Page 90 - Healthy (March - April 2020)

CLEAN BEAUTY

DISCOVER YOUR DOSHA

Instead of examining your
skin in isolation, ayurveda’s How noticeable
approach concerns the are your pores?
entire being – mind and body
– to determine your speciic A Barely
doshic proile. To discover How does your skin B Pretty visible, especially
your dominant dosha, react to the sun? around my nose and chin
answer the questions on this C They’re large and visible
page, noting your scores. A It dries out quickly, and
burns easily
B I’m prone to heat rashes
C My skin adores the sun

Which best describes THE RESULTS
how you feel after eating? Do people assume MOSTLY A – VATA
you’re older or younger Your dominant dosha is vata, governed by the
A Often prone to bloating than you are? elements of air and ether. Vata skin is typically
B Energised – I have a fast dry and fragile, and shows lines and wrinkles
metabolism A Older – my skin is quite lined more readily than kapha and pitta. Vata skin
C Tired, like I need a nap B They get it about right can appear dull, has small or invisible pores, and
C Always younger, due to my is cool to the touch. Vata types also commonly
youthful complexion experience dry or laking lips, especially in cold
weather or at times of stress.
MOSTLY B – PITTA
Your dominant dosha is pitta, governed by the
What’s your overriding elements of ire and water. While balanced pitta
skin concern? I’d love my skin to be more… skin enjoys a dewy glow – it’s the most closely
aligned to what Western dermatologists call
A Dryness and fine lines A Glowy, instead of looking dull ‘combination’ skin – it can sufer from sensitivity,
B Sensitivity and flare-ups B Calm – it reacts easily redness and breakouts in the T-zone when
C Excess oil and C Clearer – I suffer imbalanced. Common issues for pittas
congested pores with breakouts include acne, rosacea or eczema.
MOSTLY C – KAPHA
Your dominant dosha is kapha, governed by
the elements of earth and water. Kapha skin is
typically smooth, with large, productive pores
that can be prone to congestion in the form of
To touch, my skin feels… blackheads and cystic acne. The upside
What’s a typical night’s of kapha-type skin is that it ages less
sleep like for you? A Cool – I’m always cold quickly due to the high oil content.
B Warm – I sweat easily A COMBINATION OF A, B AND C
A Light and broken C Neither hot or cold Many of us, around 80 per cent, are bi-doshic
B Generally sound, waking – split across two doshas. It’s also possible to
occasionally be an even mix of all three, what’s known as
C Deep and restorative tri-doshic. ‘We are all a mixture of all three, but
it’s most common for us to exhibit dominant
What’s your characteristics of one, or two, at any time,’ says
approach to work? Dr Raichur. This means your skin may display
multiple characteristics, which can become
A I pack in as much as I can, more, or less, proliic as your doshic dominance
but I’m easily distracted luctuates. ‘Our dosha is constantly being thrown
B Productive, as I live by of track as seasons, environmental factors,
my to-do list hormones or stress levels change. The key to
C Pretty chilled – no point striving for balance is to recognise typical signs of
getting stressed dosha imbalances and counteract them to bring
yourself into balance,’ says Shah.

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