I my last post about the Abhyanga oil massage I hinted at a way to get rid of the extra oiliness. So previously I'd use a body wash or soap to remove the excess oil, but often I'd feel that I was either stripping away too much of the oil or not removing enough. I really didn't want to spoil my towels or clothes with oil, but at the same time I didn't want to spend time oiling my skin just to strip it all off.
Then I discovered the powder massage -- it gets rid of excess oil on the surface of the skin -- the oil that didn't get absorbed. No more no less. So my clothes don't get stained, but my skin doesn't get stripped of the oil.
In Ayurveda the powder massage is also used on its own as an alternative to the oil massage for certain conditions. It is also a great replacement for soap. As a child I had a neighbour who used a chickpea flour and water paste to cleanse her entire body every Sunday, and she really glowed -- her skin was flawless and had an amazing glow to it. I saw her again around 10 years later, she must have been in her 50s, and her skin was a glowing as I remembered it.
According to Ayurveda you should use the
(rather drying) legume flours only after oil massages, or if you have a
very oily skin, or if you live in a very humid climate.
Personally I like using starch, because the silky feeling is really pleasant. I have a mixture of arrowroot and cornstarch with a drop or two of essential oil, which feels and smells amazing. However regular wheat or rice flour is fine too. The coarser types of flours will give you extra exfoliation.
To use, wet your entire body, then lightly massage a little bit of the powder onto your skin. Rinse off. I try not to do it immediately after I've finished Abhyanga so that the skin has a bit of time to absorb the oil -- I try to squeeze in a small task or two in between, like brushing my teeth or applying a face mask or something.
If you try this, let me know how it turns out for you!
If you try this, let me know how it turns out for you!
