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As a Vata dosha (or Ayurvedic type), you are no stranger to feeling like a leaf blowing in the wind, from one thing to the next.  You are creative, introspective, and social, but can be plagued with anxiety, uncertainty, and fear.  You are slim and have a pretty light appetite. Your energy comes in bursts and you can tire out easily if you don’t take care of yourself. Your Vata skin is similar to your Vata body — dry, cold, and a bit uneven.  When you’re in balance, you look and feel like a million bucks.  But when you’re not — when you forget to eat, don’t drink enough water, skimp on sleep, get stressed out and overwhelmed, overdo it with travel — your skin (and your gut) are the first places that show it.

VATA SKIN TYPE

Just like a Vata-type body, Vata skin is characterized by dryness and coldness. Thin, dry, and prone to patchiness and premature aging, Vata skin needs warmth and moisture (particularly from oils) to balance it out and keep it happy.  Other Vata skin characteristics are:

• small pores
• dark circles under the eyes
• leathery or uneven texture
• dark spots or uneven skin tone
• cold hands and feet
• dry, cracked lips and hands

The number one best treatment for Vata skin is oil.  Oil, oil, oil.  Oil keeps Vata skin hydrated, lustrous, and can even help to heal other symptoms of the Vata constitution, like constipation and anxiety.

Recommended Vata skincare routine:

AM:

1. Massage your entire body with oil daily– sesame and/or castor oil are best for Vata — I like Shankara Calming Body Oil
2. Cleanse skin with warm water, do not use soap, which can dry you out.
3. Follow with a hydrating and balancing toner like Avalon Organics Brilliant Balance with Lavender and Probiotics
4. Use an oil-based serum like Bee All-Natural Organic Luminous Face Serum
5. Apply an eye cream that targets dark circles and fine lines like 100% Pure Coffee Bean Eye Cream 
6. Use a hydrating BB cream with SPF to protect, moisturize, and even out skin tone. I like Andalou Naturals Perfecting Beauty Balm.

PM:

1. Cleanse skin using the oil face wash method — use a castor or sesame based oil like Kindred Skincare Oil Cleanse
2. Follow with an oil-based serum and eye cream.
3. Top with a heavier, hydrating night cream like Eminence Organics Monoi Age Corrective Night Cream
4. A few times a week, use a brightening face scrub like Andalou Naturals Chia Omega + C Radiant Skin Polish and a super hydrating mask like Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Mask.

Vata Holistic Skincare Tips

• Eat warm, moist, cooked foods which hydrate the digestive system and the skin.
• Avoid sugar, which can be particularly problematic for Vata skin.  Stick to fruit and fruit sugars when necessary.
• Avoid dry, cold foods like popcorn, crackers, chips, and ice cream which dry out the gut, and by extension, the skin!
• Use more oils, internally and externally.  Sesame oil, ghee, and castor oil (external) are particularly beneficial.  Include an oil or healthy fat at every meal.
• Stay hydrated.  Drink warm or room temperature water throughout the day. Feel free to add a squeeze of lemon! Ginger, cinnamon, or 3 Seed Tea (cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds) throughout the day are wonderful as well.
• Maintain a consistent schedule, waking, eating and going to bed at the same time every day.  Maintain your routine while traveling and on the weekends.
• Minimize unnecessary travel, which is very destabilizing for Vata.
• Stay warm! Think blankets, hot baths, steam rooms, and hot tea (ginger is a great choice!). Always keep a jacket or sweater nearby, year round.
• Good professional skin treatments for Vata skin are peels (glycolic or chemical) to brighten and even out skin, and microdermabrasion to slough off dry skin, fade dark spots, and brighten.

Need help balancing your Vata dosha?

Schedule an Ayurvedic consultation with me!

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