How to take care of your skin in summers with Ayurveda

The harsh summers also bring an increased risk of skin ailments and infections in both adults and kids. However, by following simple lifestyle changes and the principles of Ayurveda, we can find ways to take care of our skins. Let’s understand how to take care of your skin in summers with Ayurveda. 

Article By: Dr. Partap Chauhan, Director of Jiva Ayurveda

Just like every year, summer has reached its crescendo, which means high temperature, heatwaves, humidity and long tiring days.  Heat can cause our skin to react in different ways as the powerful sun rays can be harmful. The nature of everybody’s skin is different and we should understand how it reacts when exposed to the scorching summer heat. Some of the common summer skin problem include sun-burn, sun-tan, itchiness, irritation, rashes and more. 

Ayurveda can help us keep our skin healthy and glowing during summer.

Ayurvedic summer skin-care tips:

• Apply a good herbal sunscreen before going out in the sun. Don’t expose your skin to the sun, cover the exposed areas to avoid sun burns and tan. And keep drinking plenty of water to keep your skin moisturized. 

• Don’t use harsh soaps. Moisturize your skin regularly. Apply herbal or mild cleansers. Apply aloe vera gel to skin after bathing as aloe vera keeps our body cool. Follow this home remedy to cool off dry skin: mash half an avocado/papaya with few drops of lemon juice and apply this on the dry skin. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, then wash it off with water. 

• Take one tablespoon of raw milk, dip a cotton pad in it and rub it on the face gently. Leave this for 15 minutes, then wash off with plain water.

• Ayurveda says to follow a daily bedtime routine, exercise daily for 10-15 minutes, drink plenty of water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables and avoid junk, oily and spicy food. 

Sun rays give us Vitamin D, but excessive sun rays make our skin appear darker. Sun tan is another very common problem, which occurs during summers. The sun’s ultraviolet rays damage our skin and make it appear darker naturally. You can try some home remedies to manage skin tans.

Ayurvedic remedies to naturally reduce sun tan:

• Apply aloe vera gel on your body and leave it overnight for best results.

• Mix rosewater with gram flour (besan), the paste is a great de-tanning mixture, which will help to reduce the tan. Apply this mixture on your neck, face and arms for 20 minutes, then wash it off with lukewarm water. 

Mix crushed almonds with honey and milk to make a paste. Apply this paste to your skin a few minutes before bath, then, wash off with plain water. 

Dr. Partap Chauhan, Director of Jiva Ayurveda, is an author, public speaker, TV personality and Ayurveda Acharya. Since 1992, he has dedicated himself to popularizing Ayurveda across the world.