A Complete Guide to Build the Best Body Care Routine

Introduction

While it is essential to follow a good body care routine, it’s not the only solution to looking and feeling good. The goal to achieve great skin is a culmination of healthy lifestyle habits and a good — and safe — body care regimen. According to Ayurveda — more than a 6000-year-old science — one’s life and health impact holistic wellbeing and true beauty does come within oneself. This is why Ayurvedic skincare also focuses on the importance of eating pure and nutrient-rich food, whilst also putting emphasis on the need for a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

Once you become used to understanding what your skin really needs and what products suit it, you’ll be able to approach your skincare and beauty regimen in a much more comprehensive manner. Below, we have jotted down the key elements of charting out a perfect body care routine for yourself.

Start with the basics

Your body care routine consists of five basic steps –

• Cleansing: To remove dust, dirt and toxins.
• Oiling: To achieve softness and suppleness.
• Exfoliating: To remove surface dead cells and deeply cleanse.
• Moisturising: To soften and lock moisture into the skin.
• Refreshing: To eliminate body odour. 
• Scenting: To harmonize the mind, body and senses.

The basic idea of a body care routine is to take care of your skin, tweak the standard routine — add a few products here, remove a few products there — according to how it reacts when the weather changes.

At Forest Essentials, we use the finest of ingredients, naturally sourced from different parts of India and captured at the zenith of their potency to provide you with gentle, effective products that aren’t too harsh and lead to excellent results. Therefore, this would take you a long way in your journey to glowing skin.

Mentioned below are the steps for the best body care routine:-

#1: Let’s talk about oiling

The foremost (recommended) step in a body care routine is oiling and doing it at least once a week should be a must to achieve soft, supple and radiant skin. The ancient science of Ayurveda advocates the tradition of ‘Abhyanga’, a full body massage that began as a principal component of self-care. It specifically refers to the movement of sustenance towards all the body tissues so they achieve a healthy glow. The herb-infused therapeutic oils, the healing touch of your hands, the state of mind in which the massage is imparted, and our own vibratory energy all work in tandem to achieve this movement of sustenance. (1)

Insider’s Tip: To indulge in a ritual of ‘Abhyanga’, warm small quantities of these oils using the double boiler technique: immerse the container of oil in a copper bowl of hot water such that the oil gets heated indirectly. This method of heating ensures that the ingredients of the oil remain intact to then maintain the efficacy of the massage which is to follow.

At Forest Essentials, our organic oils for body application can be segmented into two categories – 

• Body Massage Oils: Our Body Massage Oils are prepared with fresh, organically grown oils that are obtained from the first press of the seed. Wooden Kolhus (traditional machines for oil extraction) are used, without any external application of heat, for the potent nutrients present in the oil to remain intact. This results in obtaining Body Massage Oils that are far superior in quality and efficacy, to their commercially produced counterparts. These make for the best moisturising oils that deeply nourish the skin.

• Cold Pressed Virgin Base Oils: Based on ancient recipes documented in the Vedas, our Cold Pressed Virgin Oils are laboriously prepared by hand, where pure, fresh and organic fruits and seeds are sourced to make these oils. Skilfully created in small batches, they are efficacious and of a far superior quality as compared to their mass-market, hot-pressed counterparts as they retain more nutrients and fatty acids. When applied regularly, these multipurpose oils help flush out the toxins from the body and provide it with lustre and gleam.

#2: Importance of cleansing

With pollution causing harm to the body every day and covering it with dirt, dust and grime, the skin tends to get damaged and begins to age over time. In order to prevent this, taking a shower or a bath with cleansers to remove dead skin cells, oil, dirt and outer pollutants is necessary to hydrate and freshen your skin. At Forest Essentials our cleansers are made with the freshest ingredients, potent and high-performing in nature to maximally benefit your skin without causing any harm to it.

Our cleansers can be broken down into two categories – 

• Gel-based cleansers: Our gel-based cleansers or Shower Washes are Sulphate-free and contain only natural and active ingredients to cleanse the skin while leaving it silken and smooth. Infused with Fresh Aloe Vera Leaf Extract and Vitamin E, these cleansing gels helps retain moisture into the skin and stimulate the regeneration of skin cells.

• Soap-based/Bar cleansers: The Forest Essentials journey began when we set out to create a 100% natural and handmade soap, made with the purest ingredients including Raw Cane Sugar, Glycerine, dry fruits, Mysore Silk Infusion and Pure Cow’s Ghee. These natural soaps cleanse the skin while moisturising and lending it with a delicate fragrance that lingers.

Our Luxury Sugar Soaps are made using the old-fashioned cold process, which uses unprocessed raw Cane Sugar along with pure cold-pressed oils including that of Coconut and Almond – that improves the texture of the skin and cleanses it without stripping off its natural moisture levels.

The Silk Soaps, on the other hand, have a richer consistency as they contain ultra-nourishing emollients like Pure Desi Ghee and Whole Cow’s Milk — along with fine, hand-ground pastes of Pistachios, Cashews and Almonds — that soften and smoothen the skin. Left for a curing phase of 12 weeks, these Silk Soaps gently cleanse the skin whilst also treating various skin concerns like dehydration, dryness, dullness and body acne. 

A fun fact: The Desi Ghee used in this soap is obtained using a time-honoured Ayurvedic preparation called Shata Dhauta Ghrita – translating to “Hundred Washes of Ghee”. In this effort-intensive ritual, a Copper bowl is pressed into a mix of fresh Cow’s Ghee and water to complete 100 clockwise hand rotations. This infuses the Ghee with the metal’s own therapeutic qualities and leaves the blend with a fine silken, cream-like consistency that can be easily absorbed by the skin.

#3: Don’t forget to deep cleanse/exfoliate

Exfoliation is a form of deep cleansing that helps take care of the body by gently buffing off dead surface skin cells to make it soft, smooth and supple — and must be done once a week. Regular exfoliation helps skin harness unparalleled luminosity youthfulness. 

Our exfoliators come in two forms –

• Body Polishers: At Forest Essentials, Body Polishers are made using fresh Kerala Sea Salt and humectant-rich, Organic Raw Cane Sugar that help remove dead cells and body tan for a luminous complexion. Infused with sensually-fragranced, cold-pressed oil, these polishers intensively scent the skin upon regular application. 

• Ubtans: Environmental stressors tend to rupture the outermost layer of the skin and to solve this problem, Ubtans can address this most effectively. Made with hand-pounded and hand-ground herbs, dry fruits, flowers and nutrient-rich soil compounds, they’re sundried and transformed into a fine, powder-like consistency for optimal usage. Mixed with a binding liquid agent — like Milk or Yoghurt — the paste then formed, can be used on the body to treat dry and dehydrated skin. 

#4: Moisturising is a must

Moisturisers help soften and hydrate the skin and contrary to a lot of popular beliefs, it is imperative to incorporate the ritual of moisturising into your daily body care routine.

We have broken down our moisturisers into three categories:

• After Bath Oils: Our water-soluble After Bath Oils are highly rich in emollients that smoothen and help seal moisture, deep into the skin. Infused with essential oils of highly fragrant flowers — like Rose, Jasmine, Mogra, Parijat and Nargis — that are blended in a base of Apricot, Almond and Sunflower oil, these After Bath Oils helps improve skin texture and remove sun tan and pigmentation. These extremely light-textured oils do not stain clothes and easily seep into the skin for a petal-soft finish.

• Ultra Rich Body Milks: At Forest Essentials, the Ultra Rich Body Milks are a looser formulation of creams for our bodies that are made with moisture-rich ingredients, which get easily absorbed into the skin. These milks are infused with fragrant, floral extracts of potent flowers, Cream of Milk and Beeswax, along with Burnt Cane Sugar – a natural humectant that seals moisture into the skin.

• Velvet Silk Body Creams: Our Velvet Silk Body Creams are a richer alternative to the Body Milks that deeply nourish and hydrate the skin while also regenerating the growth of new skin cells. Containing Kokum Butter, Shea Butter and Sweet Almond Oil — and infused with floral extracts of Kashmiri Nargis, Kannauj Rose and Madurai Jasmine & Mogra (to name a few) — they also soften, scent and repair the skin to boost its natural elasticity. They also make up the best products for a body care routine for dry skin.

# 5: Make sure to keep fresh and refreshed

Changes in the body temperature or changes in the outer environment’s temperature can cause the body to perspire. The body odour produced can be unpleasant and to combat it, we at Forest Essentials, have combined ancient Vedic wisdom with naturally-derived ingredients to present you with skin-benefiting products to alleviate perspiration.

• Dusting Powders: Our Silken Dusting Powders are a mix of several powders that can be applied to the body to absorb odour-producing oils and excessive moisture from the skin, leaving it smooth, supple — and lightly scented. Made using softening Arrowroot Powder, Oatmeal Powder, Corn-starch, and nourishing Kokum Butter, these powders get easily absorbed into the skin and their talc-free formula keeps it dry and fresh.

• Natural Deodorants: Using deodorants is another way to control body odour, but many are made using harsh chemicals that tend to harm the skin by damaging its natural pH balance and blocking sweat glands. Our aluminium-free and alcohol-free, Natural Deodorants even the skin tone and smoothen the texture of your underarms, lending a cooling and soothing sensation on its first touch. They create an air-like fine mist to delicately scent the underarms without leaving any thin, white streaks. Infused with delicate and potent Ayurvedic ingredients like therapeutic Lavender, bitter fresh Neem, citrusy Sweet Orange and sweet Cardamom, they mildly lend a natural fragrance to the skin without disturbing its normal perspiration process.

# 6: Fragrances

The last but not the least step of your body care routine must be to scent the skin (and body) for a luxuriously aromatic experience.

A mixture of fragrant essential oils, fragrances have been used since ancient times — in the tenets of Ayurveda — for societal customs and daily rituals. Ancient Ayurvedic texts mention the art of perfume making with the distillation processes of ‘ittar’ or ‘perfume’. The Forest Essentials fragrances are formulated using this potent steam distillation technique which draws intense fragrances from pure essential oils and floral waters of fragrant flowers and is prepared with a base of Pure Grain Alcohol or Microcrystalline Wax and Beeswax.

• Body Mists: Our Body Mists use fresh, seasonal and pure flowers that are plucked and captured at the zenith of their potency, and then steam distilled to separate the main ingredient’s essential oil and floral water. The residual, intense strain of the sensuous flowers is what lends our body mists excellent silage. They also use Pure Grain Alcohol, as the base, which is naturally derived via fermentation or ‘Sandhan Kalpana’. When sprayed onto the skin, they create a fresh and alluring aromatic experience.

• Intense Perfumed Body Mists: Our Intense Perfumed Body Mists come in two hypnotic variations — Sunehre Din and Chandani Raatein — with captivating scents and each have their own story to tell. Crafted using the traditional steam-distillation method, which captures the core essence of the essential oils and the floral waters, these Intense Perfumed Body Mists are prepared with a base of Pure Grain Alcohol. These fragrances also contain Aloe Vera Juice which keeps the skin intensely hydrated as well as perfumed with a long-lasting aroma.

• Solid Perfumes: Solid Perfumes have been the oldest form of perfume created at the time when our ancestors would use plants, herbs and flowers to create flagrant ointments and dense pomades. These would be applied on the skin and hair or burnt as a resin to perform sacred rituals.

Skilfully created using an ancient technique, called Enfleurage, Our Intense Solid Perfumes are infused with the extracts of rich butters and fragrant flowers, which can be applied to your body’s pulse points for a heady and intoxicating aromatic experience.

# 7: A Balanced and healthy lifestyle

As we mentioned during the start of this blog, along with a balanced and carefully-curated skincare routine, Ayurveda also focuses on maintaining a good daily lifestyle to reveal a healthy glow. Your skin is also a reflection of what you eat and drink, so mentioned below are some of the tips to include in your daily lives –

• Water: Drink plenty of water during the day (in timely intervals) to keep your skin and body intensively hydrated! Preferably, keep it in a jug with a few grains of Fenugreek and Coriander seeds and some Tulsi leaves, overnight.
• Fruits: Eat seasonal fruits regularly — before or in-between meals — to provide your body with the right amount of vitamins and nutrients – thereby adding a natural glow to the skin.
• Leafy greens: Full of antioxidants and minerals, green and leafy vegetables like spinach, lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower to name a few are great for boosting your immunity. They should be eaten raw or lightly cooked with a mild dressing of Lemon juice, Olive Oil and Salt & Pepper.
• Dairy: Organically sourced milk and milk-based products like yoghurt, buttermilk and cottage cheese are good sources of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Calcium to keep you healthy and glowing.
• Get ample sleep: The Indian Medical Association recommends at least 8-10 hours of sleep daily for teenagers and adults, for improved metabolism and mental wellbeing. (2)
• Exercise! Exercise! Exercise! A 60-minute physical workout — of either moderate or vigorous-intensity — is a must to strengthen bones and muscles, and allow the body to perspire in order to flush out the toxins and reveal a radiant glow. Jumping, jogging, brisk walking, dancing and going to the gym are some good examples of exercising for a balanced mind, body and soul. (3)

Conclusion

In this blog, we’ve carefully charted out the various elements of a body care routine, body care products and their usage, and how maintaining a balanced and healthy lifestyle is as important as using the correct products for your skin. So build your own body care regimen, pick the right products based on your skin type and skin concern – to get going and get started!

FAQs

What should be my body care routine?

A good body care routine at home should encompass four easy steps –

• Cleanse using a Sulphate-free, hydrating cleanser.
• Thoroughly massage using a cold-pressed oil.
• Exfoliate using a Body Polisher or a hand-ground Ubtan.
• Moisturise with a rich Body Milk/Body Butter/After Bath Oil.
• Refresh using a Herbal Deodorant or a Dusting Powder.
• Finish by scenting your skin with a Body Mist and/or a Solid Perfume.

How can I improve my skin?

For improved skin, exercise or do Yoga for 60 minutes every day, eat a balanced and healthy diet, and sleep for at least 8-10 hours.

Is hot water good for your body?

Very hot water tends to dehydrate the body (and skin) of its natural oils — and the escaped moisture can leave it feeling itchy, dry and even coarse. Always take a shower/bath with cold or lukewarm water to avoid damage.

Why is body care important?

A good body care routine is important because it helps your skin stay in good condition, keep it glowing and can help prevent/eliminate concerns like dryness, dehydration, pigmentation and scarring.

Referenced Sources

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/abhyanga-massage#:~:text=Abhyanga%20is%20a%20massage%20that’s,system%20of%20medicine%20from%20India.&text=Abhyanga%20is%20typically%20performed%20by%20a%20massage%20therapist
2. https://www.ima-india.org/ima/left-side-bar.php?pid=136
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6536904/#:~:text=Most%20of%20the%2060%20minutes,least%203%20days%20a%20week