Hemp Seed Oil: First Cleanse

Why it works:

 
Hemp seed oil is an exceptionally effective facial cleansing oil due to its perfectly balanced omega-3, 6, and 9 fatty acids, which closely mimic the skin’s natural lipid structure. This makes it ideal for:

• Reducing inflammation and redness

• Supporting the skin barrier

• Dissolving impurities without stripping the skin

Safety note:
Hemp seeds and their oil do not contain CBD, cannabinoids, or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychotropic compounds found in cannabis. This makes hemp seed oil completely safe and non-intoxicating for topical use.

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How to Apply

1. Dispense 1–2 pumps of hemp seed oil into clean hands.

2. Apply to the face and neck using the pat–push–press method, ensuring gentle coverage.

3. Allow the oil to dissolve makeup, excess sebum, and impurities, while simultaneously soothing and calming irritated skin.

This step serves as your first cleanse, preparing the skin for deeper cleansing and subsequent steps in your skincare ritual.

Step Eight: Ayurvedic Sun Care – Protecting Your Skin Naturally

Sunlight is both a gift and a challenge for our skin. While it nourishes the body with vitamin D, boosts mood, and stimulates circulation, excessive or unprotected exposure can lead to premature aging, hyperpigmentation, inflammation, and skin damage. In Ayurveda, sun exposure is linked to Pitta aggravation, as sunlight increases heat in the body and skin. Thus, mindful protection is not just cosmetic—it is therapeutic and preventive.

This chapter combines Ayurvedic wisdom with modern sun-care science, offering practical routines, dos and don’ts, and a natural sunscreen recipe that is gentle yet effective.

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1. Understanding Sun Exposure in Ayurveda

Ayurveda classifies sunlight as a Pitta-aggravating factor due to its intense heat (Tejas) and radiance. Overexposure can lead to:

• Skin inflammation and redness

• Premature aging and wrinkles

• Pigmentation, freckles, and dark spots

• Acne flare-ups due to Pitta imbalance

Skin types and sun sensitivity:

• Vata skin: Thin, dry, delicate; prone to dehydration and fine lines

• Pitta skin: Fair, prone to redness, sunburn, and pigmentation

• Kapha skin: Thick, oily, less prone to burning, but susceptible to acne if pores are clogged

Knowing your dosha tendencies helps tailor your sun-protection strategy. For instance, Pitta-dominant skin requires cooling and calming sunscreens, while Vata skin needs hydration alongside protection.

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2. Ayurvedic Sun-Care Principles

Daily Sun Awareness

• Avoid direct sun during peak hours (10 am – 4 pm).

• Seek shade or wear protective clothing when outdoors.

• Incorporate cooling foods and herbs to pacify Pitta, such as coconut water, aloe vera, and coriander.

Topical Protection

• Use physical/mineral sunscreens instead of chemical ones, especially for sensitive or acne-prone skin.

• Natural ingredients like zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, aloe vera, sandalwood, and licorice are cooling, anti-inflammatory, and protective.

Lifestyle Support

• Stay hydrated to maintain skin resilience.

• Follow a Pitta-balancing routine, especially if you have fair or reactive skin.

• Wear hats, scarves, and protective fabrics as part of an Ayurvedic sun shield.

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3. Dos and Don’ts of Ayurvedic Sun Care

Dos

• Apply sunscreen 20–30 minutes before going out.

• Reapply every 2–3 hours, especially if sweating or swimming.

• Use cooling toners (like rose water or aloe hydrosols) post-exposure.

• Wear protective clothing and wide-brimmed hats.

• Include antioxidant-rich herbs and foods in your diet for internal sun protection.

Don’ts

• Avoid harsh chemical sunscreens with parabens, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances.

• Don’t forget sensitive areas like the ears, neck, and décolletage.

• Avoid overexposure during peak sun hours.

• Do not rely solely on sunscreen; it is part of a holistic sun-care ritual, not a substitute for mindful sun habits.

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4. Physical Sunscreen Recipe (Ayurvedic Style)

This is a gentle, mineral-based sunscreen designed for oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin, formulated with Ayurvedic cooling herbs.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons zinc oxide (non-nano)

• 1 tablespoon shea butter or ghee

• 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel

• 1 teaspoon sandalwood powder

• ½ teaspoon licorice (Yashtimadhu) powder

• 2–3 drops frankincense or lavender essential oil (optional)

Method

1. Melt shea butter or ghee gently in a double boiler.

2. Add aloe vera gel and mix well.

3. Gradually blend in zinc oxide, sandalwood, and licorice powder until smooth.

4. Allow the mixture to cool and transfer to a dark glass jar.

5. Store in a cool, dry place.

Usage: Apply a pea-sized amount evenly on the face, neck, and exposed areas 20–30 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every 2–3 hours.

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5. Supporting Ayurvedic Practices

Cooling Post-Sun Care

• Use rose water or aloe vera toner to calm heat.

• Apply Shatadhauta Ghrita lightly if the skin feels dry or irritated.

• Incorporate cooling foods like cucumber, coconut water, and leafy greens.

Internal Protection

• Drink herbal teas with coriander, licorice, or mint to balance internal heat.

• Eat Pitta-pacifying foods like oats, fresh fruits, and ghee in moderation.

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6. How to Know You’re Protecting Your Skin Effectively

• No sunburn, redness, or irritation after exposure.

• Skin remains hydrated, calm, and free of new pigmentation.

• Regular use helps prevent long-term damage such as early aging or dark spots.

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Conclusion

Sun care in Ayurveda is more than a cosmetic ritual; it is a holistic, preventive practice that combines external protection, internal balance, and mindful lifestyle habits. By integrating mineral sunscreens, herbal toners, cooling rituals, and protective clothing into your daily life, you honor your skin’s natural rhythm and maintain its health, clarity, and glow for years to come.

Step Seven: Moisturize

Yes—your skin needs to be moisturized. After completing the full ritual of toning, cleansing, steaming, exfoliating, and masking, it is essential to seal the process with proper moisturization.

Oily, congested, and acne-prone skin types do not require occlusive products such as heavy oils or rich creams that create a sealing layer on the skin. Such products are better suited for dry and mature skin, as they trap moisture, fats, and oils.

However, not all oils and creams are occlusive. When formulated with cold-pressed or supercritical CO₂-extracted oils—such as apricot kernel oil or hemp seed oil—that are rich in linoleic essential fatty acids (rather than heavier oleic fatty acids), they function as ideal moisturizers for oily skin. These oils are lightweight, fast-absorbing, and non-comedogenic, ensuring hydration without clogging pores.

Does that make sense?

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Ayurvedic Moisturizer of Choice: Shatadhauta Ghrita (SDG)

A light application of Shatadhauta Ghrita (SDG)—a classical Ayurvedic cream prepared using only water and ghee—is particularly beneficial for oily and acne-prone skin.

Despite being ghee-based, SDG is remarkably light and works as a superior moisturizer. Ghee is cooling, sweet (madhura), and healing, making it ideal for calming inflamed, pitta-aggravated skin.

During the traditional preparation process, SDG becomes infused with trace copper ions and minerals, lending it antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties. These qualities make it especially effective in addressing acne, pimples, redness, and irritation.

(For the complete SDG preparation method, refer to the section on Mature, Dry, and Dehydrated Skin Concerns.)

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How to Apply

• Take a pea-sized amount of the cream.

• Apply lightly over the face and neck as a daily moisturizer.

• It may also be gently dabbed onto active acne, zits, or inflamed spots as a targeted treatment.

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What to Expect

With regular use, this moisturizing step helps:

• Clear active acne and acne scars

• Calm inflammation and redness

• Leave the skin hydrated yet light, comforted, refreshed, and cool

Your skin should feel balanced—not greasy, nourished without congestion, and ready to maintain clarity over time.

Step Six: Mask (Lepana)

Hormonal fluctuations and compromised sebum quality—common during puberty (a phase of heightened pitta), pregnancy, menopause, or due to poor skincare and lifestyle choices—often lead to persistent skin issues such as acne, congestion, and pigmentation.

Classical Ayurvedic herbs like lodhra, chandana, and manjishtha, when combined with select clays, help balance oil production, clear congestion, and reduce post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), dark patches, and blemishes.

Ideally, the skin benefits from a lepana 4–5 times a week as a therapeutic intervention to remain clear, calm, and radiant. Always apply using clean hands or a clean brush to avoid bacterial contamination.

In Ayurveda, lepana refers to a wet herbal masque, traditionally prepared by pounding and grinding herbs, seeds, flowers, and spices with natural diluents such as milk, honey, ghee, or herbal liquids to form a fresh paste.

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Ayurvedic Lepana for Oily, Acne-Prone & Hormonal Skin

What You Need

• 3 tablespoons Lodhra powder

• 3 tablespoons Multani mitti (Fuller’s earth)

• 3 tablespoons Manjishtha powder

• 3 tablespoons Chandana (sandalwood) powder

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How to Make & Store

• Mix all the powders thoroughly.

• Store in a dark glass jar away from moisture.

Shelf Life: Up to 1 year

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How to Apply

1. Take 1 tablespoon of the lepana powder in a glass bowl.

2. Add approximately 2 tablespoons of cool A2 milk
   (use almond milk for a vegan option), adjusting to make a fine, loose paste.

3. Wet the skin with milk. Avoid tap water, as it is alkaline and drying.

4. Using a brush or clean hands, apply evenly over the face, avoiding the eye and mouth area.

5. Leave on for 5 minutes only.

6. Rinse off gently and thoroughly before the mask dries completely.

⚠️ Important:
Allowing a mask to crack and dry fully strips the skin of moisture and reverses its benefits. Once dry, the lepana loses its potency and begins to dehydrate the skin.

Frequency: Use 2–3 times a week for visible and sustained results.

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What to Expect

This lepana:

• Deeply cleanses and decongests pores

• Absorbs excess oil without disturbing natural lipids

• Calms acne, pimples, and inflammatory eruptions

Herbal Actions

• Chandana, multani mitti, and milk are cooling and help in pitta shamana, reducing heat-induced inflammation.

• Multani mitti, being kashaya (astringent), naturally absorbs excess sebum and tightens pores.

• Lodhra and manjishtha work at deeper levels to improve skin clarity, tone, and pigmentation.

With regular use, acne subsides, eruptions calm, and spots and blemishes gradually lighten, leaving the skin balanced, clear, and luminous.

Step Four: Steam (Swedana)

Facial steaming, or swedana, is a time-honored Ayurvedic practice that deeply cleanses and rejuvenates the skin. Millennia ago, specialized swedana yantras were used, and detailed illustrations of these devices are still found in classical Ayurvedic texts. Unlike modern steam treatments, Ayurvedic swedana incorporates carefully selected herbs, chosen to address specific skin concerns—from cleansing and clarifying to detoxifying, unclogging pores, purifying, and removing deep-seated impurities.

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What You Need

• Facial steamer

• 1–2 cups water

• 1 tablespoon liquorice (Yashtimadhu) powder

• 1–2 toner ice cubes

• 5 drops frankincense essential oil (optional)

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How to Apply

1. If you don’t have a facial steamer, use a shallow, wide-mouthed pot and drape a light cotton sheet or baby bedsheet over your head to trap the steam. Facial steamer cups are also easily available online.

2. Add water and liquorice powder to the steamer or pot and allow the steam to build.

3. Steam your face for 5–7 minutes.

4. Wear a loose, wide-necked robe so the steam reaches your neck and upper chest.

5. After steaming, gently rub 1–2 toner ice cubes over the face to cool the skin and seal the pores.

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How to Know When to Stop

Steam until steam beads collect on the forehead and can be gathered by gently pinching 1–2 inches of skin between the thumb and forefinger. This indicates that the swedana process is complete.

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What to Expect

After swedana, your skin should feel:

• Deeply cleansed

• Rehydrated

• Relaxed and rejuvenated

The skin becomes a receptive canvas for the rituals that follow. In Ayurvedic terms, swedana helps release ama (toxins and metabolic waste), unclogs pores, liquefies trapped sebum, and provides a deep epidermal cleanse that goes far beyond surface washing.

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Frequency

Perform swedana once every two weeks or as needed, depending on skin type and sensitivity.

Step Three: Exfoliate (Ubtan – Second Cleanse)

For oily, acne-prone, or congested skin, a second cleanse is essential. Rather than using foaming washes, gels, or milk cleansers—which contain surfactants that can compromise the skin barrier—Ayurveda recommends ubtans, traditional herbal exfoliants.

Exfoliating daily is as fundamental as bathing or brushing your teeth. When done correctly, it keeps pores clear, balances oil, prevents acne, and maintains healthy skin without stripping natural oils.

Ubtans have been a cornerstone of Ayurvedic household skincare for generations. Nearly every Indian grandmother has her own recipe. The formulations shared here are classical, condition-specific recipes derived from Ayurvedic texts and teachers, many of which are ancient, rarely documented, and highly effective.

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Ayurvedic Ubtan for Oily, Acneic & Congested Skin

What You Need

• 10–12 pieces Shalmali kantak (Silk cotton tree) root

• 10–12 pieces Sariva root

• 4 inches Lakadong turmeric root (highest known curcumin content)

• 2 tablespoons Multani mitti (Fuller’s earth)

• 2 tablespoons Mysore sandalwood powder
  (Australian sandalwood can be used if Mysore sandalwood is unavailable)

• Mortar and pestle (Khalava Yantra) or grinder

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How to Make & Store

1. Pound all the crude herbs into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or grinder.

2. Mix thoroughly and store in a dark glass jar.

Shelf Life: Up to 1 year

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How to Apply

1. Take 1 tablespoon of the ubtan powder in a glass bowl.

2. Add cool A2 milk (or almond milk for a vegan option) to form a loose, smooth paste.

3. Wet the skin with milk. Avoid tap water, as it is alkaline and drying.

4. Gently massage the ubtan over the face.

5. Leave on for 1–2 minutes only.

6. Rinse off gently before the ubtan dries completely.

⚠️ Important:
Never allow the ubtan to crack or dry fully on the skin. Once dry, it loses potency and may begin to reverse its benefits, leading to dryness and irritation.

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What to Expect

This ubtan:

• Deeply cleanses without stripping natural oils

• Draws out excess sebum and congestion

• Reduces inflammation, acne, and redness

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Herbal Actions Explained

• Shalmali root: Kashaya (astringent) and sheeta (cooling). It pacifies Pitta, cools inflamed skin, and acts as a blood purifier, essential for acne control.

• Sariva: Potent for skin infections, acne vulgaris, dermatitis, and pimples. Cooling in nature and classified under Varnya Gana in the Charaka Samhita, promoting complexion and skin lustre.

• Manjishtha & Yashtimadhu: Purify the blood and enhance radiance when used topically or internally.

• Milk: Madhura (sweet) and sheeta (cooling), pacifies Pitta and Vata, while lactic acid gently resurfaces and refines the skin.

• Multani mitti: Provides kushtaghna (anti-skin disorder) and jantughna (antibacterial) benefits. Cooling and naturally brightening, it absorbs excess oil, leaving the skin fresh—reminiscent of petrichor, the fresh earth smell after rain.

Toner Recipe (2): Soothing & pH-Balancing Toner

A toner with a pH range of 4.0–6.0 closely matches the skin’s natural acid mantle, making it especially beneficial for compromised, sensitive, or irritated skin. This gentle, hydrating toner can be used frequently throughout the day to calm, soothe, and restore skin balance.

What You Need

• ½ cup rose water

• ½ cup homemade aloe vera pulp

• 1 teaspoon glycerine

How to Make & Store

1. Blend all the ingredients thoroughly until smooth.

2. Transfer the mixture into a pump-cap bottle.

3. Store in the refrigerator.

Shelf Life:

• Refrigerated bottle: up to 2 weeks

• Ice cubes: up to 1 month

Optional Storage Method (Ice Cubes):

• Pour the toner into an ice tray.

• Freeze and use cubes as needed for extra soothing benefits.

How to Apply

• With clean hands, apply 1–2 ice cubes or one pump of the toner evenly over the face.

• Use before and between every step of your skincare routine.

What to Expect

This hydrosol-based toner deeply hydrates and pacifies thirsty skin. It helps:

• Restore and maintain skin pH

• Strengthen and protect the acid mantle

• Calm irritation and sensitivity

• Leave the skin refreshed, soft, and balanced