The Ayurvedic Skincare Routine for Facial Skin by Shreelata Suresh

If your toner is a spritzer, close your eyes and gently mist on face and neck. Dab any excess gently with a ball of cotton. Alternatively, apply the toner to the face and neck with a ball of cotton, using smooth, gentle upward strokes.

Moisturizing: All types of skin need a moisturizer. Moisturizers seal in surface moisture and help keep skin soft and supple. If enriched with skin-friendly herbs and essential oils, moisturizers also nourish the skin and enhance skin immunity. Natural ayurvedic moisturizers contain herbal extracts and essential oils in an oil base—richer oils for dry skin and light oils for oily skin. Gotu kola, Shatavari, Turmeric, Sandalwood, Brahmi, Amalaki, Tulsi and Neem are examples of nourishing, ojas-building herbs that are considered skin rasayanas in ayurveda.

Apply moisturizer immediately after the toner, while your skin is still slightly damp. If using a facial oil, all you need are 3-4 drops. Gently massage the moisturizer into facial skin with smooth upward strokes. For extra-dry areas, use a little additional moisturizer. Additional care, once or twice a week

Exfoliation once a week for Kapha skin and once every other week for Vata and Pitta skin adds that extra glow.

Facial Mask: All types of skin benefit from periodic deep-down exfoliating treatment; if you have really oily skin, you may want to exfoliate at least once a week. At its most basic, a facial mask is a little oatmeal or chickpea flour mixed with water and a touch of honey. You can add almond meal and a couple of drops of wheat germ oil for dry skin, almond meal and pure aloe vera juice for sensitive skin and Bentonite clay for oily skin. You can also enrich the mask with pure essential oils suitable for your skin type. Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, embedded dirt and toxins, and stimulates the skin, making it receptive to the nutrient-rich facial mask that should follow.

Wash your face with lukewarm water. Apply the mask with smooth upward strokes with your fingertips or a ball of cotton. Wait a few minutes in a relaxed position while the mask dries. Rinse off with plenty of warm water and follow with a moisturizer appropriate for your skin type.

Note: This information is educational and is not intended to replace standard medical care or advice.

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BIO:

About the Author

Shreelata Suresh is a yoga instructor who lives in the Bay Area. She writes for various publications on yoga, ayurveda and Indian culture. For more articles on ayurveda and premier ayurvedic products, please visit http://www.ayurbalance.com.

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