Gone Vegan! Meet our New Vata Cleanser & Mask

We are proud to formally announce that all of our skincare offerings are now vegan and PETA certified cruelty free! As a company that supports, “Ancient Ayurveda for the modern world”, we have decided to say farewell to organic dry milk powder. This traditional Ayurvedic ingredient has long been a part of our Vata Cleanser & Mask but will now be replaced with organic coconut milk powder; a plant-based alternative that we believe you will find to be just as gentle and moisturizing. It has taken us years of contemplation to arrive at this decision and we are excited that we have finally committed to making this change. Let us share with you our Ayurvedic insights into why we initially used organic dry milk powder and what inspired us to finally transition into offering a fully vegan skincare line.

Ayurveda, India’s 5,000 year old traditional medicine, is at the root of every formulation that we make at PAAVANI. Due to our reverence and adherence to Ayurvedic tradition, we chose to incorporate organic dry milk into our Vata Cleanser & Mask because of it’s vata balancing properties. Cow’s milk, like ghee (clarified butter), is classically used in Ayurveda to soothe, moisturize and heal vata type skin that is prone to premature wrinkles and dryness. To fully understand the use of dairy products within the system of Ayurveda one needs to also look at the historical, religious, spiritual and cultural significance of cows in India.

First and foremost, about 80% of India’s population are Hindu and, within this religion, cows are sacred and have been revered throughout history. The religious belief is that if you care for cows, you and your family will prosper and the deities will take care of you. In fact, Lord Krishna, a famous God in Hinduism, is noted for having a cow as his favorite animal. This connection between abundance, health and cows also has a practical application as, for centuries and even now in rural India, cows are a family’s source of milk, butter, yogurt and paneer. These protein staples are an important part of the Hindu, vegetarian diet. Cows also provide a means of transportation and assist in plowing and preparing the land for crops. Cow dung was and is still used as fuel in India and even cow urine, also known as Gomutra, has been cited in Ayurvedic medicine to help detoxify the body and heal a myriad of ailments including psoriasis, leprosy and diabetes. 

The historical practice of utilizing cow’s milk, cream, yogurt and ghee, in Ayurvedic skincare formulations is something that we respect and recommend for people experiencing an extreme vata imbalance manifested as dry, flaky and brittle skin. In a perfect world, we would all be sourcing dairy from our family’s cow that is nurtured, honored and treated as a part of the family, as tradition intended. Yet, in today’s modern world, we have undergone industrialization and globalization, which although have given us enormous luxuries and mind blowing advancements, have also moved us forward, in a way that all too often supports the inhumane treatment and complete disregard of our animal brothers and sisters, including the sacred cow. This reality has resulted in many of us taking a stand and demanding our skin and body care products, among other items, be free from animal testing as well as being certified PETA cruelty free and vegan. 

Since the birth of PAAVANI Ayurveda, all of our skin and body care products, herbal supplements, teas, tonics and aromatherapy spritzers have been both certified PETA cruelty free and vegan with the exception of our Vata Cleanser & Mask, which, until now, was only considered certified PETA cruelty free. What inspired us to make this product vegan was quite simply- YOU! We have loved receiving feedback from conscious consumers such as yourself and we believe it is in line with the ethos of our brand to bid adieu to our organic dry milk powder and instead infuse a modern-day alternative into our Vata Cleanser & Mask. We absolutely love how moisturizing the organic coconut milk powder is and we think it has a beautiful synergy with the rest of the product ingredients. 

Speaking of ingredients, let’s take a look at the healing properties of our organic, gluten-free, cruelty-free and NOW vegan Vata Cleanser & Mask.

Abundant in vitamins and minerals like magnesium, calcium, silica and potassium, this earth based clay is ideal for vata type dry skin. It can increase skin firmness, improve elasticity and skin texture by sloughing off dry, flaky layers to reveal cleansed, hydrated skin. 

Our gluten free oat flour softens and plumps dry, thin skin thanks to its naturally occurring lipids and proteins. We finely grind our oat flour to ensure that it gently exfoliates dead skin cells while quenching the thirst of your skin. 

The gentle, nourishing, silky smooth texture of coconut milk powder is an ideal remedy for vata type skin! Containing copper and Vitamin C, it builds and maintains skin elasticity without clogging the pores. 

Haritaki is an Indian fruit that has been used in Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine due to its revitalizing and detoxifying properties. Being rich in antioxidants, haritaki helps to remedy premature wrinkles brought on by stress and environmental pollutants. 

An Ayurvedic favorite, ashwagandha provides strength and vigor to the skin with its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory actions. It has also been used to reduce dark spots, fine lines and wrinkles. 

Licorice locks in moisture thanks to its demulcent, or hydrating properties. This herb blankets the skin in a nourishing layer of protection and is also utilized to reduce hyperpigmentation. 

In our Vata Cleanser & Mask, nutmeg helps the skin to assimilate all the herbal goodness being applied onto the skin. It also gently exfoliates and can reduce the appearance of scars. 

Lavender is an all-natural skincare favorite thanks to its ability to heal dry skin, eradicate bacteria from the skin’s surface, unclog pores and soothe inflammation. Its calming aroma also helps to nourish the nervous system- an added bonus for vata dosha balance!

Abundant in healing properties, geranium regulates the pH of your skin, meaning that it will help stimulate sebum or oil production if your skin is dry or it will regulate sebum production if your skin is too oily. This truly versatile plant is one of our favorites due to its healing skincare benefits and sweet and heady aroma. 

We hope that you love the new and improved version of our beloved Vata Cleanser & Mask as much as we do! However, if you would still like to include the benefits and tradition of dairy into your Ayurvedic skincare ritual, our advice is, rather than blend your PAAVANI Cleanser & Mask with tap water or Floral Water, instead mix it with organic, raw cow’s milk or heavy cream from a conscious and humane local dairy farm. This milk will contain the pure and sattvic (harmonious) energy that cow’s milk imparts and can of course also help to heal and soothe your skin. Another alternative would be to combine ghee, or pure, organic clarified butter, from a trusted source like Ahara Rasa Ghee, with your PAAVANI Cleanser & Mask to lock in extra moisture and hydration. 

Image Credits:

1.  Image by Devanath from Pixabay 
2. Image by ongchinonn from Pixabay 

Works Cited: 

https://www.pbs.org/video/religion-and-ethics-newsweekly-indias-sacred-cows/