Ayurveda or Ayurvedic Beauty is a form of complementary cosmetics, where extracts are taken from Indian herbs in order to make a variety of beauty products.
This was first started by the Body Shop over 20 years ago, who normalised the inclusion of natural ingredients with its wide range of naturally sourced beauty and wellbeing products.
Consumers now have increased levels of concern about the effects of chemicals on their wellness and so are turning once again to natural cosmetics. This has led to an increase in the number of products that contain some sort of botanical or herbal ingredient.
Even supermarkets are not stocking a huge variety of products containing natural ingredients, such as honey, almond oil, wheatgerm, tea tree oil and shea butter. The leading companies in the industry, such as the Body Shop, Kiehl and the Organic Pharmacy frequently travel to far flung corners of the glove in order to source new natural ingredients for inclusion in their products.
Even in perfumes, the Indian herbs Vetiver and Patchouli are frequently used. Whilst it is common to use herbal products in India (such as Turmeric, Amla, Neem and Shikakai), the European and American market have yet to explore these to the same extent.
American company L’Oreal wants to introduce more Ayurvedic skin care products into its range, as the idea of Ayurvedic medicine becomes more popular as part of a holistic treatment routine.
Turmeric is of particular interest due to its anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and antioxidant qualities. It is thought that it could fight against a number of health conditions. Similarly, Neem contains antibacterial properties and also limonoides, which help to fight against acne.
Other products such as Amla (Indian gooseberry), Green Coconut and Ashwagandha are all used in shampoos and are thought to have beneficial effects on the hair and scalp.
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