Ayurvedic healthcare concerns itself not only with optimising the functions of the body’s internal organs, but also sets out to maintain a healthy exterior. It has therefore developed a wide range of products in the form of oils, ointments and pastes for external use.

Many Ayurvedic herbs are used to promote skin health, one of the best known being Manjistha. A tablespoon mixed with hot water and applied to rough or flaky skin or to dandruff works immediately. 50 grams added to the bathwater makes the skin beautifully soft. This same herb can be used internally as a blood purifier.

For cleaning the hair Reetha is superior to any shampoo, leaving it soft and silky. It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties.

Turmeric is also used in the production of numerous skin care products. There is an Indian tradition in which a paste is made from turmeric and oil and this is rubbed on the bodies of the bride and the groom before marriage. Its antibacterial and antifungal properties prevent any infection from being transferred between the newly-weds.

If you tend to suffer from chapped or cracked lips try massaging a few drops of mustard oil into the navel every day for a few weeks – this is an excellent preventive.

Ayurveda has many tried and tested ways of making your skin healthy and radiant, without spending a fortune or resorting to toxic chemicals.