Edible Beauty

“The world is a mere spontaneous creation of Brahman. It is created out of Bliss, by Bliss and for Bliss. It is created from the waves of Beauty and Bliss.” ~ Ram Shanker Misra, On Sri Aurobindo

Beauty exists for the joy of being, as the divine expressing itself in infinite ways, as the creator’s spontaneous play. It is Beauty arising as Bliss, and Bliss arising as Beauty.

That same beauty that makes a flower so elegant, that makes a sunrise so refreshing, a sunset so magical, the whole of the natural world so inspiring, is in you. It is a beauty that arises from a force, an intelligence, a state of being often called pure consciousness. Beauty is pure consciousness expressed through your physiology, reflected in your physical being. Just as pure consciousness projects into the manifest world as light, when you are healthy and balanced, beauty radiates through you as a luminescence.

Since this is true, the same intelligence in nature that creates beauty can help the beauty in you shine bright. The right ingredients, drawn from their source - the pure essence of nature versus synthesized in a laboratory - potently deliver the self-correcting, self-regulating, anti-aging, healing wisdom of that life force that emanates from pure consciousness.

From nature’s harvest then, you can make my own “beauty” products from the very food you eat. Below are a few edible beauty recipes from Dr. Manisha Kshirsagar, the the author of Enchanting Beauty: Ancient Secrets to Inner, Outer & Lasting Beauty and an Ayurvedic Doctor practicing in Aptos, California.

Dr. Manisha's Rose Cleanser

For Normal Skin

This Rose Cleanser thoroughly cleans the face, neck and eye area while nourishing normal skin. Rose is a natural astringent so there is no need to follow with a toner. Rose is also anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and uplifting in its aroma.

Ingredients

1 cup warm water
1/2 cup organic oatmeal
2 teaspoons rose water
1 teaspoon ghee or almond or sunflower oil

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until the mixture gets smooth and creamy. Put it in a glass container. Keep in a cool place or your refrigerator.

How to use: Take 1 teaspoon and gently massage in an upward direction on your face and neck. Rinse well with water and pat dry skin.

Variations

• Oatmeal is good for dry and sensitive skin.
• Almond oil or Ghee is good for dry/Vata skin.
• Sunflower oil is the choice for skin prone to redness, irritation/Pitta.

* For oily skin, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Dr. Manisha's Soothing Moisturizer

For All Skin Types

Ingredients

1/2 cup sunflower or almond oil
1 tablespoon coconut oil
10 drops essential oil of orange, sandalwood, or rose

Instructions

Warm the coconut oil and mix in the sunflower or almond oil. Stir in a few drops of either one of the essential oils.

Variations

• If you have dry/Vata skin, use the almond oil and, optionally, a teaspoon of ghee.
• If you have warm, red, or irritated/Pitta skin, use the sunflower oil and add a pinch of turmeric.
• If your skin is moist and cool to the touch/Kapha, use the almond oil and a few drops of ginger juice.

Note: You can also massage this into your scalp before showering. Give your head a good massage with the blended oil, then comb it out to the ends of your hair. Coconut oil massaged into the head adds body and luster to hair, while cooling the mind, calming the nervous system, and helping prevent hair loss and premature greying,