Treatments: Folk Ayurvedic Oils

We invite you to take time out of your day to treat yourself to a small ritual…

Let’s take a short survey: Raise your hand if you’ve ever filled out a personality quiz in a magazine or online.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever taken a lifestyle quiz. Or a dating quiz. Or a fashion quiz. Or a quiz that determines what your spirit breakfast food is based on your favorite pictures of baby animals.

Basically, raise your hand if you’ve ever answered a series of questions about habits and personality that eventually spit out what type of ____ you are.

Now raise your hand if you’ve ever taken a quiz to reveal your dominant dosha.

If you’re completely stumped by that last one, let me back up and walk you through the basics.

There are three doshas—Vata, Pitta and Kapha—that form the backbone of Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old Indian science of natural medicine. These doshas are derived from the five elements—earth, air, water, fire and space—and it’s believed that everyone contains a combination of each within their bodies. The doshas are the manifestation of these elements within the human body,

Understanding your dominant dosha can help guide your lifestyle choices, including exercise, food, sleep and of course, self-care. “But what does a mysterious set of elements inside my body have to do with how I live my life?” you may ask. And the answer is simple, really: balance.

Think about it this way: when your immune system is out of whack and inundated with bacteria or viral cells, you get sick. There’s too much of the bad and not enough of the good, and so your body experience an imbalance.

Likewise, when the doshas are balanced and living in harmony, all is well. But when they’re not, that unbalance can lead to a whole host of ills. From stress to sleepiness to skin issues, keeping your doshas in balance will keep your body happy.

So what does this all mean, and how do you stay balanced? The quick answer is that everyone has a dominant dosha that needs a little bit of special treatment, which involves eating, using and doing the things that play nice and with that dominant dosha.

Example time: I’ve taken several dosha quizzes and it turns out I’m a hardcore Pitta (fire). This means that when things aren’t balanced, I’m an irritable perfectionists with hot, angry skin who will be supremely unhappy if a meal is missed. To balance this, Ayurvedic teachings tell me to meditate, avoid hot and spicy food, eat cooling herbs and beans, surround myself with sweet, soothing sounds and smells, and to stop being such a control freak.

Well.

While I am down with self-improvement, living a doshic lifestyle is not something to be achieved overnight. (See that? I’m relinquishing control over that which I cannot already!) But there is an easy, almost immediate way to get started if you’re interested, and it comes in the form of self-care. After all, what’s inside your body is directly connected to what goes on your body, and vice versa.

Just like foods and behaviors, each dosha also has recommended ingredients and practices for the optimal you. And true to their name, Folk Ayurveda knows exactly what your dosha needs.

Since every batch of Folk Ayurveda’s oils undergo a 108-hour herbal infusion followed by a 40-day botanical soak, they are quite literally brimming with everything your skin needs. And while you may just want to slap some on and go (slow down, Pitta!), the application ritual is crucial. Yes, regardless of how long you take to apply, these oils will deliver on their promise to moisturize the heck out of your skin. But part of this line’s beauty is that it invites you to take the time out of your day to treat your body and yourself to a small ritual. So figure out which one is for you, and then get to treating (and balancing) yourself. Bonus points if you took a break from reading this to take a dosha quiz.

Vata (Air)

Vata skin tends to be dry, rough and dehydrated. It’s cool to the touch and thin, which means it’s especially prone to dry patches and flakiness.

Luckily the (Vata) Rooted Rose oil is crafted with a blend of essential oils and certified organic ingredients like pomegranate oil, wild rose oil, rose hips, ashwaganda and cardamom to soften skin and awaken the senses, all while grounding your focus (much-needed for air-based Vatas).

Pitta (Fire + Water)

Pitta skin is usually soft, oily and thick. As the fiery dosha, it’s warm to the touch with red or pink undertones, and easily plays host to rashes and acne.

To calm all this down, the (Pitta) Moon Glow oil combines the soothing powers of lavender, Neem oil, honeysuckle, calendula and coriander to cool the mind and body, easy irritation and inspire peace.

Kapha (Water + Earth)

Kapha skin is often thick, oily and cool to the touch. It’s also a popular spot for blackheads, enlarged pores and water retention.

For the balance that water-and-earth skin craves, the (Kapha) Wild Child works to jumpstart the body’s natural alignment. Juniper berries, bitter melon and sage encourage circulation and get your body back in tune with itself

+ Shop all three Folk Ayurveda Oils here!!