Kapha Skin type – Nature, Problems and the 3 Remedies

According to Ayurveda, the Kapha skin have an excess of earth and water and are blessed with the skin of eternal youth. Because of its thickness, Kapha skin is resistant to fine lines and wrinkles and tends to age more slowly than other types. Their skin remains youthful well into middle age. Because of my Kapha skin, everyone always thinks I am younger than I am.

Kapha Skin Characteristics

Kapha skin is soft, supple, and cool to the touch. Kaphas do not suffer from the dryness and premature aging of Vattas or experience the sensitivity and irritation of Pittas. Their skin is thick and moist, and tends towards large pores.

Because of its cool nature, Kapha skin handles cold, dry weather with few issues. If you have Kapha skin you may even find that it is at its best in the winter months. As the temperature and humidity increase, however, you are likely to experience more skin problems.

How to take care of Kapha Skin?

Controlling Excess Oil

Controlling oil production effectively is not a matter of using strong or abrasive products to strip excess oil from the skin. This is likely to make things worse in the long term, as the body will respond to the sudden excessive dryness by actually increasing oil production. Instead the Kapha skin care routine needs to focus on products that regulate oil production. Paradoxically, this means actually adding oil to the skin, but not just any oil. Jojoba oil has properties that mimic natural human sebum, and its use reduces excess oil production. Cornflower water is another ideal ingredient for Kapha skin. It has mild astringent properties that help tone and brighten, as well as regulate excess oil production.

Regular Exfoliation

Regular exfoliation is another important step in the Kapha skincare routine. Watermelon extract is an ideal gentle exfoliator. Daily use of products containing watermelon extract will leave Kapha skin soft and glowing. Fortunately, all three of these ingredients: jojoba oil, cornflower water, and watermelon extract, are found in Refresh Botanicals products.

Lifestyle Changes

Bringing your body into full balance also means adopting a Kapha-pacifying lifestyle. This involves starting your day early with a mug of hot tea, a warming facial massage, and some brisk exercise. Eat only when hungry, and enjoy a light, easy to digest dinner in the evening. Finish your day with another warm drink, and go to bed early. Both your morning and evening routines should of course include time to care for your skin.

I have Kapha skin, and this is what I, personally recommend:

In the morning:

1. Use Refresh Botanicals Foaming Facial Cleanser to gently remove dirt and impurities. Rinse it off with warm water.
2. Apply Refresh Botanicals Facial Toner to tighten pores and gently exfoliate.
3. Massage Refresh Botanicals Intensive Serum all over to stimulate blood flow and provide deep penetration of antioxidants, as well as additional exfoliation.
4. In the winter if you notice any dryness you may follow this with a  hydration-balancing moisturizer like Refresh Botanicals Daily Moisturizer with cornflower water and jojoba oil to combat dryness without creating excess sebum production.

In the evening:

1. Use a combination of Refresh Botanicals Eye + Face Makeup Remover followed by Refresh Botanicals Foaming Facial Cleanser to ensure that your face is free of all unwanted residues without excessively drying it.
2. Apply Refresh Botanicals Facial Toner to tighten pores and gently exfoliate your skin.
3. Apply an even layer of  Refresh Botanicals Night Restore Complex with cornflower water and jojoba oil to balance sebum production, watermelon extract to gently exfoliate while you sleep, and a variety of botanicals rich in antioxidants.