What Makes OmVeda Ayurvedic Skincare Different?
Tradition, fresh ingredients and personalised treatments — by Nadine Thorburn, with Imogen Naumovska
There is a difference between using an Ayurvedic ingredient and creating skincare — or giving a treatment — with Ayurveda in mind.
For us, that difference matters.
At OmVeda, Ayurveda influences both the way many of our formulations are traditionally prepared and the way they are used in the treatment room. Our oils may bring together dozens of botanicals using traditional preparation methods, while our professional facial treatments can be freshly customised according to how a client's skin presents on the day.
After more than 30 years working with skin, this is one of the things I value most about Ayurveda.
No two people are exactly alike. And even the same person's skin is not exactly the same from one treatment to the next.
The ability to observe, adapt and respond is central to the way we work.
More than a hero ingredient
Modern skincare often focuses on one ingredient at a time.
Ayurveda traditionally takes a broader approach.
Classical preparations frequently combine many plants, selected for their individual qualities as well as their place within the formulation as a whole.
This can make an Ayurvedic formula harder to sum up with one headline ingredient.
But that is also part of what makes it so interesting.
Traditional Ayurvedic oil preparation
Many traditional Ayurvedic herbal oils are prepared using a method known as taila paka.
Rather than simply adding an extract to a finished carrier oil, herbs may be prepared in different forms, including a herbal decoction and a paste known as kalka, before being carefully cooked with the oil.
It is a slow process.
And that slowness is not something we want to modernise out of the formulation. It is part of the preparation itself.
Kumkumadi: a classical preparation for the face
Kumkumadi is perhaps one of Ayurveda's best-known facial preparations.
Its name comes from kumkuma, or saffron, but Kumkumadi is far more than saffron alone. Traditional preparations combine saffron with a number of other botanicals selected to work together.
In the OmVeda range, Kumkumadi is at the heart of our Radiance Kumkumadi Facial Oil and Radiance Overnight Balm.
It forms part of a traditional approach to caring for skin that appears dull or uneven and encouraging a naturally radiant-looking complexion.
Mahanarayana: 51 botanicals working together
Our Rejuvenate Body Oil is another good example of why Ayurveda cannot always be explained through one fashionable ingredient.
Its Mahanarayana formulation brings together 51 botanicals in a sesame oil base, including Ashwagandha, Shatavari, Bael and Sandalwood.
Mahanarayana oil has a long history of traditional use with Abhyanga, or Ayurvedic oil massage.
There is no single ingredient that adequately explains a preparation like this.
The formulation itself is the story.
That idea runs throughout much of Ayurveda: appreciating individual botanicals while also understanding the preparation as a whole.
Where modern botanical research fits
We are fascinated by what modern research can tell us about plants that Ayurveda has worked with for generations.
But modern botanical research and traditional Ayurvedic knowledge are not the same thing.
Research does not need to replace tradition, and traditional use should not automatically be presented as modern scientific proof.
Sometimes the two meet beautifully.
Sometimes modern research has investigated only one compound or one aspect of a plant.
And sometimes a traditional use simply has not been studied yet.
We think it is important to be clear about the difference.
Amla
Amla, or Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica), is one of Ayurveda's most valued fruits and an important botanical within our haircare range.
Modern research describes Amla as having a remarkably complex phytochemical profile, including tannins, flavonoids, polyphenolic compounds and vitamin C.1
Research helps us understand more about the chemistry of a plant that has been valued within traditional systems for generations.
You can explore it in greater depth in The Science of Amla.
Saffron
Saffron (Crocus sativus) gives Kumkumadi its name and its characteristic golden colour.
Modern researchers have investigated several naturally occurring saffron compounds, particularly crocin, crocetin and safranal, including their antioxidant properties.2
It is an interesting scientific perspective on one botanical within a much more complex traditional preparation.
You can read more in The Science Behind Saffron.
Shikakai
Shikakai (Acacia concinna) has traditionally been used in India to cleanse the hair and scalp.
Its pods contain naturally occurring saponins — plant compounds with surface-active properties that help water interact with oils and impurities.4, 5
For us, this is a lovely example of traditional practice and plant chemistry meeting in a very practical way.
People were washing their hair with Shikakai long before anyone needed to explain what a saponin was.
You can explore this further in The Science of Shikakai.
Rose
Rose has a special place in Ayurvedic skincare and is traditionally appreciated for its cooling qualities.
Modern phytochemical research on Rosa damascena has identified numerous naturally occurring compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids and ellagitannins.3
Research into concentrated rose extracts is interesting, but we are careful not to assume that findings from one type of extract automatically apply to every preparation of rose.
For us, Rose remains both a beautiful traditional ingredient and a fascinating botanical in its own right.
Where our treatments become very personal
Traditional formulations are only one part of the OmVeda treatment philosophy.
The other happens in the treatment room.
Our professional facial treatments are designed so that trained therapists can incorporate fresh ingredients selected according to the client's skin on the day.
This is one of my favourite parts of working with the range.
Ayurveda has never had quite the same separation between food, herbs, oils and personal care that we tend to make today. Many familiar foods, flowers and botanicals have qualities that make them useful in different ways.
When we use fresh ingredients in a treatment, we consider them through an Ayurvedic lens as well as through our understanding of the skin.
An ingredient may be cooling or warming.
Light or rich.
Drying or nourishing.
And the question is not simply:
“What skin type does this client have?”
It is also:
“What does their skin need today?”
When the skin feels warm or reactive
For skin that appears warm, flushed or easily unsettled, we generally think about cooling, gentle choices.
Fresh cucumber is commonly used with our treatment gels.
Depending on the client and treatment, other cooling ingredients may include rose water, aloe vera or watermelon.
The treatment itself may change as well.
Water temperature can be cooler, movements may become gentler and products can be selected according to what we are seeing and feeling in the skin rather than following exactly the same sequence for every client.
When the skin feels dry or depleted
When skin appears dry, dull or depleted, we move towards nourishment.
Fresh yoghurt, avocado or banana may be incorporated into freshly prepared treatment masks where appropriate.
Coconut yoghurt can provide another option, including for vegan clients or where we want a particularly cooling base.
A therapist may also choose to work with more oil during massage and use slower, rhythmic movements.
This is often where a treatment becomes about more than applying products in a predetermined order.
We are responding to the person.
When the skin feels oily or congested
For skin that appears oilier or congested, the approach may become lighter.
Depending on the individual, ingredients such as honey may be selected, while fruits including papaya or pineapple can sometimes be incorporated for their naturally occurring enzymes.
These ingredients are used selectively rather than automatically.
Fresh does not mean universally suitable.
Consultation, correct ingredient selection and patch testing remain important, particularly when working with ingredients that may be more active or potentially sensitising.
The treatment does not have to be identical every time
This is something I learned very early in the treatment room.
You can have two people whose skin would both traditionally be described as “dry”, yet what you see and feel can be completely different.
One person's skin may be dry but also warm and easily reactive.
Another person's may feel cool, rough and depleted.
They should not automatically receive exactly the same treatment because they have both ticked the same box on a consultation form.
And the same client can present differently from one appointment to the next.
Their skin after a Melbourne winter may not be the skin they bring into the treatment room in the middle of summer.
Stress, travel, climate, hormonal changes, sleep and lifestyle can all influence what we see.
Ayurveda gives a therapist another language for observing those changes.
Training therapists to make those choices
When a professional works with OmVeda, we do not simply give them products and a protocol and expect every facial to be performed in exactly the same way.
We teach the thinking behind the treatment.
Therapists learn about the professional formulations and how they fit within the treatment.
They learn to observe the skin and recognise when cooling, nourishing or lighter choices may be appropriate.
They learn how fresh ingredients can be incorporated, when patch testing is important, and when an ingredient should be avoided altogether.
There is still a structure to every OmVeda treatment.
But within that structure there is room for the therapist to use their professional judgement.
That distinction is very important to us. If you are a spa or therapist interested in OmVeda, visit our Professional page.
Prakruti, Vikruti and choosing skincare at home
The same principle can help when you are choosing skincare for yourself.
Ayurveda distinguishes between Prakruti — your underlying constitution — and Vikruti, your current state of balance.
Your Prakruti does not change every time your skin feels different.
But your skin certainly can.
You may naturally lean towards Vata qualities yet find that your skin becomes warmer and more reactive during summer.
You may generally have balanced skin but notice dryness following travel, illness or a change of season.
This is why we encourage people to consider both their constitution and what is actually happening with their skin now.
If your skin currently feels warm or reactive, you might explore the gentle, cooling approach of our Silver Soothe Collection.
If it feels dry or depleted, richer care such as Restore Saffron Facial Oil may be more appropriate.
If it looks dull or uneven and you are looking for a more luminous appearance, the Radiance Kumkumadi Collection may be another place to explore.
And if you are not sure where to begin, our Prakruti Quiz and Vikruti Check-In can help you look at both sides of the picture.
Respecting tradition without overstating it
There is enormous beauty in traditional knowledge.
We do not think it needs exaggerated claims to make it valuable.
OmVeda products are cosmetics. They are designed to care for the appearance and feel of the skin and hair and to become part of thoughtful personal and professional rituals.
When relevant modern research exists, we are happy to share it.
When we are talking about traditional Ayurvedic use, we say that.
And when modern research has not yet answered a question, we are comfortable saying that too.
For us, respecting Ayurveda means more than adding an Ayurvedic ingredient to a modern formula.
It means respecting traditional preparation methods.
It means understanding the qualities of ingredients as well as their individual compounds.
It means appreciating complex formulations rather than reducing everything to one hero active.
And, perhaps most importantly, it means remembering that Ayurveda has always considered the individual.
That philosophy shapes our products.
And in the treatment room, it allows us to do something I still find very special after more than three decades working with skin:
look at the person in front of us and make the treatment theirs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Ayurvedic skincare different from natural skincare?
Natural skincare generally describes the types or origins of ingredients being used.
Ayurvedic skincare goes further by considering the qualities of those ingredients, how they are combined and how a formulation or ritual may suit the individual.
A skincare product can contain natural ingredients without necessarily being Ayurvedic.
Is Ayurvedic skincare backed by science?
A growing body of modern research has investigated plants traditionally used in Ayurveda, including Amla, Saffron and Shikakai, and has identified many of their naturally occurring compounds.
That does not mean every traditional Ayurvedic use has been clinically proven.
At OmVeda, we distinguish between modern botanical research and traditional Ayurvedic use rather than presenting the two as interchangeable.
What is Kumkumadi oil?
Kumkumadi is a traditional Ayurvedic facial oil preparation named for saffron, or kumkuma.
Rather than being a single-ingredient saffron oil, traditional Kumkumadi preparations combine saffron with a number of other botanicals.
It has traditionally been used as part of facial care for a radiant, even-looking complexion.
What is Abhyanga?
Abhyanga is the traditional Ayurvedic practice of oil massage.
It may be experienced as a professional treatment or incorporated into a home ritual, with the choice of oil traditionally influenced by the individual, the season and the qualities being considered.
Why do OmVeda therapists use fresh ingredients in professional facials?
Fresh ingredients give a trained therapist another way to adapt a treatment according to how the client's skin presents on the day.
Depending on the individual and the treatment, these might include ingredients such as cucumber, yoghurt or coconut yoghurt, avocado, banana, rose water or selected fruits.
They are not added simply because an ingredient is natural or fresh. The therapist considers its qualities, the client's skin and whether it is appropriate to use.
Do all clients receive the same OmVeda facial?
No.
Our professional treatments have a defined structure and use OmVeda professional formulations, but trained therapists can adapt elements of the treatment according to the individual.
This may include product selection, fresh ingredients, massage, water temperature and treatment sequence.
How do I know which OmVeda skincare products suit me?
Start with what you can observe about your skin now.
Does it feel warm and reactive? Dry, tight or depleted? Oily or congested? Or does it appear dull and in need of more radiance?
Your underlying Ayurvedic constitution can provide further insight, but your current skin condition matters too.
Our Prakruti Quiz and Vikruti Check-In are designed to help you explore both.
References
- Pathak, S., Pratap, A., Sharma, R. & Jha, M.K. (2024). The Phyllanthus emblica Fruits: A Review on Phytochemistry, Traditional Uses, Bioactive Composition and Pharmacological Activities. Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry, 24(22), 1917–1939.
- Cerdá-Bernad, D., Valero-Cases, E., Pastor, J.J. & Frutos, M.J. (2022). Saffron bioactives crocin, crocetin and safranal: effect on oxidative stress and mechanisms of action. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 62(12), 3232–3249. DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1864279
- Trendafilova, A. et al. (2023). Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Potential, Antimicrobial Activity, and Cytotoxicity of Dry Extract from Rosa damascena Mill. Molecules, 28(22), 7666. DOI: 10.3390/molecules28227666
- Gafur, M.A., Obata, T., Kiuchi, F. & Tsuda, Y. (1997). Acacia concinna saponins. I. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 45(4), 620–625. DOI: 10.1248/cpb.45.620
- Natural alternatives from your garden for hair care: revisiting the benefits of tropical herbs (2023). Heliyon. Read online
About the authors
Nadine Thorburn is the owner of OmVeda and founder of its parent company, OmAyur Wellness. She has worked in the beauty and wellness industry for more than 30 years as a beauty and massage therapist, trainer, manager and business owner. She is also an aromatherapist and yoga teacher and has undertaken extensive study in Ayurveda, including Ayurvedic cosmetology.
Imogen Naumovska works alongside Nadine across OmVeda and OmAyur Wellness and is completing a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy.
Together, they bring traditional Ayurvedic knowledge, professional treatment experience and an ongoing interest in botanical science to the development of OmVeda products, treatments and professional education.