be used as body scrub.
• Paste of Rakta chandana , Majistha (Indian madder) with honey helps to lighten up hyperpigmentation.
• Application of bark powder of Arjuna  with milk is is regularly beneficial in Melasma.