Ayurvedic Cosmetics
The ancient Indian art of healing Ayurveda has countless followers in Europe. It is based on the thesis that our life is a unity of body, soul, mind, and our senses. In addition, it sees the human being as a part of nature and its laws. In order to strengthen and regenerate ourselves, it relies exclusively on natural remedies. Until today, numerous natural healing systems of the western world can be traced back to Ayurveda. Ayurvedic cosmetics also play a significant role in the field of care.
The term Ayurveda is composed of two parts of words: Ayur means translated life and Veda knowledge. Thus, Ayurveda describes the science of (long and healthy) life.
The building blocks of life
According to Ayurvedic teachings, the key to our personal well-being lies in the three building blocks of life: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata is considered the principle of movement and is associated with wind and space. Pitta, the principle of metabolism and transformation, represents fire and water, while Kapha, the principle of substance and stability, is also associated with water as well as earth. When these three doshas are completely in balance, we enjoy the best of health. Conversely, an imbalance of the doshas leads to a wide variety of diseases. According to Ayurveda, our health is not a fixed state, but the result of a balance that can change at any time. All environmental influences, our social contacts, our personal lifestyle: all this has either a positive or negative influence on the three doshas or their balance. In addition, each person has a different composition of Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The individual mixture forms, so to speak, our blueprint and our inner nature.
Ayurveda is a healing art
The healing art Ayurveda has the goal to prevent diseases by a special way of life and nutrition. In addition, the doctrine knows numerous treatments that either maintain or restore the balance of the three doshas. These treatments mainly include oil and powder massages, but also certain cleansing cures. Diagnosis and treatment are always holistic. Regardless of the individual symptoms, the eyes and tongue are always examined as part of the physical examination. In this way, the exact relationship of the doshas can be determined. Once this has been determined, the therapy is adjusted accordingly. In Ayurveda, the therapy differs considerably from conventional medicine in one respect: the most important aspect of the therapy is always an individually adapted diet.
In general, nutrition is an essential part of Ayurveda. It includes numerous recommendations that apply to all people, regardless of possible diseases. For example, all six tastes of Ayurveda should be consumed at every meal: sweet and sour, spicy and salty, sour and bitter. In addition, people should only eat when they are hungry and only when the last meal has been completely digested.
Ayurvedic cosmetics
Ayurvedic influences are also increasingly used in skin care. Primarily, this involves facial and skin care treatments, with special herbal formulations taking center stage. Basically, ayurvedic cosmetics are always based on the individual skin type. This ayurvedic cosmetics is also based on the three doshas Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
The Pitta type
If the skin of the Pitta type is in balance, it appears rosy and fresh. When no perfect balance is left, the skin is prone to excessive sebum production, acne, dilated veins, rosacea, redness, and blemishes. The hair of the Pitta type, on the other hand, often shows up drained and tired. In the worst case, hair loss may even occur. Environmental factors such as air pollution and poorer water quality are often responsible for this. The Pitta type needs very gentle care that contains as few irritating ingredients as possible. A mild cleansing gel with coconut, for example, gently but thoroughly removes dirt and makeup residues from the skin. Neem leaves are also very suitable as an active ingredient. They are traditionally an integral part of ayurvedic cosmetics and have excellent anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting and anti-microbial abilities.
The Vata type
In the best case, the skin of the Vata type is fine-pored, cool and dry. However, if there is an imbalance, the skin tends to be extremely dry, with fine lines and wrinkles, especially around the eyes and on the forehead. Blackheads are also not uncommon. The hair is straw-like, unruly, and also dry when the doshas are unbalanced. The Vata type needs a nourishing and gentle care in ayurvedic cosmetics. Here, the Amla fruit provides valuable services. It plays an important role in Ayurveda, as it alone combines five of the six Ayurvedic flavors. In addition, the Amla fruit has the remarkable property of optimally balancing the three doshas.
The Kapha type
Soft, supple, and slightly moist: this is how the skin of the Kapha type presents itself when all three doshas are in balance. If, on the other hand, the balance tips in any direction, this manifests itself in enlarged and clogged pores, cystic acne, too much sebum and excess moisture. Typical hair problems are straw-like tips without elasticity and too much sebum at the hair roots. The Kapha type cares for his skin best with aloe vera in ayurvedic cosmetics. If you want to do something good for your connective tissue, treat it to an Ayurvedic dry massage, which stimulates both the circulation and the connective tissue and can prevent cellulite. In Ayurveda, this special type of massage is called Garshan.
Ayurvedic cosmetics: as natural as possible
Ayurvedic cosmetics should contain only purely natural active ingredients. Chemical synthetic colorants, preservatives, and fragrances as well as parabens, PEG, silicone and mineral oil are ideally not used. As the Indians knew several thousand years ago, the best active ingredients come from the vast and inexhaustible pharmacy of our nature. An interesting example is Indian basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), also called tulsi or holy basil. The plant has been an indispensable part of Ayurveda for centuries and is considered an elixir of life in India. It can strengthen cell defense and protect the skin from oxidative stress, which in turn helps fight skin aging. Inflammation is reduced, the skin calms down and glows again. However, it is important to give the skin a little time to adjust after switching from conventional products to ayurvedic cosmetics. It usually takes a while for the skin to get used to it and for an effect to be visible. A little patience pays off, however, because the skin thanks you for the gentle and type-appropriate care with ayurvedic cosmetics and reveals a significantly better appearance.
Innovative ayurvedic cosmetics from Cosmacon
With high-quality natural cosmetics, imbalances can be balanced according to Ayurvedic teachings, so that skin and hair problems decrease significantly or even disappear completely. The ultimate goal is always to either maintain or achieve the individual balance of the doshas. Cosmacon can develop high-quality and exclusive ayurvedic cosmetics for you or your target group, which on the one hand meet the current standards of modern cosmetics and on the other hand are based on the classical knowledge of the Indian teachings. Traditional recipes interpreted according to today’s standards: This is the basis of ayurvedic cosmetics. Feel free to contact us.
Sources:
Ethnopharmacological Survey on Medicinal Plants Used for Cosmetic Treatments in Traditional and Ayurveda Systems of Medicine in Sri Lanka.; Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2021
Global Perspective of Plant-Based Cosmetic Industry and Possible Contribution of Sri Lanka to the Development of Herbal Cosmetics.; Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2022 Mar 4;2022:9940548.
Cosmetic and Dermatological Properties of Selected Ayurvedic Plant Extracts.; Molecules. 2021 Jan 25;26(3):614.
Trends in aging and skin care: Ayurvedic concepts.; DATTA, Hema Sharma; PARAMESH, Rangesh. Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine, 2010, 1. Jg., Nr. 2, S. 110.