Beauty is really, our skin reflects the way we are and what is our lifestyle. Our skin is glowing & vital when we are physically well and fairly at peace with the world, our skin is dull, grey, and rather drawn when we have been ill, feeling off par, or suffering from stress, and anxiety.
How to Know My Skin Type?
Healthy, balanced diets, exercise, relaxation, and sufficient sleep and routine care are the keynotes of healthy and beautiful skin. But how would you know what is your skin type?
There are five skin types.
- Oily skin
- Dry Skin
- Hyper-sensitive Skin
- Combination Skin
- Normal Skin
Now we know the skin types, let us talk about the qualities of these.
Oily skin
Oily skin can be an advantage when properly looked after. It stays elastic and firm longer and less prone to wrinkles and fine lines than other skin types. However, it needs special attention to keep it free from spots and blackheads and can sometimes look rather dull and yellow.
- Feel supple and elastic, even after washing.
- Looks shiny.
- Often blackheads and spots are present.
- Can look sluggish, sallow.
- Hair is often oily, too.
Dry Skin
Dry skin is clear of spots and in younger years is problem-free. Because it is not well lubricated naturally, it ages more quickly, so extra care must be taken with moisturizers. It is a good idea to use sunscreen all year round to reduce the harsh, drying effects of ultraviolet rays.
- Feels tight after washing.
- Dry skin is dry, scaly, and flaky to the touch.
- Can look grey or pinkish.
- Reacts adversely to harsh products.
Hyper-sensitive Skin
This skin type is often found in blondes and redheads. Extra care must be taken when choosing skincare products, so they protect and soothe, rather than irritate.
- Usually fair, freckly, or prone to high color.
- Burns easily in sunlight.
- Flushes quickly.
- Reacts to harsh substances quickly, becoming itchy, red, and irritated.
Combination Skin
Combination skin is the most found. It is important to treat the oily and dry areas differently, as a product for oily skin can be damaging to the dryer, sensitive areas.
- Spots/ blemishes on nose, chin, or forehead.
- Blackheads on the nose, chin, or forehead.
- Dry patches, particularly cheeks.
- Cheeks feel tight after washing.
- Shiny patches and flaky patches.
Normal Skin
This is exceedingly rare, if not non-existent, except for babies and young children and a few fortunate adults. If you are lucky enough to have inherited this skin type, remember it still needs to be looked after.
- Clear and free of spots and blemishes.
- Soft and supple
- Even texture and color.
Still not sure which of the above applies to you? Try this simple test.
- On waking (presuming you cleaned your face the night before and did not use a greasy night cream) take a paper tissue and separate its layer so you have just one ply.
- Press this onto your face, touching all the contours.
- Hold it up to the light, any oily areas will show up on the tissue.
If no oil marks are found then it is dry skin, maybe sensitive skin too. If the oil marks down the center of tissue, then it is combination skin. If the tissue is mainly oily, then the skin texture is oily.
How can I take care of my skin naturally?
Once you come to know your skin type, you can begin an effective routine to keep your skin feeling healthy and looking great. Skincare is divided into three steps, Cleansing, Balancing & Moisturizing. These three steps balance your skin and help it to function properly. So let us start to discuss this one by one.
Cleansing
An effective cleansing routine will balance your skin, helping it to function properly. You do not want to make it squeaky clean. This kind of over-cleansing takes away the skin’s natural protective barrier and leaves it more susceptible to the effects of bacteria and environmental influences such as dust and pollution.
All skin types need to be clean twice a day. Cleansing in the morning is important because your skin throws out toxic waste products while you sleep. Skin cleansing is dependent upon what type of skin you have.
Use any of your favorite unperfumed cleansing cream or milk or you can use essential oils for each skin type. The ratio of essential oil is two drops of oil to every 100 ml of water.
- Dry Skin – Chamomile, geranium, rose ylang-ylang.
- Chapped, Cracked Skin – Benzoin, chamomile.
- Hypersensitive Skin – Chamomile, Neroli, jasmine & rose.
- Combination Skin – Lavender, geranium.
- Normal Skin – Rose, neroli, lavender, sandalwood.
Balancing
Skin tonics and fresheners have two effects on your skin after cleansing. First, they remove the last trace of cleansing milk or cream. Second, they help to restore the skin’s natural protective mantle. We never recommend using a skin tonic that contains alcohol.
There are lots of commercially available skin tonics and fresheners, but here are some ideas to balance your skin with natural essential oils. Take 100 ml rose water and orange flower water and mix it with essential oils to make a good tonic for your skin.
- Oily Skin – Add lemon, lavender, bergamot, juniper, or ylang-ylang to witch hazel.
- Acne – Add lemongrass, lavender, juniper, or chamomile to distiller or mineral water.
- Dry Skin – Add rose, ylang-ylang, geranium, or chamomile to rosewater.
- Hypersensitive Skin – Add chamomile, neroli, jasmine, or rose to orange flower water.
As with cleansers, all fresheners/toners are kindest when applied to your skin with damp cotton wool. Gently wipe all over the face and neck, paying careful attention to the creases around your chin. If necessary, repeat once more.
Moisturizing
A moisturizing will protect your skin from moisture loss, helping to keep it soft, smooth, and supple. It will also protect your skin from the penetration of grime, chemicals, and bacteria. We all need moisturizer, even those of us with the oiliest skin, but obviously, it is important to choose the correct one for your skin type.
Apply moisturizer to your skin while it is still slightly damp from balancing. This enhances the moisturizing effect. Spread it gently, first onto your neck, then up onto your face, being careful not to drag the skin, particularly around the delicate area.
Make sure you use a moisturizer with a vegetable oil base. Mineral oil is not compatible with the skin, so baby lotion and petroleum jelly products are therefore best avoided.
Try any of the following to run your day or night cream into a beneficial aromatherapy treatment. Take two drops of essential oil to 100 gm of cream, either used singly or in combination.
- Oily Skin – Take lavender, basil, chamomile, or lemon with day cream & lavender, neroli, and chamomile with night cream.
- Acne – Take lemongrass, bergamot, lavender.
- Dry Skin – Take the rose, geranium, neroli with day cream & frankincense, jasmine, rose, ylang-ylang with night cream.
- Hypersensitive Skin – Take chamomile, lavender with day cream & neroli, jasmine, and rose with night cream.
- Normal Skin – Take lavender, rose with day cream & lavender, rose, neroli with night cream.
What are the Ayurvedic Herbal Home Remedies for Skin Problems?
Women need to maintain the beauty of the face at a time when wrinkles, shadows, stains, or pimples the face and spoil the beauty of the face. Although there are many cosmetics on the market, all are chemical-rich as well as very expensive. Ayurveda may have many herbal home remedies for skin problems that are natural, without chemicals, and 100% safe. There are some herbs that help to make skin young and beautiful. Let’s check it out.
For Acne and Scar on Face
- Take 2 grams of Indian soapberry (reetha) powder, and mix with normal water, make a face pack. Apply it on a clean face. Helps to cure skin from acne and pimple.
- Take 1 ml of each, honey, and milk, mix them, and apply it to the face. Keep it for 15 minutes and wash it with normal water.
- Take 1 tsp of gram flour, ½ tsp lemon juice, mix it well and make a paste. Rub this mixture on the face for 5 minutes and clean it with normal water.
Make sure that you never touch or scratch the unmatured pimples or else they will leave a stain or mark on the face.
For Pimples
There are two types of pimples, one which is matured and easily removed, second which is unmatured and converted into acne. This type of acne is caused due to imbalance of Vata Pitta Kapha, blood disorders, wrong breastfeeding, consumption of hot substances, and wrong diet.
Fat and oil glands increase in the blood vessels under the skin of the face, which takes the form of acne. Because of this, the face gets spoiled, this is called Acne Rosacea. It happens mostly in women. With some Ayurvedic remedies, we can reduce or control them.
- Mix the powder of date kernels with vinegar and apply it to the acne. Then wash after 1 hour. There will be relief in acne. Do this 3 times a week.
- Mix nutmeg and black pepper powder with milk and apply to pimples. Doing this reduces acne.
- Grind the pink lentils finely and mix them with raw milk to make a thick paste and apply it to the face. Wash off after 15 minutes.
- Soak one almond in water in the morning. In the evening, remove the peel and grind it to make a paste. Add 10-15 drops of lemon juice to it and mix an equal quantity of glycerin. Apply it to the face and wash it off with water after an hour.
Note: This post is about educating the benefits and uses of Ayurveda Herbs, consult the Ayurvedic doctor before starting