Ayurveda Beauty Therapies for Glowing Skin
By Neeta Singh, founder of Neeta Naturals, Ayurveda coach and Beauty Therapist
Are you a bride-to-be? Feeling anxious with constant butterflies in the stomach is quite normal. Though it is every girl’s dream to share a perfect wedding day with the man of her dreams, the stress of wedding planning can take its toll on the body. Developing and enhancing the outer glow and beauty is just as important as paying attention to inner beauty.
Several Ayurveda therapies can be followed to develop inner strength and help you glow from within. While marriage is a big commitment and simultaneously exciting, brides and grooms can also experience post-wedding depression or the blues. Ayurveda offers Panchkarma treatments to help brides and grooms cope with anxiety, stress and post wedding depression. The treatment should be done four to six weeks before the wedding in order to be effective.
Ayurvedic skin treatments use natural ingredients to restore the skin’s balance and encourage a natural glow from within. From healing oils to massages and facepacks treatments, Ayurvedic treatments offer brides and grooms a variety of ways to develop a glow.
Here are the five most popular Ayurvedic treatments to bring balance to the Vata and Pitta while also reducing excess Kapha.
Herbal Lepam (Body Wrap)
Lepam is a Sanskrit term that translates to “herbal paste,” and this therapy is good for those who are dealing with skin issues such as dryness, dullness, and uneven skin tone.
This therapeutic body wrap is exclusively developed with the combination of licorice root powder, turmeric and grain powder, which acts as a natural purifying agent. This paste is applied all over the body, and it soothes the skin and nourishes the entire body resulting in a radiating skin complexion inside out for both men and women. Neeta Naturals offers powder masks. I personally like Guava Bliss or Ubtan.
Abhyanga (self massage)
Abhyanga is the best at home treatment you can do for yourself to attain healthy glowing ailments free skin. This ancient treatment leaves skin feeling nourished and soft. It also lubricates the joints and helps move lymph fluid, aiding in detoxification and adding to a calming feeling. The massage also reduces skin allergies and reduces insomnia. Begin the treatment one month before your wedding. Brides and grooms running around to find the perfect outfit and matching shoes can sometimes forget to be mindful. Abhyanga treatment is specifically made for that. With our lives being so stressful and living in an environment that is constantly exposed to pollution, there are toxins built up under the skin leading to acne and inflammation as well as larger issues.
Use Neeta Naturals Eladi Oil or Canna Beauty Relief for Abhyanga. For an effective massage, first warm the oil. Apply first to the forehead, then the scalp, cheeks, jawline, neck, jawline and earlobes, body (sarvanga abhyanga), and finally the feet (pad abhyanga). Use the palms for a gentle massage, not the fingertips. These oils can help expel toxins and reduce joint pain, fatigue and dryness.
Shiroabhyangam or Shirodhara
Shiro means head while Dhara means flow, and it is a form of Ayurveda therapy in which you use warm Ayurvedic oils according to your dosha. The treatment allows your immune system to feel deep relaxation, and it treats with headache, insomnia, premature hair greying and even slows down hair loss. You will find yourself able to concentrate on wedding planning much more effectively after doing this bridal treatment. This beauty treatment is said to improve vata dosha (energy pattern in the body). It is followed by a shoulder massage that loosens tight joints. The steady dhara (flow) of oil is poured from left to right constantly for 35-45 minutes to relieve stress and leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
Herbal Compress Massage
Also known as Kizzi or Potli massage, your body will just love it as it relaxes you to the core. Hot round muslin bags are placed on the skin to reduce swelling and pain or inflammation encouraging blood circulation. These Potli bags are filled with dried herbs like neem or ashwagandha powder depending on your prakriti of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. It relieves tightness from the muscles and reduces stress to help detox the body. Once warmed, the bags produce heat and are placed on specific areas of the body. Warm showers are recommended after this massage in order to feel refreshed.
Herbal Steam bath/ Swedena
Ayurvedic steam bath is different from what we see in the west, where a sauna is more frequently an option.
Swedana is an ancient Ayurvedic treatment that usually follows an Abhyanga treatment. In Ayurvedic medicine, the term ‘Swedana’ means sweating. This treatment is used to relieve the excess doshas or toxins from the body helping one to establish a state of balance and promote general health and well being.
Swedana is a panchkarma therapy wherein a person sits inside a box keeping their head out. This box contains a mixture of herbs and medicinal leaves. The person sits in the steam box that is filled with herb-infused steam for about ten to thirty minutes. The herbs are added to the steam therapy according to the individual’s state of imbalance. This therapy helps to drive the herbal oil deeper into the layers of the person’s skin.
About the Author
Neeta Singh, born and raised in India. Founder/ CEO of Ayurvedic Skincare Neeta Naturals is Certified Ayurveda Expert specializes in Beauty therapy and panchkarma practice. MS in Business Neeta Singh is certified Yoga teacher and Reiki master. Neeta’s work has been published in many yoga and wellness magazines including yoga journal and spirituality and health.
