Vata, Pitta, Kapha: Beauty's Not-So-New Pillars

Is the surge of Ayurvedic doshas in the mainstream beauty and wellness space oversimplifying the intricacies of the 5,000-year-old science?

- KONIKA DATTA

It's 2023, and we're past Indianising what constitutes as Ayurveda in our wellness plans. From looking at it as just a 'herbal, hot oil champi, haldi in everything' concept, a new generation is discovering what was probably always at the core of understanding Ayurveda for its holistic approach. The concept of doshas was created because of the need for a deeper dive into understanding this science, and now, there is a movement that's slowly taking the approach to Ayurveda back to dosha-specific product formulations, and even dosha-driven wellness treatments.

Many homegrown beauty brands are creating skincare formulations based on one's dosha imbalance. One such example is Shankara Naturals. "Until five or six years back, we had to explain to people what dosha even means. In today's time, however, we see that shift," says founder of the brand, Astha Katpitia.

Skin Wise

According to Ayurveda, recognising your dosha imbalance aids in treating or caring for your face. Typically, someone with vata-dominant skin experiences more dryness, dehydration, and roughness and has thin, delicate skin. Vata-specific products contain rich and nourishing ingredients in their formulation to counteract the imbalance.

On the other hand, pitta-dominant skin is more prone to acne, inflammation, redness, and sensitivity, which means pitta-friendly products have cooling and calming ingredients to soothe the skin. Kapha-dominant skin is often associated with oiliness, congestion, and heaviness, so the products purify and detoxify while providing light hydration. The herbs typically have astringent and sebum- balancing qualities as the goal is to stimulate circulation and fluid out of those tissues.