I've been on the fence about Ayurvedic medicine, particularly there being specific health suggestions for whichever of the three categoric Doshas you fall on. Only three? And how applicable is this to a heterogeneous population? But Ayurvedic medicine does allow for caveats and an ebb and flow for gradual shifts in your Dosha. And the beauty industry is no stranger to stringent classifications, when it comes to skincare, most lines offer you a specialized regimen based on whichever skin type you come up as, (dry, oily, sensitive or normal/combination.) So there's that.

I've heard about Pratima for years, and heard enough about it from friends on Instagram to reach out to the company to learn more. The founder, Dr. Pratima Raichur, is an Ayurvedic doctor, chemist, botanist and doctor of Naturopathy. The pioneer of Ayurvedic skincare, she began creating formulas to alleviate skin conditions based on her Ayurvedic education, and has been practicing for over 40 years. Even more impressive, Dr. Raichur creates all of her products by hand in her lab just celebrated her 75th birthday last September. Certainly a resounding affirmation that she's doing something right.

It turns out my Dosha is Pitta, and they offer a Pitta tailored regimen for my combination, sensitive skin that breakout very easily. For once, I've found a prescribed (or suggested) regiment to soothe sensitive, reactive skin that breaks out. I'm of the opinion that both sensitive and acne prone complexions are symptomatic of the same underlying problem, inflammation.

PITTA ESSENTIALS STARTER SET (For Combination/Sensitive Skin)

I received a beautifully packaged starter kit for Pitta complexions, along with their highly lauded Rose Neem Sunscreen SPF 30, a turmeric laced facial mask and a lightly aromatic body oil. I was in love upon first whiff, and am already planning to purchase refills once I'm down to the dregs.

The herbal cleanser reminds me of One Love Organic's powder cleanser, but it doesn't remove makeup and I prefer it in the morning. Plus, I learned that washing with tepid water is best, especially for reactive skin like mine.

I mixed 3 drops each of the Liposomes antioxidant serum with the Pitta Essential Oil, which smells amazing and is made up of jasmine, sandalwood and rose essential oils, and patted them all over morning and night. My breakouts were quelled, balance was restored and my skin was glowing. The botanical moisture cream was lovely as well, but for me, the oil and liposome concoction ended up being the hero products.

The Pitta Balancing body oil has a touch of jasmine, rose and sandalwood as well, but is much less fragranced than the Pitta Essential Oil and includes two Ayurvedic herbs, Brahmi and Shatavari to promote balance. It's deeply nourishing, and one of the most longest lasting body oils I've found yet.

The turmeric mask is potent! It dries quickly, and helps sooth breakouts and mop up excess oiliness without tipping the balance on drier areas. This one I found to be most effective when swiped on minutes before the shower, to allow it to dry before the steam would open my pores to further it's magic.

And the Neem Rose Sunscreen SPF 30... I'm hooked. It doesn't give that ghostly glow zinc based sunscreens often have, it's perfectly hydrating but still lightweight enough not to smother my pores in the summer humidity. Neem oil is used extensively within Ayurvedic medicine and beyond for everything from leprosy and malaria to acne and insect bites. And it's widely used in the west as a natural pesticide. This is a top seller for Pratima, and slated to be a staple in my bathroom going forward.

I'm so excited to try out the rest of this line, this indie beauty line is well deserving of the hype. I've recommended this line to friends who've reported immediate and glowing results soon after. For those who find Tata Harper to be too much (both in active ingredients, fragrance or cost), this line fits the bill. And for those curious about clean, indie skincare brands, I cannot think of a better introduction.

Pratima Skincare / Sunscreen $28 / Starter Set $60 / Mask $40 / Body Oil $28

Before I jump into this perfume, I'll quickly make a detour into the Danish etymological phenomenon, hygge.

According to the website, Hyggehouse, "the Danish word hygge (pronounced hue-gah) is a feeling or mood that comes from taking genuine pleasure in making ordinary everyday things simply extraordinary; whether it’s making coffee a verb by lingering over a cup to a cosy evening in with friends to lighting a candle with every meal." It's warmth, simplicity, contentment, and being fully invested in the moment at hand. For further exploration, NPR has some stunning photographs to illustrate the concept.

After reading a book that touched on the concept, I've been obsessed, asking friends and colleagues who've spent time in Denmark to explain what this word means to them and how to extrapolate its benefits to us. While we don't experience Scandinavian winters, the Pacific Northwest is no stranger to stark, chilly weather. Clearing the clutter, and lighting a candle in the morning while getting ready or upon returning home are good places to start. It's the combination of coziness and minimalism that resonates.

Kō Denmark's perfume roll has been, for me, the olfactory equivalent. It's a cozy floral suspended in a fractionated coconut oil base. (Most perfume is alcohol based; you'll get a heady blast of top notes like citrus and flowers upon first spray, and after dry down a couple hours later, a completely different fragrance, often a combination of woods, amber and/or vanilla.) Oil based fragrances, however, don't morph nearly as much, and tend to simmer on the skin all day long. Plus they're generally easier to make without veering into toxic or shady ingredients with little research behind them. Your wrists at 5:00pm may have a fainter scent than at 8:00am, but any shift has more to do with your own oil production and skin's chemistry than the essential oils themselves.

This gorgeous glass vial (which travels well, by the way) smoothly rolls out a glistening strip of oil that easily absorbs. Upon first whiff, it's a soapy and powdery blanket of Indian Jasmine and Ylang Ylang, than the Tunisian Neroli (orange blossom) comes through, lending it an aquatic sparkle. The Damascus Rose binds the three, deepening the cocktail, giving it a romantic, almost musky quality. Folks seeking a non-toxic alternative to D&G Feminine, Donna Karen Cashmere Mist, or Flower by Kenzo may find this to be their new classic.

Ingredients
coconut oil, indian jasmine absolute oil, tunisian neroli (orange blossom) oil, bulgarian rose damascena absolute oil, essential oils.

$45 / kodenmark.com

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