If you are a L'Oréal loyalist and prefer BOTOX® injections to acupuncture facelifts, then read no further. But, if you have any interest in alternative medicine, especially as it pertains to beauty, you must read Absolute Beauty by Pratima Raichur, with Marian Cohn. I came across this book several years ago when I was working in a high-end resort spa and I have carried it around with me, move after move, city after city, ever since. It's one of those books that you don't necessarily read cover-to-cover in one go, but, rather, it serves as a reference for a holistic approach to beauty and skincare.
Since the author is an Ayurvedic practitioner, the entire book's message is founded on Ayurvedic principles, especially the idea that every person's constitution is made up of a combination of three doshas- Vata, Pitta and Kapha- with one dosha usually being more dominant. For me, I have self-diagnosed myself as Vata, which means my body tends to lean toward dryer skin, fast talking and eating frequent, small portions of food. It's an airy type of personality, with physical attributes to match. For the reader, once the dosha is determined, the entire books opens up a new world of understanding about why we look the way we look, based on our dosha. It's not magic, but a more well-rounded understanding of how our bodies, minds and spirits interact with our environment, and how that, in turn, affects our physical appearance.
As any true American would, I immediately jumped ahead to the section that lays out all the physical abnormalities and ways to change or improve upon them- I love a good fix-it section! I learned that prematurely graying hair can be helped with either a strange infusion of walnut leaves smeared on my scalp every night, and/or a massive array of herbs and specific vitamins and minerals that my body is lacking. Hey, why not try it, right? I'm too young to commit to the silver fox look. Of course the author warns that using these remedies piecemeal will not offer the full, transformative benefits that come from more challenging lifestyle changes.
Many pages in this book are dedicated to principles of self care, such as meditation, self-massage, light fasting and homemade skincare and makeup recipes. These principles are great in theory, but would most likely be written off as too time-consuming and simplistic for the average female American reader. When the author suggests using milk powder as the basis for a dry facial cleanser, I, too, found myself scoffing. That was several years ago, however, when I wanted a surefire, quick solution to the curse of acne. Nowadays, my acne has subsided, I'm a bit older, and I truly do see the value in taking life more slowly, with careful, deliberate action, especially when it comes to my health. I understand, now, that the more I meditate, even though it can be painful to commit to, my body feels better, my skin looks more radiant, and my mental state is much more clear.
Absolute Beauty is a book to keep in your library and take in bit-by-bit. It will read differently as you evolve as a person, and that is what I love about it. It's as if the author knows that the principles of Ayurveda are timeless, and she's just waiting for you, the reader, to figure that out for yourself. I draw the line, however, at the purification rituals she suggests in Chapter 8. Pancha Karma, which incorporates fasting followed by an internal cleansing with castor oil, is a level of self-care that I am happy to be unfamiliar with!
What are your experiences with Ayurvedic medicine, especially as it pertains to beauty?
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