An Ayurvedic Guide to Great Beauty Rituals
We hear so much about finding your Dosha. What is a Dosha? How do I know what my Dosha is? There has been a buzz about Ayurveda for sometime now, & for some pretty awesome reasons!
Ayurveda is an ancient holistic science & medicine, dating back more then 5,000 years. "The science of life" is the meaning of Ayurveda. This statement holds true on many levels & can go so deep if you explore the world of Ayurveda.
Every ounce of our daily life can be aligned or suited to fit each Dosha. Our diet, lifestyle, environment, mindset & forms of exercise even our skin types can be categorized under a Dosha.
There are 3 Doshas
Vata - Pitta - Kapha
which are comprised of the 5 Elements
Space - Air - Fire - Water - Earth
Vata is air & space / Pitta is fire & water / Kapha is water & earth
Each one of us has a unique combination of all 3 Doshas. This can change depending on our lifestyle, diet, career, even the area in where we live.
Believably, we all have an inherit doshic pattern that we are born into.
For instance, I am a Pitta with a Vata imbalance. This can change in the summer months (or because of diet), as I am highly affected by heat (fire element). When its mid-summer & the sun is blazing, I need to be so careful not to overheat! I can get frustrated, stressed out & I can't think, etc. etc. I crave spicy foods (imbalance) & prefer to drink Iced coffee & Margaritas, which are all heat inducing!
If I am mindful, meaning when I stay focused on eating cooling foods/keeping spicy foods at bay and protecting my self from the sun, I feel 100 times better all around. The heat can be drying to my skin and cause more sensitivity than normal. As I get older and my skin ages, moisture and an even skin tone are really important for me to maintain.
When I am a eating healthy, balanced Pitta-pacifying diet, I look and feel my best. My skin is beaming and I have a natural glow! Doing yoga, taking time to relax, spending time in nature and having quality ("me") time truly allows me to be grounded and keep my Vata "in balance".
I always look at a few things: the temperature or energy of things; foods being cooling or heating... different types of exercises can be calming or stimulating... a job can be calm/structured or stressful/demanding...living in a high energy city (stimulating) or a calm, peaceful county side (calming) to name a few.
All of these aspects of "life" make up who we are day to day, year after year. This can dramatically change over time. From the passage of time such youth to a young adulthood, and lifestyle changes like marriage and raising children. We must look at ourselves and what we are concerned about in the present moment in order to make the best choices for today. Choosing skincare that falls into these categories and has the attributes that compliment these doshas is key to maintaining the health of your skin and your mind/body overall.
Being mindful of what you are using on you skin in certain seasons and in varying climates makes all the difference in your complexion, skin strength, and condition. Consider the present conditions and lifestyle you are living within. Using natural skin products works like eating whole foods for our bodies: it sustains us and keeps us optimally well/balanced.
Become more educated on ingredients in your products is imperative for maintaining skin health. Familiarize yourself with the names and affects of major harsh chemicals, fillers and preservatives and look for beneficial ingredients like whole herbs and plant extracts to see how it will affect your skin condition and skin type.
We will look at all of this from an Ayurvedic and holistic perspective during our DIY Herbal Skincare Workshop on October 27th to help give you hands on experience with choosing products that are appropriate for your individual needs, according to your dosha.
Join us At Ritual Shoppe to dive deeper into this fascinating world! & don't forget to sign up for the workshop here! <3
xx
Kelley Hughes
