Beauty Massage

Ayurvedic Massage Ubtan
By practicing nonviolence, contentment, tolerance, forgiveness, abstaining from malice, jealousy and envy, by maintaining a good vegetarian diet and by employing ayurvedic beauty massage, breathing excercises and meditation, one can help the body restore its natural radiance and beauty. The practice of beauty massage alone, without implementing a change in habits and lifestyles, is not sufficient. An indian beauty massage treatment is usually a forty-day course, including a specific diet, herbal teas, the use of flowers and insense, joyful and relaxing music, showers, baths and general relaxation. It includes beauty massage, full body ubtan massage, therapeutic massage, facials masks and body rubs. Ubtan is a paste made from nuts and flowers to which oils and spices have been added. After the beauty massage the ubtan paste is removed in a cold or lukewarm bath. In India, ubtan beauty massage is a part of the ceremonial masage given before the marriage to both bride and groom. Various Ubtan paste formulas exist, which each have different objectives. For example

Full Body Ubtan Formula (for general beauty massage) -

• 4 tablespoons chickpea flower
• 2 tablespoons mustard or almond oil
• 1 teaspoon tumeric powder
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek powder
• 1 teaspoon wheat-germ oil
• 1/4 teaspoon rose oil.

Facial Ubtan Formula (for general facial ubtan) -

• 1 tablespoon almond paste
• 1 tablespoon cashew paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pistachio paste
• 1 tablespoon malai (skin of boiled milk)
• 1 tablespoon wheat germ oil
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• 1/4 cup red lentil paste chickpea flower (to thicken)

Kajal is very popular in India, making the eyes look more prominent and beautiful and also curing many eye diseases, improving sight and keeping the eyes healthy. To prepare it, people burn a cotton wick in a ghee lamp and place a silver spoon or plate above it. The carbon deposits are then mixed with a minute amount of ghee and a pinch of organic camphor (not for infants). A cotton wick burned in mustard oil is considered more medicinal. [source: sanatansociety]