Skin is the sensory organ of touch. It separates us from our environment, allowing nutrients into the system and preventing pathogens from entering. The health of the skin is closely tied to the health of the digestive tract, so skin can tell us a lot about what is going on inside the body.

Ayurvedic skin care focuses on both external and internal health. Skin disease can develop when the skin is clogged with toxins and when digestion is compromised. Thus, skin improves when digestion is healthy, and the digestive tract becomes healthier when the skin is cleansed of toxins and impurities. Because it can impact overall bodily health, it is important to keep the skin healthy and clear of toxins.

Pitta Skin

Pitta skin is fair, soft, lustrous, and warm. It is usually coppery or yellowish with freckles and tends to burn easily in the sun. When out of balance, Pitta skin has a tendency toward rashes, acne, and eczema. Because skin has less of a tendency toward dryness, Pittas are less prone to wrinkles than are Vatas. Those with a Pitta skin type need to stay cool to keep the body and skin in balance.

Diet

Ayurvedic skin care for Pitta begins with nourishing the skin from the inside by eating Pitta-balancing nutrient dense diet. Avoid foods that aggravate Pitta, such as spicy food, or fermented foods like alcohol, pickles, vinegar, tomatoes, and yeast. It is also important to avoid nuts, bell peppers, eggplant, seafood, and sour foods. Refrain from mixing incompatible foods such as milk and melon, milk or yogurt with sour foods, or fruit with other foods.

Favor green leafy vegetables, sweet fruits, and squash, or bitter foods such as dandelion greens. Dark grapes, sweet pineapple, sweet apples, mangoes, and figs are excellent choices that will help to balance Pitta and cool the body. Foods with high water content help to evaporate heat from your skin and keep Pittas cool. Diet is the best place to start to nourish the body and the skin.

Skin Care Routine

Do not use soap to cleanse the skin. Instead, make a cleansing mask using oat or chickpea flour and water. Combine to create a paste and gently press onto the face. Rinse with warm water. Use gentle skin care products for moisturizing the skin. Jojoba oil is the closest oil to skin’s sebum, and is consequently very calming and nourishing. It is also unlikely to irritate the skin. Continue reading “Ayurvedic Skin Care” →