Ayurveda Remedies for Dry Skin
Updated: Oct 5
Dry skin is a prevalent issue caused by an elevation in the air and ether elements, known as Vata dosha. The issue of dry skin goes beyond the surface. If our skin is dry externally, it raises questions about internal dryness. Vata imbalances can manifest profoundly, leading to anxiety, constipation, and a sense of being ungrounded. What is your skin trying to tell you?
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What is Vata’s Job?
Vata governs movement. All movement--the movement of the wind outside the window, the peristalsis movement that produces bowel movements, the neural activity of the brain, and yes, the movement of the thoughts in the mind.
What are Vata’s Characteristics?
Being comprised of air and ether (or space), vata types tend to be thin and lanky. They are mentally and physically active and have inspired imaginations. Vata people are creative and often think outside the box. They like to generate ideas, more so than implement them--that's for Pitta folks. Vata type people tend to move from idea to idea, like bees sipping nectar from all the flowers in the garden.
When Vata is imbalanced, they may be easily distracted, become more anxious, experience an increase in digestive issues, and have moods that are influenced by the weather, the people around them, and the foods they eat.
Vata type people do best when they follow a consistent daily routine that allows them to manage ground and center so as to better manage stress through mediation, pranayama (breathing practices), or calming activities. Vata types or those with Vata conditions frequently get cold hands and feet and can benefit from maintaining a warm body temperature.
Related Readings: Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day 10 Ayurvedic Evening Rituals for a Calming Night Anti-Aging with Ayurveda: 10 Ways to Prevent or Reverse Signs of Aging
Ayurveda Remedies for Dry Skin includes herbs, food as medicine, and Ayurvedic lifestyle tools to balance the root cause of dry skin.
If our skin is dry on the outside, internal dryness is at the root. Let's explore Vata dosha.
Everything and everyone in the world around us is composed of five elements: air, fire, water, earth, and space. Ayurveda groups these elements into three basic energetic properties, known as doshas. These foundational energies (called Vata, Pitta, and Kapha) are the building blocks of our entire universe.
Vata: That Which Moves
Vata dosha is characterized by space and air. The essential engine of the universe, Vata governs all functions of movement within the mind, body, and outer world. Like the elements it embodies, Vata’s physical properties are cold, dry, mobile, subtle, and light.
Vata’s powerful mobile nature is the source of creativity, expansion, openness, eagerness, and ingenuity. However, when Vata falls out of balance, we may feel scattered, ungrounded, tense, and anxious.
When is Vata Season?
Vata season is autumn, but the influence of Vata dosha is not confined by dates on a calendar. Vata can play a role all year long depending on where one lives. It can also have an increased influence depending on one's stage of life.
Vata symptoms manifest especially during the colder and drier months of the year. When humidity levels drop, the water in your skin evaporates more quickly. If you want to know how to get rid of dry skin, and you're searching for natural dry skin remedies, Ayurveda may help.
Having a Vata imbalance can leave you with dry, tight skin, flaking, and even peeling. An excess of Vata can also make your hair and fingernails more brittle.
How Do I Know If I Have a Dosha Imbalance?
Peruse these comprehensive and convenient lists of signs and symptoms of dosha imbalances.
Peruse these comprehensive and convenient lists of signs and symptoms of dosha imbalances. As we are comprised of all Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, there can be an imbalance in any of the doshas, or a combination of dosha imbalances. Read all three lists and see if anything looks familiar.
Keep Learning: How to Balance Vata Dosha
Vata in the mind, nervous system, and digestive system often manifest as feeling generally ungrounded, anxiety, poor sleep, irregular menstrual cycles, constipation, gas, pain, bloating, and feeling generally depleted. When symptoms like these show up, it's time to consult with an experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner.
Thankfully, these treatments soothe your skin and give your body the moisture that it needs.
"If our skin is dry on the outside, imagine how dry it is on the inside. In treating dry skin, the inside of the digestive tract needs to be treated with food as medicine and herbal remedies to restore moisture to the tissues throughout the body." -Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
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Related Articles:
5 Ways to Balance Vata Dosha This Fall
Ayurvedic Types: Vata, Pitta, Kapha Doshas
Vata Stage of Life: Look and Feel Younger with Ayurveda
Ayurveda for Dry, Burning Eyes | Vata, Pitta, Kapha, and Your Peepers
7 Grounding Poses for Vata
Nourishing Ayurveda Herbal Remedies
There are many natural herbal remedies that can nourish your skin and soothe it when it's feeling dry or itchy. Aloe vera has natural cooling properties, which makes it an especially great option for dry skin that's red or irritated. Sandalwood is another herb that's able to reduce inflammation and calm dry skin.
Other beneficial herbs include calendula, chamomile, and licorice root. Astragalus root is another great option. When used topically, it actually causes your skin to produce more hyaluronic acid.
Which herbals are balancing and correct for each person varies. Herbs are not a one-size-fits-all approach as is allopathic, Western medicine. Herbs need to be thoughtfully selected to address each person's unique constitution (prakrruti), current state (vikruti), stage of life, location and season. The whole picture is considered. Once an intake is completed, and the whole picture considered, then moisture promoting herbs and treatments are given specific to each person for maximum benefit.
As with all herbs, the tenet of Ayurveda is that what works well for one person may be imbalancing for another.
Please note: Saumya Ayurveda does not recommend using herbs as if they were over the counter or prescribed pharmaceuticals. An experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner will create you a custom herbal formula, special nasya, and customized Ayurveda plan to support the whole you.
Herbs are not Ayurvedic because it comes from India. Nor it is correct for you because it is organic. Herbs become Ayurvedic when used as part your customized Ayurveda plan which is carefully tailored for your constitution. An herb that is balancing to one person for a concern, may be imbalancing to another.
"Read ingredients labels on skin products. Do you know each ingredient? Would you put it in your mouth? This is the litmus test. Understanding that skin is the largest organ of digestion, and what we apply to the skin is being digested and circulated throughout the body, at Saumya Ayurveda we use only the finest oils on the skin."
-Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Ayurveda uses Food as Medicine
Utilizing Food as Medicine, herbal remedies, and Ayurvedic lifestyle techniques provides a compass for living. As eating is a daily activity, let's transform our meals into medicine.
Warm, moist, oily, properly spiced foods help balance vata dosha. Explore the Saumya Ayurveda online recipe collection and begin infusing every meal with healing properties.
Do Abhyanga Self-Massage Daily with Our Herbalized Oils
Abhyanga is an Ayurvedic treatment that involves massaging your body with oil on a daily basis. There are many different oils suitable for massage, however your best oil is determined through consultation.
For a comprehensive guide, Abhyanga Massage - How to Do Ayurveda Self-Massage at Home
Focus on Hydration
"We are all at least 50% comprised of water. Think of this as the body's inner ocean. We don't want the waters to recede." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Hydration is one of the best ways to stave off dry skin and to keep elimination optimized. Regular and complete elimination is one of the best things we can to have healthy skin and overall health. It's important to remember that drinking water isn't the only way to stay hydrated.
Food is medicine in Ayurveda. When possible, eat foods with a high water content, such as radishes, cucumbers, zucchini, juicy fruits, and rice and beans.
When you do drink water, choose warm or hot water. When you go out to eat, and the server automatically comes over with a pitcher of iced water, simply ask for a cup of hot plain water.
"Saumya clients receive a customized daily digestive detox tea that not only hydrates their body, the herbs bring balance to the whole person-body and mind-and gently cleanses and detoxes the body all day long."
- Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Reduce Stress with Ayurveda
Stress is drying and aging! The mind and body are connected. When your stress levels are high, it's more likely that you'll have problems with dry skin as stress provokes vata dosha. When we are in a state of calm, that is the most profound anti aging "medicine."
What Does Meditation Have To Do With Dry Skin? When Vata is imbalanced it creates dryness in the body and mind including anxiety, constipation, low quality sleep, dry hair, dry lips, and overall internal dryness in the mind and body.
There is a saying, "The mind is more in the body, than the body is in the mind." The Saumya 3 step meditation process shifts us from fight-flight-freeze mode, to rest-restore-relax mode. Give it a try for forty days and observe the changes. The more grounded and relaxed we are, the smoother life flows.
"The breath is the connection between the mind and body, so by training the breath, we become calm, focused, and grounded, we slow down the aging process by decreasing stress. These practices are so simple and easy to have as part of our daily life. We actually feel and look younger."
- Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
1. Learn Diaphragmatic Breathing and Change Your Life. When we re-learn to breath diaphragmatically, we move from the flight-fight-freeze mode, to rest, restore, relaxation mode from where we want and need to live.
2. Daily Guided Practices: 11 minutes in the morning and in the evening, as anchors of your daily Ayurveda routine.
3. Ayurveda Daily Routines: --Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day
"Choose a couple of practices from the routines that provide you with the greatest support. Perform them while applying our two minute meditation technique and your mundane tasks, just transformed into a mellifluous meditation. This is meditation applied to daily life." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
"Veena was able to help me regain my energy in just a few months and I’m feeling like my “young” self again! I love the food plan she designed for me, and all the supporting practices (am/pm routines, breathing techniques, herbs, and spice mixes) are so enjoyable to incorporate into my day. I highly recommend Saumya Ayurveda if you want to feel better and have more vitality.”
-Molly Rossini, Minnesota
Explore More: Ayurveda Breathwork Pranayama
Nadi Shodhana: Alternate Nostril Breathing Guide
This pranayama practice is suitable for most everyone and balances Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. It is a practice that is particularly helpful in relieving anxiety. It reduces emotional reactivity. It is a very effective way to quickly reach a state of very profound mental and physical stillness.
To learn how to perform nadi shodhana, and about Ayurveda Breathwork Pranayama, click here.
“Veena was able to help me regain my energy in just a few months and I’m feeling like my “young” self again!
I love the food plan she designed for me, and all the supporting practices (am/pm routines, breathing techniques, guided practices) are so enjoyable to incorporate into my day. I highly recommend Saumya Ayurveda if you want to feel better and have more vitality.” -Molly Rossini, Minnesota
"These two simple steps using Ayurveda for Stress Relief can be easily woven into our days. We don't need hours and hours on the meditation cushion or yoga mat to create significant changes for ourselves."
--Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
"Veena is an awesome partner and she really helped me investigate my issues, including eczema, and developed an Ayurveda plan that was easy to integrate into my life and now I am thankfully, eczema free."
--Rachael R. Denver, Colorado
“After six months with no period and increasing concern, I am happy to report that my periods are completely regular. With just two months of Veena’s treatment, they are almost symptomless except for mild cramping. I am feeling very good and well balanced overall. My skin has improved as well. I am looking forward to doing the cleanse with you this spring. “ – A.K. Minnesota
“I was inflamed. I had trouble keeping weight on, I was diagnosed with incurable ulcerative proctitus, my energy was very low, and I was taking medications daily for a skin condition, and I had severe migraines.
Following Veena’s guidance, all of these conditions have been nearly eliminated! The incurable ulcerative proctitus was given a Mayo Clinic Score of 0, normal or inactive disease.
I’m very grateful to Veena for the wonderful results and the healthier quality of life we have attained together. Without reservation, I highly recommend Veena at Saumya Ayurveda.”
---Chris Schirber, Yoga Teacher, Minnesota
“Veena is a treasure of wisdom, support, and encouragement. I have made such progress since working with Veena. Her advice is transformational. In every single conversation and email I learned such valuable information and gained tools that are helping me be my best and healthiest self. I am so grateful I discovered Veena and took the leap to work with her.”
-Jenny Hubbard, New Jersey
Ayurveda Remedies for Dry Skin
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MEET VEENA: YOUR AYURVEDIC GUIDE
Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and meditation teacher, and monk.
She is President Emeritus and teaching faculty of the Meditation Center.
Veena fell in love with the traditional medicine used in her family’s home, learning herbal remedies at her grandmother's knee.
An experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Veena’s deep, intuitive knowledge of Ayurveda empowers her clients to reclaim their fullest, most vibrant lives –mentally, physically, and spiritually.
Veena individualizes treatment plans to each person, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, so it fits your life and becomes woven in your lifestyle, naturally.
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