Do you suffer from dry or irritated skin after a brow service? A facial marma massage using specially selected Ayurveda oils can help clear inflammation, calm swelling, increase your energy, and made you feel more refreshed and youthful.

Ayurveda oils not only smell amazing but have so many benefits for your mind and body. In Ayurvedic medicine, they are used in massage, like the facial marma massages we offer at Brow Bar, as well as in cooking and consumed raw.

 

Base Ayurvedic Oils

For maximum benefits when using base Ayurvedic oils, we often recommend certain oils, or oil combinations to help balance each dosha:

• Vata dosha with dry skin: Heavier oils including sesame, almond, avacado or bhringaraj. 
• Pitta dosha with sensitive or overheated skin: Cooling or neutral oils including olive, sunflower, coconut, castor, or ghee.
• Kapha dosha with oily skin: Light oils including flaxseed, corn, canola, or safflower, or stimulating oils like mustard oil.

Here are some of the most popular base oils used in Ayurvedic medicines and massage oils:

Sesame Oil: This oil is good for promoting strength and healthy skin. When mixed with other Ayurvedic herbs, it assumes their properties without losing its own, making it a popular base oil. 

Sesame oil also great for:  

• alleviating Vata dosha without increasing Kapha dosha,
• easy diffusing through your body channels to nourish deeper, and
• aiding your digestion.

 

Castor Oil (Eranda): One of the main benefits of castor oil as a base oil in Ayurvedic medicine is its sara (spreading in nature). Ancient texts talk of this oil as a treatment for fever, pain, and swelling. 

Castor oil is also great for:

• pacifying Kapha and Vata doshas, and
• normalizing natural Vata flow.

 

Mustard Oil (Sarshapa): This oil has hot potency and is penetrating in nature. It’s easily digestible and can help treat skin conditions including rashes, itching, hemorrhoids, ulcers, and worms. In Ayurvedic body massage, it is often used on overweight individuals due to its hot, penetration quality. 

Mustard oil is also known for:

• pacifying Kapha and Vata doshas, 
• aggravating Pitta dosha, and
• a cleansing, stimulating, and revitalizing effect when used in cooking. 

 

Coconut Oil (Narikela): Perhaps the sweetest of the Ayurvedic base oils, coconut is nourishing for your hair and teeth. When its digested, it takes a long time to absorb, but when used on skin it has a quite powerful ability to nourish the skin and treat various skin conditions. 

Coconut Oil is also known for:

• balancing Pitta and Vata doshas, and 
• being soothing to the body and senses.

 

Neem Oil (nimba): From the neem tree, neem oil is used to promote overall good health. Internally it awakens digestive or metabolic energy in the adipose tissue, helps with proper metabolism, aids in proper fat and water digestion, and helps eliminate excess water from your body. 

Neem Oil is also known for:

• balancing Pitta dosha,
• pacifying Kapha dosha
• aggravating Vata (or when used with other herbs, it can reduce excess Vata in your body)

 

Herbal-based Ayurveda Oils

To the base oils, any of the following are often added to amplify or add to the base Ayurveda oil benefits:

• Bhringamalaki Oil - This oil is actually a blend of brhingaraj and amalaki and is used to soothe your senses. 
• Bhringaraj Oil - This massage oil helps brightens and strengthens unhealthy hair.
• Kanaka Oil - Used in facial massage oils, this Ayurveda oil helps with glowing skin. 
• Mahanarayan Oil - This oil can be used throughout your body to help to support muscles, joints, and soothe pain.
• Pinda Oil - This external oil is used as a moisturizer in foot and body massages, can soothe Vata and Pitta, and provide relief from burning sensations on the skin.
• Prasaranyadi Oil - Another external oil, it’s used externally to help relax stiffness and strengthen muscles and bones.
• Shadbindu Oil - This oil is used for nasal instillation and to balance Kapha in your neck and head.
• Tungdrumadi Oil - Used in head massage, this oil soothes your head and eyes.

Essential Oils for Ayurveda

To add additional benefits and more pleasant, natural aromas, essential oil combinations are often added to Ayurveda oil formulations:

 

Vata Dosha is often treated with oils that are wet, heavy, calming, and warm oils. These may include basil (orange), black pepper, cinnamon, clove, ginger, oregano, patchouli, rose geranium, rosewood, and sage.

 

Pitta Dosha is often treated with cooling, sweet, and calming oils. These may include blue chamomile, clary sage, fennel, jasmine, labdanum, lavender, mint, rose, sandalwood, and ylang ylang. 

 

Kapha Dosha is often treated with warming, drying, and stimulating aromas. These may include black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, eucalyptus, ginger, juniper, lime, marjoram, orange, and thyme.

 

The Benefits of Rose

Rose has also long been used by ancient healers to help cool anger, ambition, and stress in Pitta doshas. In addition to its romantic uses, when used in Ayurvedic medicines it’s strongest when used in the summer months, but when used in moderation can have amazing benefits all year round. 

If you have a Brajaka Pitta (a sub dosha of Pitta), it can help you better regulate control the biochemical reactions in your skin. 

Benefits for rose:

• reduces wrinkles
• improves complexion
• slows aging
• soothes burning eyes
• balances your emotions
• promotes better sleep
• soothes inflamed skin

Rose is one of the essential ingredients in our Soft as Roses Serum. This serum tri-doshic, meaning it’s suitable for all three doshas. It nourishes and helps restore a healthy glow to your skin. It aids in cell rejuvenation, prevents anti-oxidants, and boosts collagen in your skin. Its unique blend of essential oils, including rose, makes it the perfect everyday serum.

For a limited time, we’re offering 20% off our Soft as Roses Serum so you can experience the benefits of rose in the comfort of your own home. 

At Bombay Brow bar our staff provides brow treatments as well as facial marma massage. Ask about brow services that include a massage, or book it as an add-on for right after your brow appointment, to help soothe your brows and face.