Exfoliation of skin on the face is common but, are we taking proper care of our bodies? Skin is the largest external organ of the human body and the most exposed part. It is vital to take care of our skin not just on the face, but the whole body, as it gets exposed to several pollutants, dust, dirt, and what not!
Or are you totally new to body exfoliation? And as it is said, 'It is never too late'. Read along and learn more about Ayurveda's perspective on body exfoliation and what can you do about it.
Udvarthana (Udvarthanam or Udvartana) is a massage therapy involving a body scrub or ubtan, the traditional Indian body paste of natural herbs and grains. In this article, we’ll share some ubtan recipes (Ayurvedic body scrubs) with you, including easy-to-make salt scrubs and sugar scrubs as well as traditional Udvartana powder recipes which you can make at home.
The blog - Udvartana (Udwarthana): Ayurvedic Dry Massage, will talk about the following mentioned points:
Body Scrub Exfoliation
Kapha Body Scrubs For Weight Loss
Pitta Body Scrubs For Weight Loss
Utsadan Recipe (Oily Powder Massage)
Your Basic Exfoliating Body Scrub Recipe
Coffee Scrub
Coffee Salt Scrub Recipe
All About Salt Scrubs
All About Sugar Scrubs
Rice Powder Facial Scrub
Red Lentil Facial Scrub
Oatmeal Facial Scrub
9 Body Scrub Benefits (Udvartana Benefits)
READ MORE: 16 Morning Routine Ideas From Ayurvedic Medicine, Ayurvedic Dry Powder Massage: Everything You Need To Know About Udwarthana (Udwarthanam), Everything You Need To Know About Shirodhara
Udvarthana (Udvartana) is a systematized sequence of massage strokes using an herbal powder. The strokes are performed in an upward movement or, in elevation. Udvarthana (Udvartana) is a significant therapy on its own and is included under the Ayurvedic daily routine we call Dinacharya.
According to the Ayurvedic sage Vagbhata,massaging the body with a soft fragrant powder mitigates Kapha dosha, liquefies fat, produces stability (compactness and strength) of the body parts, and excellence of the skin.1
Depending on the purpose of the powder massage, Udvarthana (Udvartana) can be dry, called ruksha, or oily, called snigdha. Utgharshanam is mentioned by Sushruta. It is predominantly dry massage. Utsadan is predominantly an unctuous or oily procedure, wherein an herbal powder is mixed with an unctuous substance like oils or ghee.
Udvarthana can be correlated with exfoliation or a body scrub. Exfoliation should always be a part of your skin care routine. It helps unclog your pores, sloughs off dull skin, balances sebum production, and evens out your complexion. Exfoliation keeps the skin healthy, young-looking, and glowing. While we know that facial exfoliation is part of our regular beauty routine, a body scrub provides a variety of benefits, from helping our moisturizer absorb better to increased relaxation.
The benefits of a regular body scrub include relaxation, detoxification and more. Exfoliation smooths your skin and prevents breakouts. It keeps your skin oil-free and young looking.
Some of the best homemade Ayurvedic scrubs are listed below. Look around your kitchen and see which of these ingredients you can find. Start exfoliating now to reap the benefits throughout all of your life!
In Ayurvedic practices, herbs used for exfoliation for Kapha body types and for weight loss include the following.
Triphala powder has the property to reduce body weight. It can be used internally, taken orally to lose weight. It is also beneficial for reducing cellulite if used externally on the body in an herbal powder massage.2
READ MORE: Triphala For Weight Loss
A gentle, effective exfoliant to scrub away signs of tiredness, dullness, and dryness, try Mervanille In-Shower Moisturizing Body Polish for Dry to Normal Skin
If your body is Pitta, you can use the following massage powders. All ingredients should be used in a finely powdered form.
Mix all ingredients together in the provided ratio. This powder massage can be used in Pitta type bodies for weight loss benefits.
You can also try this all-natural agelessness-boosting body polish with salt and lavender, that doubles up as a scrub and as an exfoliator- Salaven In-Shower Salt Polish
This herbal formula supports glowing skin in Pitta types.
Mix all the ingredients in the above given ratio and massage onto the skin. This mixture should be used withChandanadi oil (sandalwood massage oil) or Kesaradi Oil for maximum glowing effects on the skin.
Getting pampered is everyone’s dream come true, but going to a spa is not always in the budget. If you want to experience that cozy spa feeling at home, treat yourself to one of the following recipes.
Here are a few body scrub recipes from Ayurveda including an Ayurvedic salt scrub recipe, Ayurvedic sugar scrub recipe, and a ground coffee scrub recipe. You can easily make these at home. They’re simple, fun to make, and you can be creative with herbs and essential oils.
Both salt and sugar scrubs exfoliate the skin wonderfully, helping to get rid of that upper layer of dead skin cells, leaving behind glowing, beautiful skin. Salt and sugar scrubs also help out with circulation to the skin. When you are scrubbing your skin, it improves the blood circulation to the skin, leaving it oxygenated, rosy, and feeling wonderful.
Basic Exfoliating Body Scrub Recipe
1. Measure out two cups of salt, sugar or both.
2. Measure out 1 cup, 1/2 cup or even 1/4 cup of base oil (coconut, olive, almond, grapeseed, or you can go oil-free). Choose organic and non-GMO if you can, avoid hydrogenated oils, and oil blends like vegetable and canola.
3. Combine any powdered herbs and essential oils with the sugar, salt or both.
4. Store in a wide mouth jar.
Sugar Scrubs
If you choose to make a Sugar Scrub, then use a natural, organic sugar. Brown sugar is wonderful. Castor sugar can also be used as an exfoliator combined with a nourishing carrier oil. These wonderful formulas can help restore a radiant complexion, visibly improve skin texture, and bring clarity to all skin types.
A gentle, effective sugar exfoliant to scrub away signs of tiredness, dullness, and dryness, try Mervanille In-Shower Moisturizing Body Polish for Dry to Normal Skin
Salt Scrubs
If you choose salt, then you should definitely use a finer ground sea or high mineral content salt. You can use Himalayan salt if you want a beautiful pink color, just be sure it’s finely ground.Avoid iodized table salt. Use a Salt Scrub with a pampering carrier oil to exfoliate the skin. These are best for normal, oily and blemish prone skin types like Pitta skin.
You can also try this all-natural agelessness-boosting body polish with salt and lavender, that doubles up as a scrub and as an exfoliator- Salaven In-Shower Salt Polish
Add Herbs
Grind herbs into a powder and add them to your scrub to make a lovely blend. There are tons of variations! Choose from brahmi, Indian red lentil paste, green tea, coffee, rose, Turmeric, rice powder, chickpea powder (besan), lavender flowers, juniper berries, rosemary, nettle leaves, and chamomile flowers. The herbs will add a slight color to your scrub, too. These herbs are wonderful for all skin types, especially for dry, sensitive, and mature skin.
Baking soda, clay, ground almonds, pulverized walnut shells and apricot kernel meal polishes away dull, dry skin, and promotes circulation. Combined with a carrier oil or butter, they will also hydrate the skin.
Add Essential Oils
If you’re looking for a scented scrub or a scrub that will add additional healthy skin properties, then you should consider using essential oils. Here are are few, along with their properties.
READ MORE: Facial Marma Massage: Herbal Oils + Kansa Wand Sequences
Coffee scrubs are amazing. Here are some coffee scrub benefits.
1. Aromatherapy
The scent of coffee clears your mind and works like an antidepressant.
2. Antioxidant
It neutralizes the effects of free radicals and can help prevent premature aging.
3. Exfoliation
A coffee scrub acts as an exfoliator for the skin. Coffee Scrubs can remove residual dirt and dead skin to give you younger looking and dewy skin.
4. Blood Flow
Caffeine found in Coffee Scrubs typically increases blood flow and reduces the appearance of cellulite.
5. Skin Texture
Caffeine makes your skin look firmer.
Coffee is always a good idea!
1 ½ cup coarse sea salt
1 cup coffee grounds (dried)
1 cup oil, any base oil (coconut oil works well)
5-15 drops of essential oils
Recipe Directions
In a large bowl add coarse sea salt, coffee grounds and stir. Place the base oil and essential oils into a bowl and stir. Store in an airtight jar and use for those days when you need a good scrubbing.
Let’s look at some facial scrubs which can be made at home with common kitchen ingredients.
A Rice Powder Facial Scrub is a gentle exfoliant that helps to remove the dead cells clogging your pores.4 Baking soda is also a skin exfoliant and at the same time, helps to bring down excess sebum production.5
Ingredients
Directions
Time Taken To Complete This Process: 5 minutes
Tips And Precautions: None
How Often Should I Use? Repeat this 1-2 times a week.
The coarseness of the red lentils (masoor dal) will remove the dead skin cells and impurities from your skin. Your skin will become smoother and softer. Turmeric improves the vascular density and circulation under the skin.6 Yogurt controls the oil production.
Ingredients
How To Use
If you don’t have red lentil powder, you can make your own by grinding red lentils in a clean coffee grinder.
Ingredients
Oatmeal is soothing and cleansing for the skin. It contains anti-inflammatory compounds and saponins.7 Yogurt also cleanses the skin and reduces extra sebum production. Along with honey, it keeps the skin moisturized and hydrated.8,9 After regular use of this scrub, you will see a glow on your face, and excess oil will reduce to a great extent.
Directions
Time Taken To Complete This Process 18-20 minutes
Tips And Precautions: Use rosewater instead of yogurt in case you are allergic to it.
How Often Should I Use? Repeat the scrub application one to two times a week.
Udvartana or ubtan is an important regimen from Ayurveda’s closet of delicious body treatments. It’s a part of Ayurvedic weight management programs, personal hygiene, and beautification. Ayurveda recommends it as a daily self care practice to be done regularly at home.
According to the ancient Ayurvedic texts, using ubtan on the face and body helps in the following ways.
References
1. K. R. Srikantha Murthy, ashtanga hridayam, Sutrasthan, english translation, Vol 1, Chowkhamba Krishnadas Academy, varanasi(2016), verse-15, pp25
2. Triphala and its constituents ameliorate visceral adiposity from a high-fat diet in mice with diet-induced obesity. Gurjar S1,Pal A,Kapur S.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23251942
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15689218
4. Lindsey P, Homemade body scrub & masks for beginners, pp 55
5. Shannon Buck, 200 tips,techniques, and recipes for natural beauty
6. Beneficial role of curcumin in skin diseases. Thangapazham RL1,Sharma A,Maheshwari RK. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17569219
7. Colloidal oatmeal: history, chemistry and clinical properties. Kurtz ES1,Wallo W. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17373175
8. Dueep Jyoti Singh, John Davidson, Mendon Cottage books,Healing through Milk and Yogurt: Using Dairy products for natural healing, PP 38
9. Medicinal and cosmetic uses of Bee’s Honey – A review
R. H. S. S. Ediriweera and N. Y. S. Premarathna1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3611628/
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