Summer Skin Care: An Ayurvedic Way

Ayurveda philosophy is very simple “if you cannot eat it, do not put it on your skin. What is put on the skin should be filled with nourishment, naturally occurring vitamins and minerals safe enough to be taken internally.”
Here are some suggestions to keep your skin looking beautiful all summer long:

• Drink lot of water through the day, not only to replenish moisture lost to the heat and sweat but also to help flush toxins out of the body and keep skin looking clear and lustrous. Herb or spice teas, made with skin-enhancing ingredients, offer added therapeutic benefit. Choose cooling herbs and spices such as mint, cardamom and fennel.

• Eat lot of fruits, vegetables and herbs, which supply the skin with essential nutrients and come with free-radical fighting antioxidant properties while they help keep your skin cool. Carrots, lettuce, summer squash such as zucchini, celery, asparagus and leafy greens are good vegetable choices. Sweet juicy fruits such as pears, grapes, watermelon and mangoes both nourish our skin faces a constant barrage of chemicals everyday from pollution to harsh chemically formulated products that strip the skin of its natural balance.
• Milk is a cooling beverage that also supplies nutrients to your skin and helps to keep it from drying out. Drink a cup of milk every day, and also combine milk with ingredients like almond meal and rose water to make a balancing skin cleanser.
• Get plenty of quality rest each night. Keep your bedroom cool, dark and comfortable and sleep on cotton or linen sheets. Get to bed early and awaken early for clear healthy skin and sparkling eyes.
• When you feel stressed, angry or frustrated, your skin will show it over time as furrows and small lines and breakouts. Practice calming yoga poses or meditation to stay serene and help your body and mind manage stress. Use essential oils, such as rose, sandalwood and lavender to keep mind and heart balanced.
• Keep your skin nourished with a herbal moisturizer. Look for ayurvedic formulations that contain skin-friendly herbs such as sandalwood, turmeric, brahmi, amla and aloe vera. At least once a week, treat yourself to a fruit or vegetable mask appropriate for your skin type. Cucumbers, avocados, apricots and papayas lend themselves well to homemade masks.
• Use some fruit or vegetable and blend with some yogurt, honey, oatmeal and lemon juice or rosewater and apply evenly to the face. Let stay for 15-20 minutes and then rinse off with lukewarm water. It will make the skin shining.
• Eyes and feet should be given extra care everyday. Splash lots of cool water on your eyes. Soak some cotton pads in cool water or rose water and place them over closed eyes for 10 minutes.

Home-made summer skin care
1. Summer facial bleach
Ingredients: 4 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp lemon juice.
Mix all the ingredients and apply the mixture evenly on the tanned areas for 15 minutes. Once dried, wash with cold water. Works best for greasy and oily skin.
2. Yogurt and honey cleanser
Ingredients : 4 tbsp plain yogurt, 2 tbsp honey, 3 tbsp lime juice
Mix all the ingredients. Add a little cornstarch if you think the paste needs thickening. Apply on your face and massage for 2-3 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
For an all- natural exfoliation…
Excessive heat added with dry winds, overheat the body and it’s the face that suffers the most. The delicate tissues get damaged and the outer layer of the skin bears dirt deposits in the clogged pores leading to an excessively rough, wrinkled and dry skin. A quick and easy session of exfoliation is all that you need in case of such beauty emergencies!
1. Oatmeal exfoliating scrub
Ingredients: 1 tsp fine oatmeal, 1 tsp baking soda
Mix the ingredients in enough water to make a thick paste. Rub over face for 2-3 minutes, rinse and pat dry. It’s suitable for all skin types.
2. Curd and gram flour scrub
Ingredients: 1 tspn gram flour, 1 tspn lemon juice, 2-3 mint leaves, toned curd, a small piece of grated carrot
Mix all the ingredients to form a past and apply on your face. Rub in round motions to clean the deep rooted impurities.
Get the glow back…
You face seems to have lost its lustre? Well, here’s all that you can do to get back your lost sheen and make your face smooth, soft and fresh like never before in just 20 minutes…
1. Home spa recipe
Ingredients: Pineapple pulp, grapeseed oil, papaya pulp, mulethi and turmeric.