The Best Ayurvedic Skin Care Routine For Acne

Is your skin prone to acne? Does your skincare routine help you manage your acne breakouts? Each of us has a unique skin type and it’s important to follow a suitable skincare routine based on it.

“Your skincare routine ideally should help in removing excess sebum, dirt, and other pollutants from your skin to keep the pores clean. Use skincare products that maintain the pH balance in your skin to prevent acne breakouts,” says Dr. Zeel Gandhi, Chief Ayurvedic Doctor at Vedix.

In this article, we tell you the most suitable Ayurvedic skincare routine to manage your acne issues.

What Is The Best Ayurvedic Skin Care Routine For Acne?

Before you explore the best skincare routine for acne, you need to know what your acne type is and what is causing it. As per ancient Ayurveda, any imbalances occurring in three vital energies of your body: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha doshas will manifest in the form of different skin ailments.

“Acne breakouts are common among people with dominant Pitta in the body, which also triggers the aggravation of other doshas. While the elevated Pitta in combination with elevated Kapha is responsible for excessive sebum secretion, the vitiated Vata dosha (responsible for dryness) causes excessive shedding of dead skin cells,” says Dr. Zeel.

She further adds, “The blend of sebum and dead skin cells deposit in your skin pores and create a clog, which is infected by bacteria[1].’’

Increased Kapha leads to pus formation, high Pitta dosha is responsible for inflammation caused during acne, and a high rise in Vata dosha results in the hardening of acne (as in the case of nodules).

Below is a table to help you understand the role of elevated doshas in different acne types:

By understanding your acne type and the doshas linked to it, you can choose suitable skin products formulated with the right Ayurvedic ingredients that bring balance to your elevated doshas.

Now, let’s start with the morning and night skincare routines that you need to follow to prevent and control acne.

A. Best Ayurvedic Skincare Routine For Acne

A good skincare routine can help you manage acne breakouts better. However, before you begin, do remember to keep your unique prakriti in mind, choose appropriate products and repeat the routine every day in the morning and at night.

What you need

• Cleanser
• Toner
• Moisturizer
• Sunscreen
• Night Serum & Night Cream

The entire process of cleansing, exfoliating, toning, moisturizing and applying sunscreen to your face can take up to 25-30 minutes.

Step 1: Cleansing

Wash your face with lukewarm water. This is an important first step for both your morning and night skincare routine. Apply a suitable cleanser with Ayurvedic ingredients that target your specific skin problems. Massage your face gently using your fingertips. Finally, rinse your face with cool water.

Step 2: Steaming & Exfoliation

Use steam to open up the clogged pores in your skin. Follow this with gentle exfoliation twice or thrice a week. This will help to remove deep-rooted dead skin and sebum plugs. Use mild exfoliators that are soft and non-abrasive. Do not over-exfoliate and avoid it totally if you have nodules or cysts.

Step 3: Toning

Apply a suitable toner on your face using a cotton ball. Do this both in the morning and at night. Toners help in enclosing open skin pores that are susceptible to the accumulation of sebum, dead skin and dirt. A few natural ingredients that can be used as toners include rose water (for all skin types), jasmine water (for dry and sensitive skin) and lavender water (for oily skin).

Step 4: Moisturize

Use a non-greasy lightweight moisturizer to keep your doshas in balance. This will hydrate and nourish your skin and also protect it from harsh weather, pollution etc. While a moisturizer is suitable in the morning, use a serum at night. A good night serum can control acne and help the scars to fade. Follow this with a night cream for best results.

Step 5: Use Sunscreen

Apply a light non-greasy sunscreen before stepping out into the sun. This will protect your skin from damage and tanning. If applying makeup, then apply sunscreen before the makeup. Look for ingredients like aloe vera, lime, walnut, olive oil etc.

B. Night Skincare Routine For Acne

Step 1: Cleansing

• At night, it’s important to cleanse off the dirt, sweat, pollutants, and make up residue accumulated on your face throughout the day.
• Hence, repeat the cleansing step from your morning routine. You can use the same face cleansing agent.
• Ensure you do not go to bed with makeup on your face.

Step 2: Toning

• After cleansing your face, you can repeat this step using the same toner that you used in your morning routine.

Step 3: Night Serum

• Using a herbal night serum can help you in controlling acne by balancing your skin pH levels.
• Also, it helps in fading the acne scars by repairing the damaged skin.
• Use a dropper to apply the night serum to your acne breakouts and blemishes.
• You can spread the serum evenly around the affected area using your finger nibs.

Ayurvedic Ingredients You Can Look For In Your Night Serums

A. Vacha or Sweet flag - Best for blackheads and nodules as it balances Kapha and Vata doshas

B. Aloe vera - Best for any acne type as it balances all three doshas.

C. Bakuchi or Psoralea corylifolia - best for blackheads and nodules as it balances Kapha and Vata doshas.

D. Tea-tree oil - Best for any acne type as it balances all three doshas[5].

E. Neem oil - Best for whiteheads, pustules, and cysts as it balances Kapha and Pitta doshas.

Step 4: Night Cream

• Most of the moisturizers are slightly heavy as they are intended for hydration and skin protection from different environmental factors.
• You can replace these moisturizers with light-weight night creams during your night skincare routine if you have acne-prone skin.
• Besides having acne-controlling properties, night creams work to reduce signs of aging and enhance the natural radiance of your skin.

Ayurvedic Ingredients You Can Look For In Your Night Creams

A. Aloe Vera - Best for all types of acne.

B. Saffron - Best for all types of acne.

C. Licorice - Best for papules as it balances Vata and Pitta doshas.

D. Manjistha- Best for cysts as it balances Kapha and Pitta doshas.

E. Vetiver - Best for papules as it balances Vata and Pitta doshas.

F. Lotus - Best for whiteheads and cysts as it balances Kapha and Pitta doshas.

G. Turmeric - Best for all types of acne [6].

Face Packs For Acne

1. Ayurvedic Herbal Packs

A. Nimba (Neem)

Add 2 spoons of rose water to 10-12 neem leaves and grind them into a fine paste. Apply the paste on your face and rinse it off after 45 minutes. It balances Pitta and Kapha doshas and works wonders to treat inflamed forms of acne.

B. Dhanyaka (Coriander)

Blend fresh coriander leaves along with their stems into a fine paste and add 2-3 spoons of cucumber juice to it. Apply it as a face mask and wash it off after half an hour. It balances all three doshas and works great for all types of acne.

C. Guduchi (Giloy)

Grind giloy leaves into a smooth paste and apply it to your face. After half an hour, rinse it off with normal water. While it balances all three doshas, it can be used to treat any acne type too, especially blackheads and nodules.

D. Manjistha (Indian Madder)

Prepare a smooth paste by adding 2-3 spoons of aloe vera gel to 1-2 spoons of manjistha powder. Apply it on your acne and rinse it off after 30-45 minutes. It is also one of the best choices to treat inflamed acne types as it balances Pitta and Kapha doshas.

E. Jatiphala (Nutmeg)

Add a spoon of raw honey and a spoon of lemon juice to 2 spoons of nutmeg powder. Apply it on your pimples and wash it off after half an hour. It works best for nodules and blackheads as it balances Vata and Kapha doshas well.

2. Home-Made Packs

Below home-remedies work to control any form of acne. Hence, they can be used by anyone with inflamed or non-inflamed types of acne:

A. Add a little amount of water to two spoons of green tea leaves. Now, add a spoon of aloe vera gel to it. Apply the mixture to your face and rinse it off using lukewarm water after half an hour. Repeat it twice a week.

B. Apply turmeric paste on your pimples and wash them off after half an hour. Repeat twice a day.

C. Add a spoon of lemon juice to a spoon of raw honey. Mix well and apply it to your pimples using a cotton ball. After 10-15 minutes, wash it off using lukewarm water. Repeat it twice a day.

D. Heat a spoonful of olive oil on a low flame. Now, add a few crushed garlic pieces to it. Heat it for another minute and keep it aside for cooling. Later, apply the garlic-infused olive oil on the pimples and rinse it off after half an hour. Repeat it twice a day.

E. Add a spoon of Epsom salt to a cup of warm water. After the salt is dissolved, soak a clean cotton cloth with this solution and put it on your face for 15 minutes. Later, wash your face with normal water. Repeat this twice a week.

Recommended Tips For Acne Prone Skin

• Avoid rubbing your skin harshly while cleansing your face.
• Control the habit of touching your face frequently with your hands.
• Keep your hair clean by washing it regularly and don’t let your hair fall on your face.
• Do not put on excess makeup. Remove your makeup before sleeping.
• Do not use any heavy cosmetics and skincare products. Always prefer using oil-free products on your skin.
• Never squeeze your pimples to prevent the growth of infection and scarring.
• Keep your skin hydrated and glowing by drinking lots of water.
• Include a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet.
• Practice a healthy lifestyle. Indulge in yoga and meditation to combat your stress.

Important Note:

Please consult your doctor to check if there are any unsuitable ingredients for your body in your skincare products as per your medical history.

The Last Word

No skincare routine can transform your acne-prone skin overnight. To see promising results, you need to be consistent with your skincare routine for at least 2-3 months. Besides herbal remedies, Ayurveda also focuses on a healthy lifestyle and balanced diet to maintain healthy, radiant, and clear skin

At Vedix, we customize an Ayurvedic skincare regimen by evaluating your skin problems and respective dosha imbalances.

Know Your Dosha Now