Oily skin, sunburn, heat rash, bug bites, dry patches… The peak days of summer can be prime time for some of our skins most uncomfortable outbursts. Why? Summer is the season of heat, light, and intensity. Obviously, we notice these qualities when we walk out our front doors, but we can naturally feel and notice an increase of those qualities inside of our bodies, as well.
How can we keep our skin feeling happy, calm, cool, and refreshed? We've gathered all the best Ayurvedic summer skin recipes here for you to DIY... hopefully in the comfort of your air conditioned home...
Use Your Melon. Give yourself a general refresh with light bites of melon, then rub the white rind over skin irritations to topically cool and soothe.
Cool From the Inside Out. A lovely beverage to help enliven a tired, hot body is hibiscus cooler. Try making your own by mixing one to two tablespoons of hibiscus flower powder with a quart of water, and the juice of one lime. Sweeten to taste and enjoy!
Go Green with Cilantro. Cilantro has a very fast-acting and soothing effect on the system and can help to cool and soothe irritated skin. Place a handful of washed and chopped cilantro into a blender with about ⅓ cup water and blend. Strain, and drink the liquid. The remaining pulp can be applied topically to the skin for a more localized effect.
Pitta-Pacifying Milk. This recipe is wonderfully restorative; it corrects, from the inside, the very types of imbalances that can cause irritation in the skin. Mix 2 tablespoons coriander, 1 tablespoon cumin, and 1 tablespoon raw natural sugar. Boil a cup of high quality whole milk (ideally, non-homogenized), remove from heat, and add ½ teaspoon of the above mixture. Steep for ten minutes and drink once or twice daily until the skin recovers. A great before bedtime drink!
The 411 on a Sunburn 911. If sunburn does occur, add ten drops of jasmine, khus, or rose essential oil to a cool bath and soak for twenty minutes. After patting the skin dry, apply cooling oil such as coconut or sunflower. For an added benefit, put a few drops of raw honey into the oil before rubbing it into your skin. Honey has natural humectants to draw in moisture and helpful enzymes.
Cover All Your Bases—A General Cooling Mask. The herb powders of turmeric and brahmi/gotu kola are useful to have on hand, particularly if you are prone to pitta-related skin conditions. For a cooling paste which can be applied to the skin, mix one part turmeric and two parts brahmi/gotu kola and enough milk (cow or goat) to form a paste. Substitute the milk with either cool water or aloe gel for a cooling, soothing effect. (Please note turmeric may cause a temporary yellow discoloration of the skin). Apply these pastes to affected areas once or twice daily, or as needed. They can be left on until semi-dry (about 15–20 minutes). Then, wash off with cool water and Neem & Aloe soap.
Summer-Friendly Face Wash. Remove dirt and excess oil with a soothing and cooling face wash. Do it naturally with these five ingredients:
- ¼ teaspoon brahmi powder
- ½ teaspoon colloidal oatmeal (or finely ground oats)
- A small pinch of turmeric powder
- Two drops of honey
- Enough milk to make a creamy paste
Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and apply to wet skin. Wait a minute or two before rinsing thoroughly with warm water. To use this recipe for cleansing the body, quadruple it and add enough milk for a thinner paste.
