ama: Toxins found within the body. In ayurveda, ama is a result of improper digestion or assimilation, leading to unprocessed waste.
antioxidant: An ingredient in beauty care products that inhibits oxidation of and free radical damage to skin cells. Antioxidants are primarily used in antiaging products.
Ashwagandha: A root herb used in ayurvedic medicine to pacify vata and kapha. Ashwagandha is also referred to as Indian ginseng or winter cherry, and it helps with many nervous system ailments as well as tissue degeneration.
candida: A fungus found primarily in the gut, digestive tract, mouth, and genitals. While candida exists normally within the body, an excess can contribute or lead to a variety of illnesses and conditions (for example, acne).
carcinogen: A substance or an action that has been found to cause cancer.
dermatitis: Any skin inflammation, including allergic reactions and rashes.
dermis: One of the three layers of the skin. Located beneath the epidermis, it is responsible for hydrating the skin and contains collagen and elastin molecules.
doshas: The three energetic influences of ayurveda that make up individual constitutions. The doshas are vata (air), pitta (fire), and kapha (water/earth); they can also be used to describe the qualities of substances and foods.
eczema: A common skin disorder that takes a variety of forms (inflammation, itchiness, flakiness, redness, and bacterial lesions).
endocrine disrupter: Any substance or action that leads to an imbalance in the hormonal system.
epidermis: The surface layer of the skin. It is composed mainly of keratinocytes.
estrogen: A hormone found in both men and women, but primarily linked with the female reproductive system. Estrogen plays a role in the texture as well as the hydration of the skin due to its support of hyaluronic acid.
eumelanin: The type of melanin (pigment) found in skin and hair that imparts a brown or black color.
extraction: The physical removal of dried oil that causes clogged pores and blemishes. Extractions are best performed by a professional esthetician as part of a facial.
ghee: Clarified butter used in ayurveda as a vehicle for medicines and alone as a healing agent. Ghee is used primarily in food preparation, but it can also be applied topically for its anti-inflammatory properties.
glycolic acid: An ingredient found in cosmetic preparations that peel and exfoliate the skin.
gommage: An exfoliating treatingment that is applied like a mask and is rubbed off when dry. This rubbing or rolling off action is what enables exfoliation.
guduchi: A climbing vine used as a medicinal herb to rejuvenate the pitta and vata doshas. It is considered a rasayana that nourishes the body’s tissues and creates mental clarity.
hypodermis: The deepest layer of the skin, found under the dermis. This fatty tissue serves as a cushion to the body and its internal organs.
intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy: A beauty treatment that uses high-intensity pulses of light to promote collagen production and diminish the look of broken capillaries and hyperpigmentation; it is also popularly used for permanent hair removal and reduction. IPL usually requires no downtime for recovery and is much less painful than laser therapy.
kapha: One of the three doshas described in ayurveda kapha is characterized by the elements of earth and water. It governs the qualities of heaviness, slowness, stability, and wetness. It is also responsible for retention, accumulation, and growth.
keratinocytes: Cells that comprise 90 percent of the epidermis (top layer of skin).
laser treatment: The use of deeply penetrating light rays to stimulate collagen production, broken capillaries, and pigmented lesions. Lasers are more intense than IPL; they aim to accomplish many of the same beauty goals, are more invasive, and also garner faster and more dramatic results. Unlike IPL, laser treatment requires several days for recovery and includes topical side effects such as temporary burn marks and skin discomfort.
light-emitting diode (LED) therapy: The use of low-intensity light to kill bacteria and to repair and heal tissue.
lymphatic system: The network consisting of lymphoid tissue, lymph fluid, and the vessels that move and transport that fluid within the body. Water retention is often attributed to a buildup of lymph fluid. Lymphoid tissue is related to the body’s immune function, as it contains white blood cells (lymphocytes) that protect against and combat disease.
melanin: The pigment in the skin that determines its color.
melanocytes: Cells that produce melanin and dictate the skin’s pigment.
melanosome: An organelle that holds particles, or “packets,” of melanin. These particles are created and passed on to keratinocytes (in the epidermis) by melanocytes.
mineral makeup: A type of makeup that uses all-natural minerals (such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) in its formulation.
organic: Cultivated without the use of chemical pesticides.
petrolatum: A petrochemical used as a base in many beauty preparations. Petroleum has been identified as a cause of clogged pores and acne breakouts, as well as liver and kidney abnormalities via its absorption through the skin.
pheomelanin: The type of melanin (pigment) found in skin and hair that imparts a red or pink color.
pitta: One of the three doshas described in ayurveda, pitta is characterized by the element of fire. It governs the qualities of inflammation, heat, and sharpness. It is also responsible for transformation and digestion.
pranayama: The act of controlling breath for balancing and healing purposes. These breathing exercises and techniques are often part of yogic and ayurvedic regimens to calm the mind, detoxify the respiratory system, and increase oxygen intake and prana (life force).
progesterone: A cooling hormone that plays an important role in the functions of the female body and reproductive system.
psoriasis: A skin condition characterized by inflammation and flakiness. It is also considered to be one of the more serious beauty ailments because it is an autoimmune disease.
rasayana: A substance or an action that rejuvenates the mind, body, and spirit. Rasayanas can serve as antiaging tools, as they support the immune system and repair the body’s tissues.
rosacea: A skin condition characterized by redness, broken capillaries, and sometimes pustules. Western medicine and ayurveda consider rosacea to be a cardiovascular disorder that is aggravated by anything that stimulates the circulatory system.
sea-salt microdermabrasion: An exfoliating beauty treatment that involves “sandblasting” the skin with all-natural sea-salt crystals. This type of microdermabrasion is employed to treat acne, acne scarring, and signs of aging.
Shatavari: An ayurvedic herb used to calm excess vata and pitta and to promote kapha. Shatavari is known for its support of the reproductive system and its ability to increase fertility. It is also used as a nourishing agent that aids in muscle and weight gain.
sodium laurel sulfate (SLS): A chemical detergent used in beauty care products such as soaps, body washes, shampoos, and toothpastes. It is very harsh and strips the skin’s natural oils. It is also linked to tissue malformation, impaired healing, and increased absorption of other toxic chemicals.
SPF (sun protection factor): A measurement that indicates how long a given product or ingredient allows skin to be exposed to ultraviolet rays before burning. For example, a product with SPF 10 allows a person to stay in the sun ten times longer without burning than he or she could without the product.
testosterone: A heat/inflammation-causing hormone that often contributes to acne.
tridoshic: An ayurvedic term used to describe a substance that treats all three doshas or an individual who possesses all of them in equal proportions.
Triphala: An ayurvedic preparation that combines three fruits (amalaki, bibhitaki, and haritaki) to aid detoxification and balance all three doshas. It is one of the most important ayurvedic medicines and is most often taken in powder form.
turmeric: An anti-inflammatory, antibacterial root herb, also known as curcumin. Turmeric is used in ayurvedic medicine for treating all three doshas and is most often found as a powder or in capsules. Sometimes whole or fresh turmeric can be found, but this is rare in North America.
vata: One of the three doshas described in ayurveda, vata is characterized by the element of air. It governs the qualities of dryness, lightness, and roughness. It is also responsible for movement.