Ayurveda teaches us that skin health comes from the inside out. So, if you’re looking for ways to improve your skin, it’s important to work on your overall health first – and one way to do that is by taking Ayurvedic herbs.

The Best Ayurvedic Herbs for Skin Health

Here are some of the best Ayurvedic skin care herbs that address the liver, digestion, and moisture balance for better skin health.

Turmeric

If you want to support proper liver function, improve your skin and gut health, and reduce inflammation, turmeric is a great choice. Turmeric is slightly heating, so if you are a Pitta type, you may want to be cautious about overdoing turmeric. However, this brightly colored spice is often helpful for acne-prone skin types to achieve clearer skin. 

Consider cooking with the fresh or powdered herb or adding fresh turmeric to smoothies. You can also make golden milk with powdered turmeric, adding a spoonful of Ghruta for additional moisture and ojas building. 

Neem

Neem is a cool, bitter herb with a strong purifying action. Due to its bitter nature and purifying energy, this Ayurvedic herb for skin is better suited to Pitta and Kapha types. It’s often too drying and purifying for Vata types. However, it can be used for acute situations for Vata types. 

You can use neem for skin outbreaks and inflammation, taking it internally or using it externally as a soap or oil. In fact, neem soap and other neem skin products are widely available in herb, drug, and cosmetic shops throughout India.

Shatavari

If you are looking to boost skin moisture, shatavari is your friend. This rejuvenating root is a well-known rasayana in Ayurveda. Shatavari is sweet, cooling, and nourishing. It’s generally best for Vata and Pitta types due to its sweet, heavy nature. 

Shatavari is ideal if you have dry skin, because it helps build moisture and provides overall nourishment and rejuvenation. You can take shatavari as a powder, capsule, or infused ghee. It’s also a key ingredient in the famous herbal jam, Chyawanprash.

Ayurvedic Herbs for Skin

You can also try an herbal supplement specifically designed for skin health. PIOR Living’s Skin combines turmeric, neem, and shatavari and nearly 40 more organic and wild-harvested herbs and spices to enhance your skin’s health from the inside out, providing nourishment, hydration, and detoxification.

Ghruta Ghee

If you want to infuse your skin with moisture from the inside out (which may be of particular concern during winter or if you live in a dry climate), including good-quality fats in your diet is key. Ghruta is an excellent way to infuse moisture and healthy fats deep into your cells. 

Digestive Herbs

If you experience oily skin, outbreaks, rashes, or skin irritation and inflammation, it’s worth taking a closer look at your digestion. There are many Ayurvedic herbs that can support healthy skin from the inside out, and digestive herbs are a great place to start. 

If your digestion runs on the hot side, consider cooling digestives such as fennel, peppermint, coriander, and cilantro. In fact, cilantro juice is a wonderful Ayurvedic herb for Pitta-type skin issues! For Vata and Kapha types, some helpful warming digestive herbs include ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper.

Greta Kent-Stoll is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner (NAMA), as well as a writer, editor, and Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher. Her Ayurveda practice is based in Asheville, North Carolina and she is the co-owner of Iyengar Yoga Asheville.