Scientists have developed all kinds of innovative skin and hair care ingredients, but a lot of people still use herbs, oils, and other natural remedies instead of or alongside store-bought cosmetics because these remedies are affordable and have been around for centuries or even millennia. Ayurvedic herbs, in particular, are popular both in and outside India. How to use them in skin and hair care?
Ayurveda is an alternative medicine system that originated in the Indian subcontinent over two millennia ago and is still widely practised in India and Nepal. Its name can be translated from Sanskrit as “knowledge of life and longevity”. The first mention of Ayurveda can be found in the Mahabharata, a major Sanskrit epic dating back to the 4th century BC, where it is described as consisting eight components.
Today, Ayurveda is viewed as a pseudoscience, and some Ayurvedic treatments are even considered dangerous because they contain heavy metals, such as arsenic, mercury, and lead. However, most of the herbs used by Ayurveda practitioners do have medicinal properties and are classified as safe for cosmetic use.
The term “Ayurvedic herbs” mainly refers to plants that are common in the Indian subcontinent and have long been used by Ayurveda practitioners for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. They include, for example, neem, tulsi (holy basil), amla (Indian gooseberry), arjuna, ashwagandha (Indian ginseng), brahmi, turmeric, shatavari, bhringraj (false daisy), and many others.
For cosmetic purposes, Ayurvedic plants are usually used in their powder form. Ayurvedic powders are produced from the dried leaves, stalks, flowers, and roots of various medicinal plants. They can be mixed with each other, diluted with water to prepare homemade face and hair masks, steeped in hot water to obtain infusions, etc. Finally, they can be added to homemade and store-bought cosmetic products.
Oil Extract
Ayurvedic herbs can be used to prepare oil extracts, which, in turn, can be used as ingredients in DIY face and hair masks, as hair oils, and as massage oils. To make an oil extract, take a clean glass jar and sterilise it in the oven, dishwasher, microwave, or a colander set over a pot of boiling water. Fill half the jar with the Ayurvedic powder of your choice and top with carrier oil, for example, sweet almond or olive.
Mix the contents of the jar thoroughly, close the lid tightly, and leave the jar in a dark, warm place for 48 hours. After that, strain the oil through gauze, pour it into another clean, sterilised jar or a glass bottle, close the lid tightly, and store in the fridge.
Herbal Infusion
You can also use Ayurvedic herbs to prepare herbal infusions, which make great ingredients for DIY skincare products and hair rinses. Such infusions are very easy to make; all you need to do is pour 500 ml boiling water over 1 tbsp powder and leave it at room temperature until it cools completely. Strain the infusion, pour it into a bottle or jar, and keep refrigerated.
Please, keep in mind that the infusion should be used within 2–3 days. If you use it as a hair rinse, you can add several drops of your favourite essential oil to boost its cosmetic effect and give the rinse a nice scent.
Herbal Hair or Face Mask
Hair and face masks with Ayurvedic herbs are among the most popular and effective DIY cosmetic products. To make them, you can use any herbs you want, depending on the results you want to achieve, as well as the type and needs of your skin and hair. The best thing about Ayurvedic herbs is that they can and should be combined to enhance each other’s effect.
To make a simple herbal mask, mix some powder with warm water to get a moderately thick paste and apply it to your face and hair. If you want to make a more complex ubtan mask, you will need other Ayurvedic ingredients, such as chickpea or oatmeal flour, cosmetic clay (for example, kaolin or multani mitti), and shikakai or soapnuts (reetha).
Ayurvedic hers are widely used today for cosmetic purposes, and many brands of natural and organic cosmetics partner with local Indian businesses to obtain high-quality natural Ayurvedic ingredients for their products. Such brands include, for example, Aasha Herbals, Chandi, Lady Henna, Mayur, Triuga, Veda Vedica, and many others.
In our online shop Organic Store, you can find Ayurvedic herbs and products produced by the brands listed above. We offer reasonable prices, convenient and secure payment methods, quick order processing, and international delivery to make your online shopping experience as pleasant as possible. Feel the healing power of Ayurvedic herbs with our store!
