Soothing summer skin and hair care

Why not convert your bathroom to a home spa once a week to cool and calm the skin and prevent summer skin problems?

We can all get a little rosy this time of year, especially if pitta dosha is dominant for us. And after  a glass of wine or other alcohol (which is very heating). As blood and skin are also important pitta sites in the body, excess heat can quickly show up in hot, inflamed skin. Conditions such as heat rash and rosacea are also due to high pitta. Summer hair can also get very dry.

NB: If you’re unsure what dosha skin type you have, vata dominant skin is fair, thin, dry or aged with fine lines. It mainly needs nourishing and moisturising. Pitta dominant skin is fair to medium with red tones, freckles and moles. It is typically combination, sensitive skin. It needs soothing and hydrating. Kapha dominant skin tends to be normal to oily. Kapha skin often has the least issues being nice and supple, but does need cleansing and revitalising. Whatever your dosha skin type, we can all get a little hot and bothered around late summer so the following can be safely used by everyone.

Summer hair mask- suitable for all

I love using yogurt as a base in my hair mask as it is so moisturising and nourishing for hair. It’s also rich in protein which will help strengthen the hair follicles. And if your hair is feeling dry, brittle and dull, yogurt is a known hair softener, plus it adds a great shine and softness to your hair. You can simply add a small pot of yoghurt or make a fancier hair mask below:

To make the hair mask you need:

• 6 tablespoons full-fat organic yogurt. If you are a vegan, replace with coconut milk.

• 2 tablespoon of organic amalaki powder, to keep your scalp and hair healthy. The anti-oxidants in amla also help to prevent premature greying (find on-line eg Indigo Herbs sell handy 100g bags)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, use for dry hair)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and soak for 10-15 minutes. Apply to your scalp and damp hair. Put on your shower cap or wrap your head in a muslin cloth or a towel and RELAX for 20-30 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Wash with a natural shampoo and let your hair dry naturally. Do this mask once a week to restore and maintain your hair. It really helps I promise!

Try the following easy steps and recipes for Summer skin care (all recipes tailored to pacify pitta and cool and calm the skin):

1.  Cleansing to remove external layer of sebum, sweat, dirt and bacteria

Ayurvedic cleansers or ‘ubtans’ are applied to damp skin, excluding the eye area. These brighten the complexion as they accelerate skin cell renewal. They also have the following benefits:

• Improves local blood circulation which stimulates cell growth

• Refine skin texture leaving it smoother and softer

• Removed dead skin cells and unplug pores

• Leaves skin more receptive to absorbing subsequent masks and massage oils

Combine some of the following pitta reducing ingredients to make your own summer ubtans, then grind in a blender or with a pestle and mortar (but best results achieved with a blender). The starches and enzymes in these cereals, pulses and nuts will be activated during treatment and work to cleanse the face.

• To help cool skin: chick pea flour, chamomile flowers (eg: use a chamomile tea bag), rose petals, liquorice root, fennel (again, find a tea bag!), turmeric, lemongrass, cardamom, mint (fresh or a tea bag), and neem powder (specialist Ayurvedic herb from health shops eg Indigo herbs).

• To help dry skin: add fine oatmeal, ground almonds, or powdered milk.

  
  

Mix a small amount with flower waters or herbal teas such as rose water, chamomile tea, cucumber juice, or aloe vera. Otherwise, luke warm water will also work well. Apply to face then wipe off gently after a few minutes and rinse with cool water. Your skin will feel sqeuaky clean!

2.    Massage nourishes the skin and balances the doshas

Facial massage encourages blood and lymph to the facial tissues, giving a radiant look (as anyone who treats themselves to regular facials will know). The face is so responsive to massage because it is packed with many nerve endings and delicate muscles. Focus on pressure points for relaxation too. You can use any facial oil or plain coconut oil works brilliantly on summer skin:

• Smooth skin outwards and upwards under the eyes and cheekbones

• Make smooth movements across the forehead

• Make smooth movements up neck with flat hands

• Make small circular movements on jaw line, cheeks and forehead

• Circle the mouth gently, then the eyes, finishing with pinching eyebrows outwards

• Use fingertips to apply pressure around the eyes, nose and temples, between the eyes and forehead.  

• Then apply pressure in downward movement from inner eye across cheekbones.

• Finish with smoothing movements outwards and upwards over the cheekbones.

3.    Steaming liquefies obstructed toxins, opens clogged pores, releases toxins

Traditionally you would steam the skin at this stage but in summer this may be best avoided if you are experiencing any heat related skin issues, as it is too heating. Instead, achieve similar effects by using a cold compress, with rose water or water which has been boiled with ground coriander seeds and then allowed to cool. If your skin is not too hot and bothered, you can hold your face over a bowl of steaming water just for a couple of minutes. Why no add some rose petals?

 4.    Masks for nourishing or cleansing

Soothing and hydrating masks for pitta dominant skin can be made from ingredients readily to hand in your kitchen. Leave on for 10-15 minutes as you relax, and rinse with cool water:

• Cucumber mask: Mix 1 tbsp grated cucumber + 1 tbsp yoghurt. Add green or white clay (available from Neal’s Yard Remedies, Aromantic or other beauty suppliers) to stiffen mixture and bind.

• Mask for osracea/ acne: Mix 1 tbsp grated cucumber with clay and chamomile/ rose water.

• Parsley mask: Mix 2 tsps clay with 2 tsps witch hazel water (or rose water), add 3 tsps coconut oil and 3 tsps chopped parsley.

  
  

5.    Toning removes greasiness remaining, closes pores and freshens.

Apply a cooling toner to the skin with a cotton ball or with a hand pump mister. Rose water or witch hazel are both very calming. A great hack for inflamed skin is to make a cup of chamomile tea, allow to cool and then add to a spray bottle and gently spritz on your face.

You can use two tea bags for this and then use the cooled tea bags for an eye compress too.

6.    Moisturising is needed by all, including oily skin, to nourish, protect, soften and smooth

Lighter moisturisers are ideal for day-use with a more nourishing moisturiser at night. Use upward strokes from chin for the face and downward from the chin for the neck to relax muscles and increase circulation. Handle the skin around the eyes carefully as the skin here does not have oil glands so is tender and sensitive.

For a home made Ayurvedic cooling summer moisturiser, combine 1 part liquorice tea, 1 part aloe vera gel and 2 parts coconut oil. Use on face and neck. Ghee is also very cooling (though you have to like the smell to use on your skin!) Try equal parts of ghee and aloe vera or just ghee.

The following books are recommended to learn more:

• Inner Beauty, Reenita Malhotra (2005)

• Ayurvedic Beauty Care, Melanie Sachs (1994)

• Home-made herbal cosmetics, Dr S Suresh Babu

Joanna Webber BSc Hons Ayurveda Manipal-India, MA Oxon, APA member: is an Ayurvedic practitioner, yoga teacher and co-founder of The Ayurveda Academy. They offer an engaging 3-month CPD certified ‘Introduction to Ayurveda’ course as well as practitioner level courses.