'The body of one who uses oil massage regularly does not become affected much even if subjected to injuries or strenuous work. By using oil massage daily, a person is endowed with pleasant touch, trimmed body parts and becomes strong, charming and least affected by old age.'
Look at my skincare cabinet & you will find all kinds of carrier oils, essential oils, herb-based Ayurveda oils on my beauty cabinet! When I am asked how I take care of my skin coming from a space of Yoga & Ayurveda, being the founder of an Ayurveda skincare brand, but living in a world of actives for skincare, my simple answer is 'oils & natural butters are my best bet for skincare'.
Why I Love Oils?
In a world overflowing with complex formulations, actives, and emulsions, I’ve always found myself coming back to what feels the most instinctive and honest for my skin - pure oils & natural butters! There is a deep wisdom in this preference, a wisdom rooted not only in Ayurveda, but also in the yogic understanding of prana, ojas, and the body’s natural intelligence.
Coming from an old-school thought for my beauty & skincare, I deeply believe in the idea of optimizing body's own resources to cultivate beauty from within, & Yoga & Ayurveda have made me so aware of so many tools to keep skin & beauty balanced by working on the inside-out. However, when it is about skincare on the outside, I am obsessed about oils & have a collection of oils from across the world! Oils are ancestral and have a lively component associated to its existence, while creams & moisturizers are industry created products!
For thousands of years ancient cultures based in the ideology of Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine & Yoga, have relied exclusively on ghee, sesame oil, coconut oil, almond oil, apricot kernel oil, herb-infused oils and butters like kokum, shea, cocoa and even ghee butter Shata Dhauta Ghrita made by washing ghee 100 times in a copper vessel. These oils have a long-standing history of nourishing queens, yogis, dancers and healers from deep within. Creams, lotions, and moisturizers appeared only in the last 150 years and relatively are a new addition in human skincare history.
However, our body is ancient, its functioning, its needs are still the same as the early humans on earth, therefore, our body deeply resonates with what is ancient! Oils & natural butters also deeply relate to the skincare needs from biology perspective, and act as 'food for the skin', working on deeper, cellular level to support long-term skin vitality and overall wellness.
A moisturized lubricated balanced skin is a beautiful skin. If you can invest time & energy in keeping the body hydrated & lubricated with the goodness of oils inside-out, you probably can eliminate many skin concerns from arising including dry, dull skin, aging signs, wrinkling, chronic skin conditions like eczema and the like.
Oils are not just about the skin! There have been studies proving that dry, dehydrated skin is more than just the impact on skin. The effect is much deeper if we understand the energy behind dryness. Vata energy according to Ayurveda dominates the dryness on the skin, it is the same energy that brings about emotions of fear & anxiety, it can cause constipation, can impact the nervous system adversely and may manifest into many body & mind conditions beyond just the skin! Dryness is a call from the body asking for deep inner nourishment & oils in Ayurveda are the antidote for vata energy supporting inner balance, lubrication & a beautiful, nourished skin inside-out!
Skin is the largest organ of the body & our outer sheath that protects the delicate organs & body systems from external influences. It acts as a protective barrier and is semi-porous, meaning it absorbs what you apply on the skin & make sit reach your internal systems via bloodstream. Therefore, from all perspectives, it makes sense to rely on oils for skincare!
About Body's Own Oils
Our body produces its own oils & these natural body oils keep the body lubricated & moisturized naturally. This emphasizes on the fact that how important oils are for the skin, so much so, that the body produces its own oils for skin & overall wellness.
Our body's own oil resembles a waxy substance that coats the skin and protects it from external pathogens that can destroy skin health. When this oil barrier on skin is imbalanced, skin may either produce too much oil (causing oily and acne-prone skin) or get dry (due to lack of its own oil production).
So, let me take you deeper into understanding why I prefer Ayurvedic oils & natural butters over modern creams, butters & lotions, both from the lens of ancient sciences and from the lived experience that shaped SVARASYA.
Ayurveda's Approach to Hydrated, Balanced Skin
If there is one big word in Ayurvedic skincare, its oils! All kinds of oils including carrier oils like coconut oil, sesame oil, mustard oil, jojoba oil to herb-based oils such as bhringraj oil, kumkumadi oil, nalpamaradi oil to essential oils such as rosemary essential oil, rose essential oil, sandalwood essential oil which are subtle lipid-based essences of plant, herbs & trees, are highly rated in Ayurveda as primary sources for Ayurvedic skincare. Even natural plant butters such as 100 times washed ghee Shata Dhauta Ghrita, shea butter, cacao butter, mango butter are the natural alternatives for keeping skin moisturized & lubricated.
Oils are Body's Native Language
Ayurveda teaches that the skin understands the language of lipids, not synthetics. Our skin barrier, the lipid layer is primarily made up of ceramides, fatty acids & cholesterol. This means the skin instantly recognizes and accepts natural oils and butters as oils are a close match to the skin's outer layer and complements our natural body oils. Skin beautifully integrates oils into its own structure. It helps draw out impurities and balances our skin's hydration, even overly oily skin can come back to balance by using oil leading to beautiful, balanced, hydrated skin. Creams and lotions, however, are emulsions created by mixing oil, water, stabilizers and preservatives (in many cases). Remember, the more steps between nature and your skin, the more the body gets complicated stuff to deal with!
Oils Build Ojas - The Essence of Beauty
In Ayurveda, true beauty is a reflection of ojas, the refined essence of digestion, vitality, immunity, and emotional stability. Oils and natural butters nourish ojas, calm vata dosha, stabilize the mind, soften the heart & cultivate inner glow. Creams do not have an ojas-building effect. They may hydrate, but they don’t enhance vitality.
Oils Strengthen Skin Barrier Function
Oils and butters strengthen the skin's natural protective barrier, effectively reducing water loss. Oils are a natural source of beneficial compounds like antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and essential fatty acids that support collagen production and cellular regeneration.
Oils are Simple Skincare
Using pure, natural ingredients aligns with the holistic philosophy of yoga and Ayurveda, which emphasizes working with nature for optimal health rather than relying on complex lab-engineered solutions.
Oils Penetrate Deeper
Traditional Ayurvedic fats like ghritas, sesame oil, coconut oil have a unique molecular structure that allows them to penetrate into skin's layers more efficiently. This is because oils mimic skin’s natural sebum, they are lipophilic (fat-loving), so they pass through cell membranes easily and deliver nutrients deeper. They support the skin barrier instead of coating it. Creams, due to their water content, evaporate quickly and often hydrate only the superficial layers, this is why the skin often feels dry again when we heavily rely on creams & lotions.
Oils Carry Prana
In Yoga & Ayurveda, anything alive carries prana, the life force. Cold-pressed oils and artisanal butters still hold their vitality, especially when prepared mindfully (like Shata Dhauta Ghṛita). Creams, on the other hand require emulsifiers, stabilizers, preservatives, synthetic humectants, and while they may feel silky, they are energetically “mute.” Ojas is strengthened by substances carrying prana. Prana-less substances do not energize the deeper layers of the skin.
Oils Encourage Ritual
There is a psychological and energetic reason as well to using oils for skincare. Applying cream is done in nearly 20 seconds, while massaging skin with oils at least needs 2 minutes of touch, breath, warmth, presence. The Yogic path teaches that touch is healing and slow, mindful strokes on the skin release serotonin & oxytocin, the two happy hormones that directly influence skin radiance. Oil massage on skin also supports marma activation, lymphatic flow, pranic movement, stress reduction and relaxation of facial muscles. Creams rarely create this ritualistic experience.
Oils Align with Natural Circadian Rhythms
At night, melatonin rises, the nervous system shifts into parasympathetic mode, and the skin loosens, softens, and becomes more permeable. Ayurveda calls this 'the time of repair'. Natural oils sync with the body’s nightly rhythm calming the nerves, reducing oxidative stress, allowing deeper penetration during sleep and supporting night-time cellular turnover. Creams, especially those containing synthetics, often interfere with this natural receptivity.
Why SVRASYA Supports Oil & Natural Butter Based Skincare?
When you use pure oils and butters, your skin receives pure skincare without any stabilizers, microplastics, xenoestrogens (the endocrine disruptors) and synthetic fragrances. We trust oils and natural butters in our skincare line because they are alive, ancient, contain plant intelligence, possess prana energy, resonte with skin's need for oils and act as food for the skin. Oils & natural butters help restore our relationship with our body, something creams can never do.
SVARASYA's Oil & Natural Butter Based Skincare Products
- Shata Dhauta Ghrita - 100 times washed ghee that contains the natural intelligence of ghee.
- Madyati Kaya Tailam - Herb-infused body oil that contains the intelligence of cold-pressed sesame oil as the base oil & herbs to nourish the skin deep within.
- Saroma Tailam - Herb-infused hair oil that contains the intelligence of cold-pressed sesame oil as the base oil & herbs to nourish the hair & scalp deep within.
- Kumkumadi Kesara Serum - Saffron infused face serum blended in oils, saffron & rare Ayurveda herbs to health & soothe the skin.
- Panchpushp - Cold-pressed shea butter based moisturizing lotion blended with fragrances of 5 flowers.