Winter is special. Fresh white snow under our feet and the starry sky above cast spirit of forthcoming Christmas. But we hide our faces and necks in the scarves and don’t want to hear about the stars and frosty sparkles on trees and bushes. Because this wonderful season has already taken its toll on our skin, leaving it looking dull and pale.
Cure yourself from the basic level
Laying the blame for the skin problems on the climate is easy. But that’s not exactly the case. Ayurveda speaks of a disease in terms of living out of balance with the energies of our bodies and minds. Usually, such an equilibrium provides us with everything from the skin texture to predispositions toward certain health conditions.
To understand what’s wrong with our skin we have to learn about Kapha, Pitta, and Vata. These are the three energies that constitute the full spectrum of human nature. In case your skin is dehydrated your whole body has too much ‘air energy’ or ‘Vata’. Cold, windy weather is another manifestation of Vata. If your inner energies are out of balance, the secondary cause, notably cold climate, strips your skin of its natural protective mechanism which ensures healthy and smooth skin. That’s how it works from an Ayurvedic practitioner. While a Western physician claims to cure the illness without engaging further in the philosophy, an Indian practitioner addresses your primal energies first. Only after examining your doshas and identifying the cause of imbalance he will trace it to its source and suggest the right treatment. Instead of focusing on a drug to fight a disease, the Ayurvedic healer is busy focusing on the techniques that will boost your vital elements. The philosophy behind it states that every living being has an inner mechanism of self-curing. Medications and ointments are the essential part of that plan, but they act only to help the process of self-healing, rather than cause it.
To restore the balance and to get rid of skin problems Ayurveda offers various remedies based on natural components. The skin on lips, face, hands is not identical, so there are multiple approaches on the agenda.
Ayurvedic Skin Care:
For your face and lips
Try to avoid soap. In the morning use a soap-free facial cleanser to wash your face. While the skin is wet, apply some sesame or almond oil on it. Not only will this smooth and soften your skin texture, but it is also a tasted way to lift your spirits. Leave the oil there for 15 minutes then rinse it with lukewarm water. If you are going outside, no matter how exquisite your moisture cream is, you have to wait 30-40 minutes until it dries completely. Wet skin is highly susceptible to frost damage and infection. If your skin is already windblown, frostbitten or merely dry, use natural moistening masks two or three times a week.
Avocado Face Mask
Try a natural moisturizer like Avocado. Ayurvedic practitioners recommend this fruit since it yields lots of useful vitamins and minerals: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, beta-carotene, and potassium. Put some mashed avocado onto your face, keep it about 15 minutes, rinse it with lukewarm water.
For your hands
When you go outside make sure you wear gloves, but sometimes even gloves may be of little help. The fluctuations of temperature and air humidity are not good for your skin. To resist hostile environment, you should learn how to “irrigate” your thirsty skin. Water as such won’t help, but the homemade cream can do the trick.
Oatmeal Mask
Add two tablespoons of oatmeal to a cup warm milk. Wait for the cream to cool down and apply it onto the back of one hand. Press your hands together and rub the substance into your skin. Leave it on for about 10 minutes then wash your hands.
Coconut cream
Take 1/3 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup almond oil, olive oil or peanut oil to a heatproof bowl. Add 1 cup unrefined cocoa butter, jojoba butter and 1/8 cup grated beeswax. Then mix the ingredients until the texture is uniform. Use a microwave oven at lower settings for about five minutes. Add to the warm paste a tablespoon of honey, the same amount of aloe vera and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Use a blender for five minutes then put the mix in the fridge. When the remedy cools down, spread it over your skin as a regular hand cream.
For your body
Taking a hot shower after being outside in winter time sounds like a blessing, but that’s not a good idea for your dry skin, state Ayurveda. Again, all that is about lack of moisture. Hot water, as well as the use of soap, wash away the protective elements from your skin. The optimal solution for your shivering body is a bath with essential oils. Essential oils are unique substances, which are used for medicinal and relaxation purposes. There are lots of oils of that kind, and everyone is free to use them at his discretion. Jojoba oil, Sandalwood oil, Lavender oil are the best ones for healing and soothing your skin. You also can make combos of two or three essential oils. But be sure you mix the essential oils with an emulsifier such as milk or coconut oil to prevent skin irritation.
Approximate concentration is one drop per 20 liters of water.
All these skin care routines combined with a balanced diet will not only keep your skin looking healthy and glowing you fight off those annoying colds that come with winter.
