Product Spotlight: Kapha Serum for Oily Skin (& How it Works)

Kapha-type skin reflects the qualities of the earth and water elements. When in balance, kapha skin is soft, supple, cool and slightly moist. Additionally, thanks to the abundance of the mentioned elements, this skin type has a generous amount of collagen that wards off premature wrinkles and signs of aging. This sounds like the skin lottery right?! However, kapha skin, like all doshic skin types, can be pushed out of balance by several factors including unhealthy diet, lifestyle and environmental stressors. For example, if one is consuming kapha increasing foods like dairy and too many sweets (especially the processed kind), living a sedentary lifestyle, not breaking a sweat regularly, and/or has an accumulation of ama (toxins) in the body due to low agni (digestive fire), these imbalances can appear on the skin’s surface and in the pores as oiliness, large pores, congestion, excess moisture, pimples and/or cystic acne. 

Our Kapha Skincare products are formulated by our founders, Ayurvedic Practitioners Leah Klatt and Trudy Collings, to remedy the ailments of imbalanced kapha type skin. All ingredients in this product line have astringent, warming and detoxifying effects on the skin; everything that this particular skin type needs to support the health and harmony of a kapha type complexion. The Kapha Skincare Ritual is a 3 step Ayurvedic skincare routine that includes: exfoliation & detoxification, tonification and nourishment. The first step is to cleanse by gently exfoliating the skin with the Kapha Cleanser & Mask. You may also use this product as a weekly mask to deeply detoxify the skin. The second step is to tonify the skin by rebalancing its pH, microbiome and texture with the Kapha Toner. The third step is to nourish and protect the skin by applying the Kapha Serum. This way, your skin receives even more detoxification. Each product may be used individually on its own, but we find that the best results and balance are achieved when all steps of the Ayurvedic skincare ritual are able to work together harmoniously.

The Kapha Serum is formulated with 100% organic oils of hemp, black cumin seed, grapeseed, pumpkin seed, safflower, castor and argan hand-blended with 100% organic essential oils of cypress, tea tree, lavender, frankincense and lemongrass. 

Now, you may be wondering, but why would anyone want to put oil onto already oily, congested, blemish-prone skin? This idea of using oil to treat excess oil is often a conundrum for some, but the trick to successfully balancing the skin with organic, plant-based oils, lies within getting to know the appropriate oils for your skin. You see, oils and essential oils each have their own properties, and as you can imagine, will affect the various skin types in different ways. For instance, a heavy, warming oil such as sesame oil would not be best for someone with an oily and/or congested complexion; however, it would be a beneficial ingredient in a serum or body oil for dry, vata-type skin. Therefore, just because a specific oil helps to treat the skin, does not mean that it is best at treating your particular skin type. Another benefit of using high-quality, plant-based oils on your skin is that they are also able to mimic the natural sebum of the skin, therefore they synergistically work to balance, protect, nourish and support the layers of the skin. Hopefully, it is now all starting to become clear that, by choosing high-quality, appropriate oils to bolster your skin type, you can balance your skin and its sebum, rather than increasing oiliness and/or causing breakouts; and thankfully, through our Facial Serums, we have already done the work for you by selecting the perfect combination of oils and essential oils to balance all types of skin!

Below, we will introduce you to the major benefits of each ingredient found within the Kapha Serum and explain how it works to balance the often experienced oiliness, congestion, large pores, pimples, blemishes and even cystic acne of kapha-type skin. It is important to note that each of these ingredients are noncomedogenic, meaning that they won’t clog your skin’s pores. Furthermore, the carrier oils selected for this serum, all contain a high content of linoleic acid, which assists in reducing the thick, sticky nature of excess sebum that causes oily skin. 

With a comedogenic rating of 0, hemp seed oil contains about 60% linoleic acid. As stated above, linoleic acid helps to regulate sebum production which aids in reducing oiliness and congestion associated with imbalanced kapha type skin. Further, hemp seed oil contains antioxidants like vitamins E and A and is rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. 

A high linoleic carrier oil containing over 100 beneficial chemical compounds and especially robust in zinc; black cumin seed has strong antibacterial properties and is able to fight against multiple strains of acne-causing bacteria, making it excellent for addressing kapha type pimples, blemishes and cystic acne. 

Grapeseed is a nutrient-rich oil thanks to its high content of omega 6 fatty acids & vitamin E. It dramatically improves the look and health of the skin, without leaving a greasy residue or clogging the pores, making it a sensational herbal ally to reverse kapha type skin imbalances. It also heals blemishes, tightens pores, reduces scars, increases collagen production and protects the skin against sun damage.

High in vitamin C, zinc, selenium and fatty acids (like linoleic acid), pumpkin seed oil firms and tones. Even more, it provides moisture to the skin when and where necessary and also regulates excess sebum production - the culprit that causes oiliness and congestion to accumulate in the pores and surface of the skin. 

Known to have one of, if not the highest, levels of linoleic fatty acid available in the marketplace today, safflower oil is an excellent companion to remedy imbalanced kapha skin. With its light, non-greasy consistency, it absorbs rapidly into the skin, providing both moisture and support in counteracting excess sebum production. 

Full of minerals, proteins, vitamin E and vital nutrients, castor oil detoxifies the skin and helps eliminate excess oil. It has anti-microbial properties which clear blemishes while softening and calming the skin. 

Argan oil is a popular skincare ingredient and for good reason! It is non-pore clogging, has a fast absorption rate and helps kapha type skin retain just the right amount of moisture. Like many of the other carrier oils found in our Kapha Serum, argan oil is high in vitamin E and fatty acids, making it antioxidant-rich and beneficial to combat blemishes and cystic acne. 

You may know Cypress for its evergreen smell, but its herbal gifts do not stop there. When used topically it has many useful benefits for the skin. Cypress essential oil contains monoterpenes which can help reduce oily skin while firming and evening skin tone. This essential oil also contains antimicrobial properties, making it a supportive treatment for sores, pimples and cystic acne.

Also called melaleuca oil, tea tree is one of the most powerful anti-bacterial, acne-reducing oils on the planet! It can even help to lighten and reduce acne scars once it has done its job supporting the eradication of acne. A tiny amount of this oil goes a long way to unblock clogged pores and balance the sebaceous glands.

The main component of lavender is linalool. As aromatherapist, Andrea Butje explains, oils that have linalool are soothing and perfect for everyday skincare. Lavender is nourishing to all skin types and provides a gentle antibacterial property to help keep oily, blemish-prone, kapha type skin in balance.

A skincare superstar, frankincense rejuvenates the skin by promoting healthy cell renewal and regeneration. Its antiseptic action calms blemishes and breakouts while its astringent quality helps reduce excess oil and sebum production. 

This Southeast Asian plant has antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties, making it cleansing and purifying when applied topically to the skin. Lemongrass can sterilize and minimize your pores, balance excess oiliness, work as a natural toner, fight blemish-causing bacteria and strengthen skin tissue.

As you can see, our Kapha Serum is formulated with pure, organic oils that are specially selected to balance the natural oil production of your skin. Acting as daily skin food, cell regenerator and protectant, this all-encompassing serum unclogs and minimizes large pores, reduces oiliness and improves overall skin tone. The lightweight, fast-absorbing characteristics of this serum’s organic oils are thanks to their high levels of linoleic acid. This unsaturated fatty acid helps to reduce the thick, sticky nature of the skin’s sebum; therefore, creating less of an oily sheen on your skin. Plus, this serum is non-comedogenic, meaning that you can rest assured knowing that it will not clog your pores. We hope that you find our Kapha Serum to be the perfect remedy for your oily, congested kapha type skin!

As stated previously, it is important to find the right oils for your specific doshic skin type. At PAAVANI we offer exactly that. Five different serum options specifically formulated with organic, earth-based oils to balance your varying needs. Vata- for dry skin, Pitta- for sensitive skin, Kapha- for oily skin, Tridoshic- for balanced skin and Clarify- for acne-prone skin. We hope you take a moment to explore our herbal skincare offerings! Your skin will thank you and the results will be glowing, timeless, beautiful skin, the all-natural way.