I thought it fitting that my first blog post would be about skin. Here’s why:
My journey down this natural health and healing path began with skin care forty-five years ago this year. I was 15 at the time. Back then, My mom and I made facials with ingredients like oatmeal, cream, honey and fruit.
In my late teens, my sister Kim and I placed freshly picked, steamed burdock leaves on our faces to help heal our pimples.
(Burdock is a blood cleansing herb. Anytime we have rashes, blemishes or any other skin condition we know we need to detoxify the blood.)
We also pressed almond oil onto our skin with the back of spoons that had been warmed in cups of hot water. We would then lie upside down on an ironing board that was placed with one end on the couch cushion and the other end on the floor.
(Natural oils are very nourishing for the skin. Applying warmth and moisture helps the oils to penetrate the skin, dislodge toxins, and nourish the skin tissue all at the same time.
Inversions increase blood flow to the face which delivers oxygen and other nutrients. This helps fight free radicals and reduce inflammation that can accelerate the aging process. Going upside down is anti-gravity which means the skin hangs in the opposite direction so it’s like a natural face lift while contributing to that “glow”.)
Why is it so important to take good care of the skin?
The skin is the largest detoxifying organ of the body. The skin wraps us up, provides protection, and performs all of the functions that the other organs do. The skin tissue is living, breathing and absorbs what is in the environment around us and whatever we put on it. This means that we don’t want to put anything onto our skin that we couldn’t eat.
Like many others I have tried tons of over-the-counter products. Some products seemed to work okay, some caused rashes, redness, and irritation, some dried my skin out, and most all of them contained harmful ingredients. In the end, I always came back to my homemade, all natural cleansers, nourishing oils, and “kitchen” ingredient facials. I noticed that in the end, they seemed to work the best.
To this day I still love all things skin and continue to make, use, and sell skin care products based on Ayurvedic principles. Uptans are cleansers made from flours like chick pea, almond, and oats, and herbs such as ashwagandha and sacred basil.
My nourishing face oils are made with a variety of carrier oils such as avocado, almond, and pomegranate seed, essential oils, herbs, and vitamins.
I customize the ingredients to address individual skin types as well as specific conditions such as Dry skin in the winter (Vata), oily and congested in the spring (Kapha), and sensitive skin in the Summer (Pitta).
Simple Uptan Recipe (without herbs)
-2 tbsp. chick pea flour
-2 tbsp. almond flour
-1 tbsp. powdered milk
Mix a small amount in the palm of your hand with enough water to make a paste and apply to a warm moist face. Wash face lightly – Don’t scrub.
You can also let the uptan dry on the skin and then flake it off and rinse.
Five tips for Healthy, Radiant Skin
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate- Water is the number one nutrient needed by all the cells of the body.
- Include good quality fats in your diet like coconut oil, ghee, and olive oil.
- Eats lots of all the different colors of vegetables. Daily!
- Reduce sugar and processed foods– one of the main culprits of inflammation and skin problems
- Exercise, breathe and get outside.
I will continue to write about the skin and provide recipes in upcoming posts.
Please contact me if you wish to find out more about my products or you would like to schedule a skin care consultation.
