CREATING LUMINOUS BEAUTY WITH AYURVEDA + DIY FACE MASK

Shiva Rose, curator of the holistic lifestyle blog, The Local Rose, is paving the way for female activists and conscious leaders to educate and inspire others through ancient healing modalities and holistic health practices. Today, she shares her wisdom on creating luminous beauty through Ayurvedic self-care rituals and a face mask that will give you a radiant glow! Thank you Shiva for your beautiful offering.

S | I have been using the wisdom of Ayurveda to heal my body, mind and spirit for many years now. When I was in my early twenties after the birth of my first daughter I was diagnosed with three life threatening auto immune issues. Walking the path of holistic healing with diet changes, eliminating non toxic products in the house, and adding a daily spiritual practice, I have been able to keep the auto immune issues at bay.

Today I feel vibrant & alive and healthier than I ever did in my younger days. Part of the healing has been to add beauty rituals to my life as well using my own line of non-toxic and nourishing products. I started my line a few years ago with just the Rose Face Oil which was something I used to make to feed my skin. Today I have body oils and scrubs inspired by the Ayurvedic approach to gently loving our body. My two body oils Nectar and Venus Amber have as their base sunflower seed and almond oil. These are very beneficial to the skin adding healthy fats and nutrients.

Your skin can act as a mirror for what is happening in your internal system. You can see what dosha is currently dominant by certain skin issues. For example, dominant Vata skin tends to be dry, thin and cracked. Pitta dominant skin burns easily and will succumb to rashes, acne and other inflammatory issues. Kapha dominant skin will have large pores, and be dullish. The beauty of Ayurveda is that it’s about restoring the body to its original healthy state. This wisdom of the ages is all about prevention of disease and being in tune with one’s body to know when there are imbalances. To create true luminous beauty, one has to have the inner life to support it. Ojas is the essence of the life force within us. I once heard it described as our body’s version of the nectar in honey or the sap in trees. It is what makes our bodies work and gives us each the ability to thrive. When ojas are strong, our bodies are firm and flexible, our skin is clear and luminous and our hair is shiny and healthy. It also is the precursor to feeling love and compassion. By meditating, eating healthy, and being in tune you can enhance and strengthen your ojas and your aura to omit radiance. Our modern world today can take a great toll on our ojas, with things like exposure to technology, constant stress and processed food depleting them. However, they can be restored by Ayurvedic practices like warm raw milk, certain herbs, quiet walks in nature, sound sleep, and becoming grounded and calm.

To balance normal skin and make it absolutely glow, make a mask using oat flour, sandalwood powder, rose petals, and raw milk. I love how indulgent and beautiful this mask feels. The oat flour softens and moisturizes skin, while the sandalwood powder cools the skin, is anti bacterial, a natural astringent and prevents acne. Raw Milk has natural alpha hydroxy acids, which prevents aging and naturally exfoliates, while the rose petals reduce blemishes, tone and moisturize the skin and are anti aging. I like to do this mask once a week.

Recipe for face mask:

3 TBS oat flour (chickpea flour is also excellent and used in Ayurveda to gently exfoliate the skin)

1 TBS Sandalwood powder

Crushed rose petals

3 TBS Raw Milk

Shiva Rose is an actress, writer, activist and blogger for her website The Local Rose. She lives near the Santa Monica mountains with her two daughters nestled by a creek with their organic garden, rabbits, bees, chickens, cat Fig and dog Luna. She has just launched a non-toxic, natural, beauty line that combines Kundalini elements with fresh harvested ingredients. Find here full line of products here

CREATING LUMINOUS BEAUTY + DIY FACE MASK – SHIVA ROSE