As an Ayurvedic enthusiast and practitioner for over 18 years, I've noticed something interesting with many clients and friends who live an Ayurvedic lifestyle. There is a youthful radiance and vitality that they exude and they seem to stay young forever.
Every time I see my dear friend Annie, who's in her early 50's, I remark, "Wow, you are getting younger each time I see you!" It's true, the longer she cultivates her Ayurvedic self-care practices, the more youthful she appears.
Ayurveda really works! It is the science of health and longevity, and it shows us how to live long and vital lives, all while exhibiting sundari along the way. In Sanskrit, sundari translates as beauty.
When we awaken at a consistent time with the rising of the sun and go to bed by 10 p.m., our sleep and bliss hormones remain balanced. Likewise, when we eat our meals at regular times each day, our metabolic processes thrive and we experience easeful digestion.
When we are sleeping and digesting well, it shows. The following lifestyle tips also contribute to radiant beauty—keeping us looking young and feeling vibrant.
13 Ayurvedic Beauty Tips
1. Get Quality Sleep
Get 7–9 hours of quality sleep every night, preferably 10 p.m.–6 a.m. This supports your circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour clock, governed by the presence of light, that regulates all biological functions including sleep, digestion, and energy.
There is no herb or superfood that can replace sleep to rejuvenate and energize the body and mind.
2. Eat Clean Food
When possible, choose local, organic, seasonal foods that are appropriate for your Ayurvedic constitution. Foods that are organically grown and free from pesticides and preservatives enhance the quality of every cell in the body, affecting how you look, feel, and age.
3. Drink Plenty of Water
It is commonly advised to drink half your body weight in ounces of water. For example, if someone weighs 140 pounds, they would drink 70 ounces of water each day. Ayurveda recommends drinking water at room temperature or hot rather than cold or iced. This supports healthy agni (digestive fire).
To promote deeper hydration, I often suggest my clients turn their hot water or herbal tea into an electrolyte beverage by adding a pinch of mineral salt, a teaspoon of honey, and a squeeze of lemon or lime. Electrolyte enhancement helps water stay in the body longer and not get eliminated too quickly.
4. Take Your Herbs
Many Ayurvedic herbs are renowned for enhancing beautiful skin. One of my favorite herbal formulas is Blood Cleanse tablets. When our blood is purified, our skin tone and luster improves.
Here are some of my other top recommendations for healthy skin:
- Turmeric. Turmeric is a well-known cooking spice, but it's also excellent for the health of the skin.
- Amalaki. A renowned rejuvenative, amalaki fruit has an affinity for healthy skin, hair, and nails.
- Manjistha. Manjistha is one of the best herbs for purifying the blood, which in turn leads to a clear complexion.
5. Spice It Up
When you include spices in your teas and meals, it helps to burn ama (toxins) and kindle healthy digestion. As mentioned above, strong digestion is a key factor in enhancing natural radiance. Here are a few spices to begin with to kick your digestive capacity into gear:
- Ginger. Warming and invigorating, ginger can be added to almost any meal to support strong digestion.
- Cinnamon. Cinnamon is more than just a delicious spice—it also does wonders for igniting agni.
- Trikatu. A traditional Ayurvedic blend, trikatu means "three pungents". It's a great choice for those with sluggish digestion.
6. Move Your Body
Partaking in some form of physical movement for at least 30 minutes a day is recommended to enhance circulation, detoxify the body, and reduce stress. This may be yoga, walking, swimming, or dancing. Choose an activity you enjoy—it should feel good to move!
7. Practice Pranayama
Breath practices such as Nadi Shodhana pranayama purify the channels in the body, bring balance to the nervous system, and focus the mind. This practice also oxygenates the blood and gives luster to the skin.
8. Meditate Daily
Daily meditation dissolves stress and worry. Meditation yields an overall sense of peace and calm within the consciousness. I often recommend So-Hum meditation, as taught by Dr. Vasant Lad.
9. Give Yourself a Massage
Regular self-massage (abhyanga) with organic herbal oils is highly regarded as one of the most beneficial health and beauty practices in Ayurveda. Choose an Ayurvedic massage oil for your constitution and indulge in this self-care ritual at least once or twice a week, if not every day!
“The body of one who uses oil massage regularly does not become affected much, even if subjected to accidental injuries or strenuous work. By using oil massage daily, a person is endowed with pleasant touch, trimmed body parts, and becomes strong, charming, and least affected by old age.”
10. Consider Seasonal Cleansing
Keep your channels of elimination open. This means observing regular bowel and bladder elimination, sweating, and seasonal cleansing practices such as panchakarma. In Ayurveda, it is advised to follow cleansing with rejuvenation. Regular cleansing and rejuvenation is one of the best ways to look younger and feel most vibrantly alive.
11. Commune with Nature
Communing with nature reminds us of the bigger picture of life, connects us with the five elements, infuses us with prana (life force), and brings forth our natural beauty. So get outside, take some deep breaths, and breathe in the beauty around you.
12. Embrace Emotional Healing and Self-Love
It is important to resolve grief, anger, resentment, and any other heavy emotions. When we go through an extended emotional experience, or repress our emotions, our inner glow may subside.
When we resolve those emotions, and practice unconditional self-love, the glow returns. When we truly love and accept ourselves as we are, true beauty shines forth from within.
"There is no cosmetic for beauty like happiness."
13. Build a Strong Immune System
In Ayurveda, ojas is considered to be the essence of all bodily tissues. Ojas is the most refined product of digestion and the essence of kapha dosha. In the same way that ghee is the pure essence of milk, ojas is the pure essence of the dhatus (tissues).
The quality of our ojas depends on our lifestyle, diet, stress, traumas, and relationships. The ancient Ayurvedic texts share that a person who has good ojas has healthy immunity, stress response, sleep, emotions, libido, and vitality.
Regular implementation of these practices leads toward bliss and lasting vibrancy, keeping us looking and feeling forever young!
