Hi everyone,
I hope you’ll are doing great.
Today lets chat about summer and natural skincare.
Each year we wait for summer to feel the sunshine, to get an excuse to go on vacation/staycation, beat the heat in style with summer dresses, sandals, sun hats, sunglasses and what not! Wanting to sip on chilled margaritas (one chili mango margarita for me please! 😉 ) while sitting on the beach/next to the pool with friends and family, munching on succulent seasonal fruits, especially mangoes, honeydew, watermelon and lychees! And finally ending the day by relaxing in a hammock under the twinkling sky, as being caressed by the cool breeze with a romantic read in hand. Ah! such a treat.
Mind you, all the lads out there are equally as excited us women, to get their gear on and bounce off to have some beer and chill with their mates. I’m certain that all the male readers, will be nodding their head right about now 😛
Not to mention the gym hours we put in to get that amazing summer body. *Phew* It’s quite the prep to say the least. But in between all this madness, one thing requires change in care and daily nourishment i.e. our body – our skin – our hair.
Let me put it simply for you. We all lead hectic lives no matter which gender or age or place. Summer in particular is quite the testing time for all of us. Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate – is the key to survival. However, what about our skin? Drinking H2O definitely hydrates our body from within, 2-3ltrs of water is essential to maintain our internal well being. But as far as skin is concerned, only drinking water isn’t going to help us achieve our desired result (it could be the infamous glass skin trend or glowing to the Gods without the need of a highlighter 😉 Au naturel is always the best).
And… this is where I come into the picture to help you have hydrated radiant skin for summer. In a series format aka. S4 series, we’ll look at articles discussing Ayurveda, quick home remedies and recipes which in my opinion, have successfully stood the test of time by consistently giving great results –
Ayurvedic Diet for Summer Time
Ayurvedic Ritucharya (seasonal regime) in Grishma Ritu (summer season) recommends a diet free of salty, sour and pungent food (agni/heat generating food) eg. bread, fried food, garlic, chili, pickles etc. Obvious exclusion of packaged food and synthetic food colouring. Instead consume light, cold (not by temperature but by nature) and liquid e.g. khichdi, curd, lentils, soups, seasonal local produce etc.
Eat whole fruits instead of cutting them, bite it and eat directly from the produce. Ayurveda also advocates having 4 meals in a day at a regular interval of 4 hours. Light and easy breakfast to medium lunch to light snack in the late-afternoon to light dinner ideally before 8pm in the night. Reason being our jathar agni (digestive power) is weak in the morning, strongest in the afternoon and continues to weaken with the setting of the sun. It’s all related. Rocket science? No. Logical? Yes.
1 tbsp of pure Cow Ghee every day with a glass of milk at night or otherwise throughout the day. Yes, pure cow ghee is very good for your skin as opposed to all the myths surrounding it. Ghee is considered to be the uttam (best) for our body. It can be easily called the “youth exilr” in my opinion. Several modern studies and traditionally our Indian culture proves to show deep value of ghee as a medicine. It can be consumed by a new born baby to an elderly person. Its healing properties are infinite.
NOTE: Consumption of ghee should be increased in summer while reducing intake of honey.
Ayurvedic Skincare and Hair Care for Summer Time
Apply sandalwood powder/paste mixed with raw milk/malai/turmeric on your face as a mask thrice in a week. Not only is it fragrant but its beauty benefits might actually stun you. Try it.
Alternate use of mild warm ghee as a sleeping mask at night on clean skin (all over your face, neck and ears). You can also apply ghee in your eyes as kajal to get good night sleep. Yes, not only does it give you baby soft skin in the morning, but it also cures insomnia. Provided you choose to keep your phone aside #truestory . Key words in this context – Hydrated. Radiant. Plump.
Til/Sesame oil should be used for body massage as sesame oil is soaked into the deepest level of our skin/epidermis. Our body will quite literally drink this oil like water. No body lotion can give you the long-lasting effect of skin elasticity as sesame oil can. Fact. It is super nourishing for our skin. Also can be used for healing cracked heels.
Having shower with regular/cold water bath is ideal as skin will not lose moisture. However, if you are used to having a shower with warm water, then only use warm water from neck below.
Hair bath only with regular cold water. Coconut oil can be used for scalp massage.
Tip: For best results, make your own concoction with heena leaves, hibiscus, goose berry and coconut oil boiled together, strained, stored and applied for strengthening hair cuticles and cooling the scalp.
**Avoid direct sun at all times, unless necessary**
And, that’s it for now. I hope you’ll enjoyed the content, learnt something new about our age-old tradition of Ayurveda. Ayurveda and Yoga might seem to be in vogue right now, but they’ve been with us since the beginning of time. Indian culture is a testament to that.
Give it a shot and incorporate at least one of these remedies to witness the result of a healthy lifestyle.
Here’s to welcoming a new change,
Cheers!