Ayurveda: 5 of the best Ayurvedic Ingredients to incorporate into your skincare routine
In today’s world, there is no better time to incorporate practices into your daily life that reduce stress and increase personal, physical, and spiritual wellness. Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest healing holistic systems, originates in India and focuses on creating balance in the mind, body, and spirit.
Famous beauty blogger, Akanksha Redhu, in an interview with StyleCaster states that there’s a rising interest in Ayurveda because people are starting to have the desire to move away from chemicals not only in their diets, but in their skincare products as well - rightfully so. An article published in The Guardian notes there are 12,000 approved chemicals in our beauty products today in the U.S. Everything from parabens, artificial colors, and GMOs can be found in the shampoos, lotions, cosmetics, and sunscreens we use on a daily basis. Ayurveda is a holistic practice that incorporates nature and spirituality into your everyday life with the idea that mindfulness is the key to wellness.
Incorporating Ayurveda into your natural skincare routine can be extremely beneficial. (To learn more about incorporating Ayurveda into your daily regimen, read our post here.*link to ayurveda routine post*) The main things to look for are healing ingredients and we’ve listed a few great ones here to get you started:
Neem:
Neem (margosa) has been used for centuries in the practice of Ayurvedics. Heralded for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it is one of the most versatile ayurvedic ingredients and every part of the tree is used in some way to provide healing. This plant contains organic sulfur compounds and is used to relieve rashes, soothe itching, and to cure and prevent skin conditions like eczema and dandruff in the scalp.
Turmeric:
In the last decade, turmeric (Curcuma longa) has gained notoriety as a super herb. Refinery29 even called it “The Healthiest Spice of All Time”. Turmeric is derived from the curcumin plant, part of the ginger family, and has been found to be equally as great for your skin as it is for your diet. As a dietary supplement, turmeric is said to be great for chronic diseases such as asthma or arthritis due to its anti-inflammatory properties. These properties also translate to skincare. Turmeric aids in decreasing inflammation and also evening skin tone. It’s often used in brightening masks to diminish the appearance of scars and dark marks.
Peony:
Peony (Paeonia) is an ancient botanical that has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of the skin to calm redness and inflammation and to increase brightness and evenness. This flower, while incredibly beautiful, also packs a punch when it comes to its antioxidant properties. It is ideal to incorporate this ingredient into anti-aging skincare.
Aloe Vera:
Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis) is an age-old skin remedy that is widely known to soothe and heal wounds and burns. This plant has been used for centuries around the world for medicinal purposes and one of the best and most incorporated ingredients in Ayurveda. The plant can be ingested to soothe stomach issues and also for benefit of skin and hair, but it is often used in topical hair and skincare products to increase moisture and healing properties.
Witch Hazel Extract:
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) is a pale, yellow flowering plant that is used to prevent infection, relieve inflammation, subdue headaches, and treat acne. It acts as an astringent and helps minimize the look of pores and calms skin irritations that can make your skin look red and feel sore.
AVYA Skincare has incorporated all these key ayurvedic ingredients into our products in order to create a line that is focused on ayurvedic healing. In combination with cutting edge skincare technology and medical-grade ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid, and topical caffeine, our medley of ancient botanicals is a powerful proponent in the fight against premature aging, fine lines, and wrinkles.