Extractions + why i don’t perform them in an ayurvedic facial

Breakout is an indication that our pathways of elimination are not working efficiently and that our tissues are not adequately nourished. This can have origins in OJAS depletion (our immune function and lifeforce) and Agni imbalance (digestive fire issues). Target extracting in a facial will NOT solve the breakout or open the elimination channels to resolve the congestion and inflammation. Detoxification, oleation, lymphatic massage and increasing the water element (hydration) are my preferred ways of eliminating breakout in a facial rather than extracting.

The Ayurvedic approach to breakout, congestion, whiteheads, blackheads and clogging is attributable to an excess of kapha (oiliness) and pitta (inflammation) doshas, or a combination of both of these. The qualities of kapha are oily, cool, heavy, slow, sticky, unctuous, cloudy and moist. Usually evident in whiteheads, whitish pus, blackheads, congestion, slow to heal cystic acne. The qualities of pitta are hot, oily, sharp, pungent and spreading. Usually evident in inflamed breaout, yellowish pus and red acne filled with fluid.

Extractions may seem like the perfect remedy for these imbalances. However, not only can extracting cause damage to the skin tissue, spread inflammation or infection and cause pain to the skin; it is not getting to the root cause of the breakout. Ayurvedic beauty acknowledges 7 dhatus or tissues of the body. These dhatus are responsible for how we effectively nourish, support and protect ourselves. Our whole being health is reflected in how these tissues are nourished and functioning. Effective excretion is also a very important function of our tissues and this is a primary function of our skin.

Detoxification - It is time to get all channels and tissues functioning optimally. Nourishing your body with a focus on digestive fire (gut health), liver support and elimination pathways (sweat and bowel).

Oleation - Using great quality oils topically and internally to lubricate and nourish but also improve the quality of oil you are producing. Applying oils to the skin (the right oils) will not break you out. In fact, it is a practice of deep self love that can help detoxify and move excess doshas through the skin

Lymphatic Massage - Our in built waste filtration system. Manually moving our lymphatic system prevents excess kapha dosha from settling into the tissues. Stagnation is always indicated with congestion so movement helps to balance this out. Supporting our lymphatics is a must with any type of breakout. Steaming, massage, marma point and kansa wand are some of the ways we do this in Ayurvedic facials.

Increasing the water element (hydration) - To balance both excess kapha and pitta, the water in these doshas needs to be replenished. Fluidity and flow keeps everything in check. Optimum hydration of the whole body will eliminate a lot of congestion without other intervention.

Other useful things to consider when you are breaking out or experiencing congestion;

• what are you having trouble ‘letting go’ of?

• where are you having difficulty ‘going with the flow’ of life?

• are you living and eating in alignment with the seasons?

• is your diet kapha or pitta heavy?

• are your topicals (skincare and make up) bringing a vibrational, nurturing energy to your skin?

• where else are your experiencing a ‘stuckness’ in life and what needs to go

• thank your skin for elimination, she is doing her job - with more nurturing and nourishing, this too shall pass

Burn out + hot, reactive skin?

Hello pitta excess! Pitta dosha (fire + water) holds heat. Now this is one I know very well. It’s my own skin story and honestly one that I see continually at Flow.

In balance, pitta energy creates, transforms, digests, metabolises and gets things done. It will bring a rosy lustre and glow to the complexion. In excess, and if left to burn wildly, pitta will burn us out and bring excess heat, inflammation and irritation to the surface. It affects our gut, our liver, our emotions and increases the reactivity in our skin.

Hot reactive skin responses + a feeling of burnt out will indicate a pitta imbalance or excess. This is a gentle invitation to prioritise cultivating more cooling, calming, cleansing and softening practices and rituals. A shifting from critical, irritable and often over doing it to letting go, doing less, being more and creating space to really nurture yourself back into balance.

I know this path all too well as this is my skin story. Reactivity and sensitivity in my skin flares when I am approaching burn out. I get irritated and am quick to anger and react when my flame is nearly burn out.

Below are my top rituals to prioritise when this arises in my skin and body;

1/ cool the jets and calm the mind - use less products, do less to my skin and create spaciousness

2/ rose water and a simple pitta balancing protocol - oil/honey cleanse at night, liberal floral or rose water misting, aloe vera + pitta oil/ castor oil

3/ Kansa wand castor oil massage each night

4/ avoid hot, oily, spicy foods and drinks

5/ increase greens, focus on liver love + favour low histamine foods

6/ sip cooling teas

7/ find my joy, sweetness, lightness and cultivate more of that

8/ say no, do less, be more, practice loving kindness

9/ find your care/support team and use them

10/ acknowledge that you cannot pour from an empty cup and practice filling yours daily until the cup runneth over

cortisol face - what it looks like & what she is telling us.

Something that I’ve noticed a lot in my facial studio recently is something I have sort of termed ‘cortisol face’. It doesn’t sounds particularly glamorous, however, when the skin is presenting in this way, it indicates to me that there is long term stress floating around in the body. Long term stress in the body will play havoc on all 3 doshic energies and creates a very discombobulated skin texture and appearance.

What it looks like;

• Puffiness

• Splotchy redness

• Irregular areas of heat; nose & cheeks

• Dryness

• Horizontal lines on forehead

• Translucent dark under eye circles

What cortisol face is telling us;

Pitta excess (fire + water) = inflammation and burn out.

Burning the candle at both ends, allowing anger, frustration and resentment to build up, not honouring your own precious heart, self soothing with heat-producing substances, living life under obligation rather than enjoying the juicy, sweet, softness it has to offer.

Vata excess (air + ether) = depletion, irregular flow/prana/lifeforce, being constantly in fight/flight mode, completely deficient in the water element.

Giving, giving and giving out without truly nourishing oneself in return, being in a state of fearfulness rather than enjoying the boundless adventures of the unknown, forgetting to tap into the exuberant creativity that may be available to you.

Kapha excess (earth + water) = a heavy, puffy and downward energy, feeling ‘down in the dumps’, difficulty finding the lightness to get moving, stagnation in the lymphatic system.

A sensation of stuck-ness and hopelessness, forgetting that life is supposed to bring juiciness and nourishment to our whole being, getting in our own way due to being weighed down by the stress of our modern lives.

What cortisol face is telling us we need;

• It is time to put you first

• Your nourishment, your feelings, your energy, your emotions, your dreams matter

• Your skin ritual needs to be in an abundance of mists, oils, loving self massage - simple but consistent and intentional

• Your body needs rest, clean nourishing foods, lots of filtered water and herbal teas

• Gentle movement but not overdoing it

• Deep belly breathing

• Time for nothing, reading a good book, getting off social media and scrolling

• Self massage

• Work out the things that bring you true happiness and do more of it but through a lense of self compassion, not obligation

• Acknowledge that this may take time

• It is ok to ask for help

• Honour your needs, boundaries and desires, it may upset others but you my sweet soul are very worthy of putting yourself first

This is usually present in women who are in burnout, fight/flight mode and who are continually giving out to everyone but themselves. Yes, the skin and body requires hydration and nourishment but I feel that this goes deeper. This is really about a deep honouring of ourselves, our wants, our desires, our boundaries and how we show up for ourselves rather than for others. You can rebalance your Ayurvedic skin type topically with a fair amount of ease. However, unless you get into the heart and soul of it, it can be challenging to overcome this in the skin and achieve a really juicy, dewy, robust complexion. So if this sounds like something you are experiencing, you are not alone. It is a very gentle reminder that you matter and that now is maybe the perfect time to put yourself and nourishment first.

milia = an ayurvedic perspective

Milia are small hardened lumps containing trapped keratin (dead skin cells), hardened sebum and cellular debris in the lower epidermal layer in the skin. They commonly form in the upper cheek, lower and upper eye lid area.

Although they present as congestion (kapha), they are actually a result of vata aggravation in the skin. Modern beauty methods usually recommend extraction via piercing the top of the milia to remove them. However, the Ayurvedic beauty approach requires rebalancing the excess vata to restore balance and correct function - thereby resolving the issue permanently. So what does this mean?

Excess vata dosha in the skin brings dryness and irregularity to the cell and it’s function. To correct this, the cell requires lots of water, nourishment (the correct oils) and movement (through cellular renewal and massage). Milia is a signpost that the body is not receiving adequate hydration and essential fatty acid nourishment, If we balance vata dosha, we eliminate milia.

Topical treatments; loads ( I mean a lot) of floral hydrosol misted onto the skin, mist under every oil, daily oil massage, regular kansa wand massage, raw honey cleansing or tapping, herbal ubtan (scrub) a few times to the affected area, avoid synthetic skincare or make up.

Internal treatments; increase essential fatty acid supplementation, ingest ghee, revisit your good quality oils in your diet and increase if suitable, check in with your fibre and protein intake, avoid drying, overly heating and processed foods, increase juicy and sweet fruits and vegies, swedana (sweat) everyday.

Questions to ask yourself; Am I depleted? How can I bring more fluidity and flow into my life? Where am I stuck? Is my nervous system nourished?

If you need further guidance or nourishment with this skin concern, book an Ayurvedic Flow Facial here.

Why you should be warm compressing your skin

Warm compressing the skin upon rising is one of the most simple, yet potent skin rituals you can integrate into your day. This practice of gently compressing a warm, fragrant wash cloth to the skin’s surface will bring warmth, will soothe and comfort and stimulate lymphatic support to the skin. It can be more effective for the skin to warm compress upon rising than using a cleanser; our skin microbiome and pH balance can be supported more effectively if we allow our natural oils to be on the surface of the skin during the day.

In Ayurveda, it is acknowledged that ‘like increases like’. Creating balance in our skin tissues, in accordance to our Ayurvedic skin type, requires us to notice the qualities of our skin; what may be in excess and what may be in depletion. For vata (dry) skin and kapha (oily, congested) skin in particular, warm compressing is important to bring balance, and therefore, radiance to the complexion.

Vata dominant skin will feel cold, rough, thin, dry and have an irregular texture. Warm compressing brings the opposing qualities of warmth, moistness, smoothness, stability and consistency - all of which will balance vata. Kapha skin, although oilier and smoother, still has a cool and slow qualities. Warm compressing counteract the cool, dense earthiness of kapha and when performed daily can assist with congestion, thick and imbalanced sebum production and bring gentle stimulation. Pitta skin (sensitive) can still warm compress with water that is ‘warm’ with a medium compressing pressure rather than too hot and firm; gentle is key with pitta dominant skin.

“Ayurveda understands the importance of warmth when it comes to cleansing the skin; compressing the skin to cleanse with warm water, infused with cleansing essential oils upon waking & sleeping, is profoundly beneficial for all skin types. It’s a simple practice that yields amazing results. Toxins are expelled and removed without disturbing the pH of the skin. Skin feels immediately softer, the appearance of fine lines are diminished, and a healthy glow is restored.” (Rasasara).

How to compress;

I recommend to add Rasasara skinfood cleansing compress drops to your basin of warm water in the morning and to use a soft wash cloth to saturate with the fragrant warm water before compresssing. Gently press the warm cloth into your skin, inhaling the scent and repeating until the skin feels warm and awakened. You can repeat this in the evening to calm the mind before bed. Follow with your hydrating and nourishing products.

To Use: Add 4-8 drops to a basin of warm water; using a fresh face cloth, compress the face and décolletage to soften fine lines, sleep creases, loosen blackheads + clear congestion. Alternatively apply your favourite Rasasara serum or nourishing oil or balm & use the compress to infuse it deeply into your skin.

Essential oils are inhaled directly & penetrate into the central mind channel where olfactory nerves generate nervous system responses to the rest of the body, the prana (a vata energetic) is stimulated & strengthened. Compressing is therefore a very powerful tool for those who are prone to operating from the sympathetic nervous system.

Owing to their high essential oil composition, cleansing compress drops are not for use directly on the skin – instead they are diluted in water. The essential oils are blended and preserved with coconut fractions (so you also get the benefits of coconut oil).

What is Ayurvedic Facial Therapy?

Ayurvedic facial therapy is a holistic facial modality that is completely anchored in the wisdom of Ayurveda - the oldest holistic health science that originated in India 5000 years ago. Ayurveda literally means the science of life. Underpinning all Ayurvedic practices and treatments is an understanding of the five great elements (maha bhutas); air, ether, fire, water & earth and their corresponding qualities (gunas). These five great elements are the fundamental building blocks of all things in the universe; composing all things in our natural world and encompassing all living beings to function in harmony and peace. These elements, always around and within us, come together to form 3 intelligences or doshas; vata, pitta & kapha.

Our doshas provide a framework for understanding how the five elements interact with each other to create a state of balance or imbalance within the body. We are all born with a mind/body type; our prakruti or true nature. This is a particular doshic balance that is determined at birth. We all contain a mixture of all doshas, usually with a dominance of one or two. Over our lifetime, we can develop imbalances due to the delicate dance of our doshas in and around us. This can create our vikruti which is our imbalance state. 

An Ayurvedic health approach is about creating rituals and practices that allow our doshic mind/body type to remain balanced, creating longevity, good health and radiance in all aspects of our being, over our lifetime. Ayurveda has long acknowledged that beauty and radiance are the direct result of what we put into and onto our body and mind in the form of diet, movement, beauty and healing rituals as well as our thoughts, feelings, emotions and spiritual practices. Beauty is interlinked with balanced health and the deeper sattvic ideals of love, truth, freedom, devotion and peace.

Ayurvedic facial therapy is more than just a holistic facial treatment, it is an invitation for you to have a deeper understanding of how your mind/body type creates your skin health and how you can create rituals and nourishment to bring radiance and a deeper connection to your true nature. It is about creating a sense of beauty in your life.

Ayurvedic facials are for a client who wishes to nourish and rebalance their skin in a way that acknowledges all the aspects that are creating the imbalance and who wants to live and thrive according to their own unique nature. Radiance and vitality are very easily accessible when our mind/body type is in balance.

During an Ayurvedic facial, we discuss your skin in terms of doshas and elements. We acknowledge that ‘like increases like’ and work with the qualities or gunas in your  skin. Our goal is to reduce the excess and increase the lack, and in doing so, creating balance, vitality and optimum skin health. Topical skin products are always plant-based (with the exception of organic, local honey, milks & yogurt), herbal, high vibrational and use ancient herbal formulations that focus on balancing the doshas in your skin. If you cannot ingest it, it should not go on your skin. Olenation is key in this facial therapy; applying herbal oils to the skin with loving intention is a sacred Ayurvedic practice and all facial rituals will include olenation of the face, scalp, arms & hands and feet. This is a hands-on and massage focused modality; it is touch over high tech.

Each facial is a ritual, not just treating the skin but the emotional and energetic bodies as well. Your unique nature and predispositions and the doshic imbalance that manifest in your skin are taken into consideration. We address your skin in your treatment but also recommend lifestyle practices and rituals to bring balance to your mind & body, which is where many skin conditions manifest themselves according to Ayurveda. 

This facial modality acknowledges the seasons within and around us. Seasonal changes are taken into consideration. The intention is to create balance and vitality, no matter the stage of life. It honours your whole being and focuses on ritual to truly nourish yourself each and every day. A deep honouring of your beauty and health from within.

Ayurvedic Facial Therapy is a nurturing, deeply restorative, rebalancing facial that really honours your whole being. It acknowledges that the pathway to skin health & radiance is not just about treating your skin, but about nourishing your doshas, and your body, mind and spirit. It is the ultimate practice of self-care and skin health.

The Ayurvedic Perspective on Perimenopause and its effects on your skin

In Ayurveda, just as each season around us is governed by the doshas, so too are the seasons of our lifetime. From birth to 25 years is governed by kapha (a building, growing and developing intelligence), 25 years to mid life is governed by pitta (a transformative, driven and accomplishing intelligence) and from 50 years onwards is governed by vata (a letting go, releasing and wisdom producing intelligence).

In a woman’s life, perimenopause is a precursor for the transition from pitta dominance into vata dominance in her lifetime. It can be seen as a beautifully transient time to make way for a woman to really prioritise her health and well-being; physically, emotionally, sexually and spiritually.

This time can be challenging, difficult, exciting and interesting and each woman’s experience with it is her own. The impact that hormonal changes, fluctuations and depletions, can have on our skin during perimenopause can be quite impactful during this sacred time of transition. An increase in inflammatory skin conditions, dryness, pigmentation, a loss of elasticity and firmness and a reduction in your ‘beauty essence’ or inner radiance are common imbalances that can start to become skin issues during the time of perimenopause.  

It is during this time that we begin to see a decrease in oestrogen and progesterone hormones. It is these 2 hormones that contribute to 2 subtle, vital essences; OJAS and TEJAS. As these hormones decrease, these vital essences deplete.

OJAS – a very subtle form of kapha – is the essence responsible for our vigour, the nourishment of our tissues, it builds immunity, strength, vitality and happiness. It is the very end product that is produced once all of our tissues are nourished from the food we eat. When we have strong ojas, our skin literally glows from the inside out.

TEJAS – a very subtle form of pitta – it is the energy that gives metabolism, transformation, intelligence and radiance. It is necessary for strong agni (digestive fire) and for regulating the heat in our body. When in balance, this subtle energy creates our radiance.

The depletion of these essences; the essences that give juiciness and radiance to our skin health and whole body health, mean that we have a decrease in kapha (think that soft, clear, smooth, juicy baby skin) and a dysregulation of our pitta, the heat is in excess and has no guidance on how to flow correctly (think hot flushing, rises in adult-onset rosacea, increase of inflammation). We also see an increase in vata dosha (dryness).

Consequently, we see an increase in the following qualities (gunas) in our skin and body; dry, rough, spreading, mobile, subtle, cool and hot. An increase in these qualities can present in our skin as an increase in dryness, roughness, lack of firmness, inflammatory skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema/dermatitis, adult acne, and pigmentation.

In Ayurvedic beauty, to achieve skin health and balance, we look at the presenting qualities or gunas that are in excess and depletion. The goal is to reduce your excess and bring in what your individual skin is lacking, following the premise that like increases like.

To achieve skin balance during this time (where there is an excess of pitta and vata doshas and a decrease in kapha), I recommend the following guidelines (keeping in mind that each woman will have specific requirements applicable to their individual mind/body type and beauty essence.

·       Nourish and hydrate your skin – increase the water element through using a mist or hydrosol, follow that with dosha balancing oils and balms. This brings juiciness to the tissues. Integrating lots of facial massage, preferably with the use of marma point activation and kansa wand massage. Massage is the most pacifying tool you have literally at your fingertips. This will flush excess pitta or heat to the surface of the skin so it can be eliminated, move the lymphatic system to boost immunity and create a consistent, grounding effect to pacify excess vata. Kansa wand therapy has been use to flush excess inflammation (heat) out of the skin.

·       If experiencing hot flushes, bring coolness to your skin, cooling cleansing milks, rose water mists and pitta balancing oils and balms (usually containing coconut, aloe vera, rose, sandalwood, almond oil, silver leaf, apricot kernel oil, neem). Avoid heating foods, drinks, activities, and spend time really nurturing any feelings of frustration, irritation and anger. Finding your loving compassion and directing that consistently to self and others. Favour a pitta pacifying diet.

·       Daily self abhyanga with warmed organic, cold pressed, sesame oil. This practice is literally an act of self love and pacifies excess vata, nourishes the body with zinc and magnesium, allows excess heat and stagnation to be released from the skin in a gentle way.

·       Shirodhara (a treatment where warmed oil is poured in an even and flowing stream gently on the third eye area) – this is particularly pacifying for hormonal imbalances, balancing the pineal and pituitary gland (the Master Gland) which in turn can create hormonal harmony. This treatment is so nourishing and balances the transition to a vata dominant season beautifully.

At Flow, I would always recommend regular pitta and vata balancing facials to ensure we are balancing any excess pitta and nourishing your skin’s transition into vata. A strong focus on the relaxation (or nervous system love) to allow your whole self to be held during this time of movement and transition in your body. Consistency (dinacharya and ritucharya - daily and seasonal routines) is always the key to balancing doshic excesses. Use this time to place loving importance on your needs. Moving from the energy of achievement, accomplishment and planting the seeds to embracing enlightenment, ease and your own wisdom deserves to be experienced with importance, wholeness and honouring of self.